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The Cafe at Wave Hill

4.4 (154 reviews)
Closed 10:30 am - 4:00 pm

The Cafe at Wave Hill Photos

THE CAFE AT WAVE HILL ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Outdoor seating
Good for kids
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - The Cafe at Wave Hill

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a display of fresh produce
Emma M.

I ordered a hot chocolate and two coffees with a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie for me and my parents. I told them that I wanted whipped cream on my hot chocolate and they went above and beyond and not only added the whipped cream but added a chocolate swirl on top too. It was delicious. The atmosphere of the cafe is so comfortable and there are plenty of places to sit there are some great food options available as well if you aren't in the mood for something sweet and want something savory instead. I would happily come here again, and I can see myself visiting a lot more in the future. Wave Hill and The Cafe at Wave Hill are serious gems in Riverdale and The Bronx. As a Manhattanite, I can say that I am very jealous.

Shoshana R.

A wonderful oasis in the middle of a city jungle. Once you step on the grounds it will take much convincing to believe that you are still in NYC. A slightly hidden gem, I say slightly because it's well known by those whom had the opportunity to visit but not by everyone else. They are also on the park department's website and have their own site. So Wave Hill is not exactly hiding. Lol. I must admit I've learned of this beautiful gem some time ago and just never ventured over. Unless you leave in the vicinity of the Riverdale area I must forewarn you it can be quite a bit of a trek, especially if you don't drive. However, I will go as far to say that is part of this park's beauty, romance and allure. Perfect for families (even the little ones), friends and couples. WaveHill feels like the door to a portal, where everything is green, lush, and peaceful. With amazing views of the river, the bridge and wonderfully blooming flowers in Spring & Summer and great changes of foliage colors in the Fall. Wave Hill is of course is on a smaller scale then the famed Central Park or the notable Botanical Gardens but by no means do you miss out on any of nature's wonder. This park offers visitors, a green house, garden house and a plethora activities and events for everyone. On the day of my visit there were a group of yogis in their bliss on one of the main lawns. There is also seating throughout the grounds, gray wood crafted seats for you to just relax and enjoy your own personal serenity if you so choose. You can become a member or pay as you go, however there are many things you can access for free. The park has a parking lot which I believe is at a cost of $8 dollars and be aware it is small so it fills up quickly. As alternative there is a shuttle you can take to avoid the congestion or the search for a spot. I strongly recommend you visit their site to see and learn all of what Wave Hill has to offer. Just A Note: You are allowed to bring food & snacks but signs say no picnicking. So be modest and don't bring Boo Boo and your picnic baskets.

June S.

A hidden gem in New York. A bit far to get there from the center of Manhattan, but it is so worth the trip for a nice, quiet relaxation. It is a 28-acre estate overlooking the Hudson River. The estate has two houses and a botanical garden, but much, much smaller than Brooklyn or other major botanical gardens. They have a small parking lot which can get full quickly. They do have offsite parking lot with free shuttle as well. My favorite part of this estate is the walking trail that goes almost all the way around the estate. If you look at the trail on their map, it looks like such a long walk, but it really isn't. Whoever designed the map was some kind of genius... The estate looks 10 times bigger that it really is on the map. Kind of funny... They have Café at Wave Hill inside the main house. They offer baked goods, salads, sandwiches, etc. You can go to the ordering counter where friendly staffs will take your order. After you get your food, you can sit wherever you like. We had a special, seasonal, off-the-menu, almost secret item. It is their quite impressive Afternoon Tea! It is offered during limited seasons, and you have to pre-reserve and pre-pay for the tea. We actually upgraded our Afternoon Tea to High Tea which adds sparkling wine along with strawberries and cream. It was a wonderful high tea experience, felt like a royalty enjoying the tea, sandwiches, desserts and champagne in "our" castle terrace somewhere. Our server, Charleen was simply amazing! She certainly elevated our fancy High Tea to the next level, thank you! So, next time you are feeling like escaping the concrete jungle, or just want to go chill out in a beautiful green space, or have a great afternoon tea in the nature, you know where to go!

Doreen L.

Wave Hill is a peaceful meditative gorgoues oasis in the Riverdale Bronx that you can easily drive/ take public transport to. It is a 28 acre estate with botanical gardens, greenhouses, hiking trails and beautiful view of the Hudson river and towering cliffs. Wave Hill was owned by a series of notable people. The last family to own it was Perkins, partner to J.P Morgan, who then gifted Wave Hill to New York City. Admission is free before noon on Saturday. We went Saturday morning. It was an easy commute from the City. An express takes you there from midtown East in half an hour (without traffic). When you get there, take a right from the ticketing booth. You are greeted with a gorgeous vista. There is a panorama of Hudson valley, a pavilion covered with blooming flowers and leaves. There is a greenhouse to your right. In front of that greenhouse is a garden of fragrant flowers and beautiful monarch butterflies feeding. Just a garden filled with monarch butterflies feasting on nectar. My favorites were the garden of butterflies, the aquatic garden, the greenhouse of bonsais and the view! It seems like a magical peaceful place. The aquatic garden had blooming water lilies and shimmering fish in the pond. The greenhouse of bonsais were filled with miniature plants, flowers and trees. It was so meditative just to look and appreciate the garden. People were taking pictures, and taking in the art from the Glyndor gallery. I loved my visit there! I can't wait to go back!

Pergola Overlook.
Amy N.

What a beautiful sight. Yes, even during December. Could it be also the record breaking warm weather? Maybe. But who cares, this place was gorgeous even without all the greens and blooming flowers. Oh, and you can't resist the view of the Hudson River. Lots of activities for kids. We came for crafts, a family nature walk, and their bird watch on Sunday. There were basically events going on every hour. The staff was friendly. The place was quiet. The greenhouses are a bit tight to roam around, not recommended for little kids to run around, especially in the Cactus House! Theres even a trail which I would come back for without the kids. No doubt this place will be even more vibrant and stunning once the warmer weather hits. Definitely a place to bring the kids for a lovely picnic, even a romantic stroll with the husband.

Jason P.

Visited again years later and love it just as much as before. I used the Culture Pass via the New York Public Library which grants the cardholder free admission with up to 4 people. Lots to see with excellent views of the HUdson. Cafe was nice (pricey but that's expected) and had both indoor and outdoor tables to eat at. Keep in mind that there is limited parking in the garden itself which costs $8 to park. As an alternative (and also when the lot is filled) you can drive a few minutes away to a school parking lot and park there for free. A shuttle van will come get you and bring you to the garden and will also take you back after. Instead of waiting for the shuttle, you can walk the distance in about 10 minutes. Overall a great experience here. Lots to see here, especially in the summer once the plants and flowered have bloomed.

Edward M.

It seems like wherever you go, New York is all city, all the time. With the city blocks growing more and more numerous, even as you leave Manhattan and head into the Bronx, its nice to have a tiny pocket of green space left to breathe and reflect. Adding to the list of reasons to visit the Bronx (including the Yankees and NY Botanical Gardens), Wave Hill takes the concept of a tiny spot of green and blows it to New York proportions. Walking into the main garden, you're faced with a stunning vista of the Hudson and the Palisades cliffs. Throughout the entire garden, wonderful trees and plants are in constant state of bloom throughout the spring and summer. As the calendar turns to autumn, the trees explode in a spectacle of color and change. Even in the winter, as the leaves fall from the trees and the ground is covered in a fresh coat of snow, a pristine glory in the chilled months. Throughout the gardens, a sense of peace and calm permeates, allowing for all the stresses and concerns of the moment to fade away into the true insignificances they are. In addition to the magnificent natural surroundings, the gardens were also a historical landmark, being home to Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, and George Perkins (a partner of the banker JP Morgan).

A decent view of the Hudson

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5 months ago

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2 years ago

The setting is lovely the food is decent and the prices are fair. Its never crowded on a weekday.

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8 years ago

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9 years ago

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3 years ago

Lovely experience here and pretty delicious food! For a park cafe, I am impressed. I hope we can come back to this hidden gem of a park.

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9 years ago

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

Great Performances does a first rate job with a quality variety of sandwiches and salads at fair prices.

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3 years ago

Was decent, mocha was alright, nice ambiance and quick food for sure. Lot of space to eat and good view.

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8 years ago

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4 years ago

Food is fresh and tasty in a lovely environment. I miss going there and also meditating after having a nice meal.

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8 years ago

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3 years ago

There was a lovely outdoor terrace to enjoy your meal, but unfortunately the meal did not have a lot of flavour.

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Ask the Community - The Cafe at Wave Hill

Is this a good place to do a picnic, sheets on the grass etc.?

You can do picnics, but only at designated areas - the rules (posted on wavehill.org) forbids the use of blankets on the grass.

Lovely park! is it good for 2 years old kid? is it ok to stroller?

Wave Hill is an excellent place for a 2-year-old to roam around! You can certainly bring your stroller.

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Review Highlights - The Cafe at Wave Hill

Wave Hill is an estate and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River in the Riverdale section of the Bronx.

Mentioned in 24 reviews

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Inwood Farm - Farm Burger

Inwood Farm

3.8(822 reviews)
1.9 miInwood
$$

Came here for brunch with a friend. The space was lovely and bustling, with a welcoming ambiance…read more When I first arrived, the quoted wait time was 30 minutes, but it turned out to be closer to 45 minutes. While waiting, I sipped on a Cinnamon Maple Latte, which was bold and strong, as well as heavy on the cinnamon, but could have used more maple and sweetness. My friend and I shared the Bread and Cornbread Basket, served warm with raspberry preserve jam and butter. The Bread was perfectly baked, fluffy, and well seasoned. Cornbread was glazed, giving it a slightly sweet taste, as well as crumbly in a good way. The butter made the breads richer, while the raspberry jam added a nice layer of flavor. For my meal, I ordered the Steak and Eggs, adding Truffle Fries, which were an additional $5. This also came with a small side salad topped with radishes. The Steak was tender, wonderfully juicy, and flavorful. Eggs were cooked over hard, just how I like them and made expertly. Truffle fries had a generous sprinkling of Parmesan and were delightfully crispy, with strong truffle yumminess. Salad gave a fresh element to the dish. Service was lovely. Our waitress was friendly and everything came out in a timely manner. Prices were decent. I would consider returning for dinner to try the Short Rib or Brisket Mac & Cheese.

I had a pistachio matcha latte here even though it got off of their list. They use syrup and I ask…read morefor it less sweetened and it was actually full of pistachio flavor with some gentle sweetness.

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Inwood Farm
Inwood Farm - The Lamb chops were good. They were tender and very tender.

The Lamb chops were good. They were tender and very tender.

Inwood Farm - Basil Gimlet

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Basil Gimlet

Com Tam Ninh Kieu - Crispy Spring Rolls Cha Gio

Com Tam Ninh Kieu

4.2(594 reviews)
2.4 miBedford Park
$$

This place is a family favorite…read more Their wings are also a must get every time. We always take guests here and recommend to friends

This place is incredibly easy to miss unless you're intentionally looking for it. I've gone past it…read moreso many times without a clue this establishment was even there. I loved the ambiance of the place, it was so cozy, warm and relaxing. The music they were playing matched perfectly with the vibe and aesthetics of the place, it was soft and romantic in a way. There are plenty of tables available for groups or solo dates. This is a perfect place to sit down and journal or get some work done. I literally only waited 10 minutes from start to finish to get my takeout, I sat down on one of the available tables and immediately started reading my Bible app, truly relaxing. Half of the tablets were occupied but everyone appeared to be relaxed and just enjoying their meals so the noise level was low. If you're waiting for takeout they give you a ticket and then bring your takeout to the table you're at. If you ordered in advance for a pick up you just walk to the counter and they hand over your food. The staff were friendly and graceful. While I was ordering my food at the counter, I was able to see the staff handling some of the food. They were plating, and I was pleasantly surprised with the fact that all of them were wearing gloves even while they were taking the prepared food to the tables. You get 5% off your bill if you pay with cash. There are no atms inside. Now let's talk about the actual food, the star of the show. I ordered the claypot braised pork belly and I was notttt disappointed! This meal was such a unique experience. I am used to eating very flavorful and well seasoned dishes overall so I've tasted plenty of dishes that had more flavor than this. However, I have never enjoyed a dish that was so intentional with all of its textures and tastes. The rice was soft and light, and the vegetables had the perfect amount of crunch and spice, while the pork had a mild sweetness to it. The egg was a perfect add on to put it all together. This is the kind of plate that you have to truly eat everything it's served with to fully enjoy all of the different textures and flavors that it brings. If any of the spices or flavors would've been overwhelming, it would take away from the other flavors every item on the plate has to offer. I put a little of everything with each bite, yummm. The only flaw with the dish unfortunately is that the larger portions of the pork were chewy and a bit dry, which based on other reviews seems to be a thing. The smaller pieces were very tender and delicious. I will definitely order again from here. I'm excited to try their homemade soda, coffees and their summer/spring roles Happy yelping and enjoy

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Com Tam Ninh Kieu - Latest artwork

Latest artwork

Com Tam Ninh Kieu
Com Tam Ninh Kieu

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The Cafe at Wave Hill - venues - Updated July 2026

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