Disappointed in my recent visit. I had the special of the day and believe it was the special as they wanted to "use up" the chicken salad and hummus. The croissant and naan bread were very toasted in an attempt to hide the staleness. The hummus tasted vinegary and upset my stomach. I have eaten here many times and usually the food is great, the view of the lake lovely, and the desserts yummy. 4 days after Independence day the only dessert they had was half of a (clearly old) red, white, and blue layer cake. read more

First time visiting Garden Bistro for brunch today, and everything was excellent. Friendly and helpful staff, a good selection of brunch dishes - something for everyone. We sat outside and enjoyed the light breeze and the views of Lake Mirror and surrounds. Service was great, and the food came out in good time and was hot. We would definitely come for Brunch again., and recommend for brunch and or lunch. read more

Small cafe near the lake. Offers outdoor seating. The service is good, the food is very average. read more

See all

We adore this place! It's our go to place whenever we are in town. It has great views, excellent food and wonderful service. What more do you want. I actually crave the Portabella Parker sandwich. And what can be better than sipping on a sangria while overlooking a lake. They even have homemade desserts. We bring all our friends & family here. You will not be disappointed. It is a true gem & we are so glad we found it. read more

Garden Bistro - Portobello Parker Sandwich, Sangria - New American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Love coming here. Great lunch and pleasant staff. Had the salmon BLT with the naan pieces with hummus and was very pleased all the way around. read more

I really hate to add this review, because if you guys try this place once, you'll be a regular and I will have a hard time finding a table! Where do I start? The sandwiches are culinary perfection. The turkey bacon Beluah is one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten. They add a really creamy and delicious sun-dried tomato mayonnaise, and they top it all off with a delicious potato salad, Amazing! They have a really great pecan waffle and hash brown casserole. But the showstopper is the Brie scramble. The dish is unlike anything I've ever eaten. The description didn't really inspire me. Scrambled eggs with mayo, mushrooms and topped with Brie cheese. But then I tasted it. It was like a symphony of flavors in my mouth. The ingredients just work so well together. I can't explain it, but it's a magical dish that you will never forget. Trust me. read more

One of my favorite places. Food is always great, service is excellent. Highly recommend. Such a cute place. Be sure to check out the art on the walls. When you're done go walk through Hollis Gardens. read more

Such a cute little place! We came with a group of ladies for a mini baby shower surprise and Brittany did a great job taking care of all of us! She's very patient and sweet. There was about 16 of us and she's did great! Next time you're in ask for Brittany! read more

Garden Bistro - Patio where we sat - New American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

The food and the view were amazing!! The service was also great. Very reasonably priced!!! Afterwards we toured Hollis Gardens. Definitely coming back again!!! read more

Out on a day date with my wife and we came across this place because of Yelp. What a great little gem of a place this is. The service was phenomenal and the food was delicious. If you get a chance you would do good to give them a try read more

Garden Bistro - Mangnolia Mirror Sandwich - New American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

See all

Love this place! We walked around Lake Mirror and the beautiful Hollis Garden then stop by Garden Bistro for lunch. It is in a prime location! Initially, we were planning to sit outside on a covered patio. But the Floridian Sun in August convinced us to sit inside. Wife ordered a Ham and Cheese Gibson - ham, cheddar cheese, Cole slaw, and a light Russian dressing with a potato salad as the side. According to her, the sandwich was pressed to perfection using a Panini Press and the potato salad works well for a satisfying lunch! For myself, I have a lobster salad on a mixed green. The vegetables were fresh with a toasted bread and you can taste the lobster flavor on every bite. The potato salad made this a fulfilling lunch. The best part is their pink lemonade. So refreshing and delightful! The Chocolate cakes, and Lemon cake on the cake stand look so inviting but we don't have room for dessert! This is cute café right by the lake, beautiful garden, and a family park. The food is excellent, the staff friendly and the price reasonable. read more

See all

This is one of those places you go to for a nice afternoon lunch on a sunny day. They have outdoor seating that overlooks the lake nearby. From my one time experience there everyone seemed to opt for the outdoor seating. They offer a simple menu and even beverages. The food is pretty standard, nothing to write home about but nothing to turn you away. As for the staff, it was a bunch of pleasant southern ladies taking care of all the customers which was a nice touch. I would choose this place for a nice lunch or even a breakfast but mainly on the condition that I sat outside and it was a nice day outside. read more

Beautiful impromptu lunch...from the service, lakeside seating, to amazing food it was a 10/10!

Smoked Salmon BLT is the way to go if you stop by! Sitting outside is nice especially when the weather is good. Prices are fair Service is always good and people are always ready to greet you with a smile when you come in! read more

Garden Bistro - New American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Cute cafe with a nice lake view and next to Hollis Park that has a beautiful garden and a kids park right next to it. Not a lot of healthy options for brunch. I got a quiche and it was good but I wanted something healthier. The service was good. read more

See all

Love this place! Treated my folks to a delicious lunch overlooking the lake, then took a walk though beautiful Hollis Garden. Sitting outside the last week of October was so pleasant, and the food was fantastic! I highly recommend the Magnolia Mirror. Don't get chips--instead go for their potato salad. My husband had the ham and cheese --and it was good. Also enjoyed the unsweetened iced tea. Lastly, the service was friendly and relaxed even though they were busy. Really appreciated the friendly laidback vibe of this place. read more

See all

The freshness of the food was a really nice change. My husband got the watermelon salad and it was a surprise for sure. He loved it and would have never tried it without the recommendation of the waitress. The sangria was nice the view is breathtaking read more

See all

It was my first time at garden bistro and it will definitely be my last unless they change their menu.. how is there only 4 items and only 1 burger option And then they ran out of beef for the burger.. Their chicken sandwich isn't any better tbh.. it's 2 chicken breast on a bun and called a chicken burger.. No seasoning and do not get the tabouli because it's not good, not authentic, and has no business being in that menu. Also they do not offer fries either.. The service was okay.. nothing memorable and the only thing nice about the whole place is the garden. read more

Every few months I stop by for lunch or brunch on Sunday. Their prices are very affordable and the food is always delicious. I would recommend trying some of their desserts as they are made on site. If you choose to sit outside, you get to enjoy the views of Lake mirror. I have never been disappointed in the service I've received the staff is always attentive, but not overbearing. I would highly recommend Garden bistro. read more

Recommended for clever takes on classic salads and sandwiches. It's a very attractive spot to lunch, with seating inside (12?) & outside (14?). This is a popular lunch spot, a short 5-minute walk from much of downtown or from the library / history center & art museum area around Lake Morton. I lunched 9/21/23. It was busy, or nearly so, I took my sandwich back to work. I had a turkey Beulah sandwich, sliced deli turkey on good bread, and a nice sandwich, with a good bite from the bread The side salad was tabbouleh, and it was quite good, could maybe use a little more lemon but enjoyable. read more

I've come here many times. Their drinks are simple and affordable, and there's a chance you'll get a star item from the menu. Today, I had that item. A three cheese grilled cheese and tomato soup. Man this combo hit the spot. We snagged the best seat in the restaurant (right on the edge of the exterior entry) with the best view of the lake and to people watch. Stop by the gardens next door on your way out, they are just beautiful. read more

See all

What a hidden gem in Lakeland! This was my first time at the Garden Bistro upon recommendation of a friend. There was a nice assortment of sandwiches, salads, burgers, and even some vegetarian options. I chose the salmon BLT, which was very flavorful. The bread was fresh and crispy. Being a coleslaw connoisseur, I have to say this was some of the best I've ever had. First of all, there was a good portion of it and secondly, it was just the right balance of creaminess and tartness. My friend opted for the mushroom sandwich and chickpea soup, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Service is friendly and welcoming. The food came out fairly quickly. Even though it was a July day, we sat on the patio to enjoy the beautiful view of the lake. This café is situated near Barnett park and Hollis Gardens. Since we were celebrating birthdays, we got some of the desserts. We had the strawberry coconut and the lemon raspberry cake. Both were decadently rich, and scrumptious. They also have a Sunday brunch, which I want to check out. On the way out I even found a reasonably priced bottle of wine to give to a friend as a birthday gift. All in all I thoroughly enjoyed the Garden Bistro & will definitely return. read more

See all

Wow! How cute is this place!! Have a friend staying with us and we joked about brunch. Found this place thanks to yelp mentioning bottomless mimosas. That was a sign to look no further. It's right off a cute park for kids, Hollis Gardens and Lake Mirror. There's outdoor seating too. Inside is cozy and the people are nice. We both had the big breakfast with biscuits and gravy, sausage, eggs and bacon. For two big breakfasts and two bottomless mimosas, it was only about $44. Not too shabby. You can walk it off around lake mirror if you feel too puffy! read more

Garden Bistro - New American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

I absolutely LOVE this restaurant!! Everything is always so good and fresh!! The service is top notch and the feel is very inviting for all.

This place is a delightful little number overlooking Lake Mirror, fairly scenic, save for the current construction right on the lake. Despite this, the view is nice and I would say the food is much the same. I ordered a bowl of their baked potato soup, a much more solid value than the cup which looked fairly small. The soup was a little more liquidy than I had expected, but the flavor was still solid and the ingredients looking and tasting fresh. Enjoyable overall! For the meal, I got their ham and cheese, which comes topped with slaw and a Russian dressing and selected potato salad as the side. A crispy bread with a good amount of crunch kept everything fairly held together, and the flavors of the ham, cheese, slaw, and dressing all worked well together for a satisfying sandwich. The price is maybe a bit high for what's offered, but you can tell it's made with fresh and flavorful ingredients. I would definitely get this again if my travels take me back here. The potato salad was, unusually, made with a more diverse selection of chopped potatoes, some chunks being quite large and others of more average size. It made an interesting side dish, though the flavors aren't anything extravagant. A good, comforting side. The desserts looked nice, but the meal didn't leave much room for one of their homemade desserts, though I must say the price definitely looked right. Hopefully the cake slices aren't too thin for those those choose to indulge. Garden Bistro is a solid choice for someone seeking a light yet comforting meal with fresh ingredients served with a smile. I wouldn't make the hour trip from Winter Park to seek it out specifically, but if business brings me back to the area, I would consider stopping by again! read more

Garden Bistro - A clean plate! Tasty food - New American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Delicious burger and wonderful place for lunch overlooking a lake definitely worth a drive to Lakeland. read more

Garden Bistro - bistro steak burger with bacon and cheddar cheese - New American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

Garden Bistro has such a prime location spot. This was one of the first restaurants I went to when visiting Lakeland & it immediately made it feel like home! The employees are so personable. This is a quaint little place and everything is homemade!! If you're looking for somewhere that just feels like home & warms your belly, this is it!! #QuaintAndQuality read more

Garden Bistro - Magnolia Mangnolia Mirror Sandwich & iced tea - New American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

I love this place. Always has great food and service and the location couldn't be better.

No way. The menu selection wasn't good, the food itself wasn't good & for those prices you're better off going elsewhere. It seems like you're just paying for the lake view. read more

See all

Met my wife and a friend from work here to try somewhere new to eat. I ordered the Pepper Cheese Bistro Burger with Tabouli as my side. Honestly, my burger was a little bit of a let down, it tasted like it came from a frozen patty and was too perfect of a shape to be hand made. It also had a bland flavor and zero spice for having pepper cheese -- so I had to ask for the hot sauce. I should have known better... just two or three blocks to the west is "The Chop Shop" -- where they have excellent selection of burgers cooked to perfection over an open flame and bursting with flavor for about the same price too. Lesson learned, stay away from the burgers here unless you need blandish food for a sensitive stomach. I like trying new things and I had never had Tabouli before -- it came highly recommended as the side so I gave it a try. Honestly, it was a little dry and flavorless, but I was informed by my friend at the table that traditionally it should have oil and vinegar and be very flavorful. So not sure if they were having an off-day for this side or if it always taste like this here, but Ill have to recommend you pass on the Tabouli here. To be clear, nothing I had was bad, it just didn't meet expectations. My wife ordered the Pressed Miami Cuban with Hummus as the side. She let me try and bite and it was very good - among the top tasting cubans Ive ever had. I do wish the bread had been pressed more though. That being said, the cuban bread was on point so maybe they wanted to highlight that instead of hiding it with a heavy press that would typically flatten it? But I highly recommend their cuban, very good. Her side of hummus was also very good with pita-type bread toasted and cut into triangles. This was a surprise standout as the bread was not as crunchy as it appeared, just looking at it I expected a dry cracker-like crunch but it had a nice toasted thin layer with soft texture underneath. far exceeded what I thought it would be. Our friend got a three cheese grilled sandwich with tomato soup. They really liked theirs as well and had no complaints. I didn't try it so I cant speak personally, but it is a highly rated and reviewed item on the menu so its probably good for what it is. Service was great, waitress always showed up at our table with a smile and that made us feel welcome. I'd gladly come back to this place and give them another try - sticking to one of their specialty sandwiches (like the Wild Scott Turkey) and leaving the burgers to the burger shops who know how to do them best. read more

My soup and sandwich was tasty. My wife was not impressed with her chicken salad. I agree with previous reviews that it is overpriced. My soup and sandwich was $13.00. But overall I guess we paid for the view of the lake. read more

Garden Bistro - Chicken salad - New American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

See all

I had been enjoying Garden Bistro with my parents for 15-20 years. Prior to yesterday, I would have happily given this restaurant 5 stars. Unfortunately, in the restaurant business, a single bad experience matters a lot. I won't be returning. We drove 2 hours each way to have a late (2 pm) Mother's Day lunch at G.B. One member of our party has special (medical) dietary restrictions (not unusual restrictions, but strict). Normally, he can modify a wrap from G.B.'s sandwich menu to suit, but the only menu available on Mother's Day was Sunday Brunch (at 2 pm?), which contained no appropriate choices. The restaurant was not crowded, so a slight modification in the kitchen would have been easy. But the server was completely unaccommodating and provided no suggestions or alternatives. She did not offer assistance or even a simple apology for the lack of available choices. Her attitude bordered on rudeness, and she seemed genuinely irritated that that nothing on the Sunday Brunch menu met the dietary needs of her customer. Having worked in the restaurant industry for many years, I understand how important a few kind words and simple suggestions can be. I also am acutely aware how a single bad experience can forever tarnish a customer's otherwise positive image of a restaurant. Unfortunately, that's the case with my impression of Garden Bistro. I won't return, but suggest expanding the menu to include a note that special dietary needs can be accommodated and, then, training the servers to address special needs with kindness and grace. read more

I had lunch with friends I ordered the salmon blt. The bacon was thick sliced and very well cut Ike's. The salmon was very good. The bread was fresh. Wi ordered the hibiscus tea. Was not a fan It tasted like Koolaid. I also ordered the raspberry lemon cake. The cake was a bit dry and the lemon frosting was not home made. Nothing special. Would go again but wouldn't order the dessert or the specialty tea read more

Great spot on Lake Mirror. Their Russian wrap special, and Greek Morton salad are great! read more

See all

I really want to love this place, I do. However... overpriced, strange menu .... how is the City still allowing the to occupy this prime piece of real estate? Ive eaten there 3x and every.single.time I get a horrible stomach ache. Witnessed a worker wipe their nose w/ bare hands (they don't use gloves to cook either) and then add shredded cheese to soup w/ the same hand, then they handled a tray of drinks and then money!! Grosses me out. I think if someone with some pep and ideas, was to re-do the place and turn it around.... it could be a really amazing place. Right this time - nothing to be proud about. read more

Awesome food with a great view of the lake and Hollis Gardens. They have seating inside but it's better outside. read more

When with a friend 3 days ago and the food was wonderful. I had the Lobster roll and it came with coleslaw. My friend had the potato salad and the Lemon raspberry cake. Wow we split the lobster roll and the 2 salads and the cake we both ate for total of $24.00. The seating inside looking out to the lake was beautiful and cool with the AC on. We will go back and bring more friends for lunch. Raspberry Lemon Cake the best. read more

This is my first visit under the new ownership so I felt a review was in order. The lunch I ordered was a typical soup and sandwich fare, around twelve dollars when all was said and done. I'll get to the food in a moment - let me actually describe the restaurant first. Located on the shores of lake mirror right next to Hollis gardens, it's a nice place to duck in after enjoying the natural beauty of the area. A limited beer and wine selection gives you the opportunity to unwind, and the menu is focused, rather than simple - they have chosen to do one thing and do it well rather than spread themselves thin and do a little bit of everything poorly. The restaurant was remarkably busy at lunchtime on a Tuesday, mostly with retirees, and was a bit noisier inside than I would have thought. Any mood music, if present at all, could not be heard over the sounds of what I presume was every bridge and shuffleboard club in Lakeland convening at once. The wait staff was quick and attentive, pointing out the days specials and enticing with the dessert options, which while tempting, I had to avoid if I'm going to hit my goal weight by December 31. The patrons around me, however, had overwhelmingly positive reviews. On to the food I actually got. The sandwich was a chicken and avocado sandwich with red peppers and other assorted deliciousness, it was the days special. I paired it with a black bean soup. Both were very well done, with the bread the sandwich was served on very much feeling and tasting as if it were baked that morning. In all? Highly recommend. Apparently the new owners have significantly improved this little bistro and made it into a destination rather than just a stop. read more

Garden Bistro - Chicken and avocado sandwich with black bean soup. - New American Near Me - Lakeland, Florida

New owners since my last review. The view is five-star, overlooking lake Mirror and the Promenade. (Restaurant in the basement of Lake Mirror Center.) Service is swift. Coke products. yay. Soup, salad, sandwich menu. All about $8. Today's soup was Thai or Vietnamese something. I ordered the(vegetarian) grilled portabello and eggplant with tomato, avocado and melted provolone. It was VERY delicious. I opted for the 4 bean salad which included garbanzos and black beans (with parmesan) and was tasty. I finished with some yum butter pecan cake. The piece was waaay giant and split well among friends. They had some lovely salad options--a spring mix with orange segments, another with raisins and sunflower seeds. Huge and delicious with their creamy Italian-type house dressing. They had 4 or 5 desserts. You can eat inside or outside. Garden Bistro deserves your visit and trying the fancy menu and well-flavored foods yourself! March 2016 update. Still a lovely menu and visit. Enjoyed Sunday Brunch (9:30-2:30). Had a lovely spinach parm ham egg bake that was fluffy and flavorful. Enjoyed the 2 slices of soft bread and a fruit cup all for $7.95. Took a piece of cake home--yummy and not too sweet. You need to be flexible with their menu--they were out of some items. It's a million dollar view! read more

Their menu offers soups, salads and sandwiches and desserts. Bistro salad no problem with my special request. Emily is very helpful and friendly. Air conditioned indoor seating as well as outside seating on a covered patio. Views of gardens and the lake. read more