Though we only live 45 minutes away, we finally got to this much-lauded café for lunch last week. My chicken sandwich was great, and my husband said his hamburger was the best he had ever had! Our sandwiches came with a "seasonal side" which was a yummy salad-like dish with several types of tomatoes and huge croutons. We also split the chocolate cake which was delicious and took a portion of the Apple crumble pie home (equally delicious when eaten the next day). Food came very quickly, and all the stuff were friendly, all working together to make certain we were enjoying our meal. All the staff wore masks, and they had added partitions to make things more COVID-safe. The tables were all plenty far apart. We ate in the room off to the right which was light and airy. Tthe first room of the restaurant seemed rather dark, so I would recommend requesting seating in the lighter, brighter room. read more

Locally sourced food, and prepared beautifully, with very friendly service. So happy we ate here tonight! read more

The Driftless Cafe - Little drive from LaCrosse but so worth it! - Sandwiches Near Me - Viroqua, Wisconsin

When you walk in the place looks comfy with about 12 tables but there is another dining area off to the left. There are two blackboards on the wall listing the names of all the farms and the product they get from the farm. We started with a cup of creamy vegetable that was very tasty. It came with a couple slices of buttered baguette. My husband ordered the special that consisted of a fried catfish po-boy that came with macaroni sales. He said he enjoyed the tasty sandwich but liked my walnut burger better. There is a lot of vegetarian options and we saw a lot of nice looking salads being served. Drinks are served in cute mason looking handless jars, including water. They also had a selection of pizza by the slice or whole. If I was in town again I would eat here but would most likely try someplace else just to try it. If I was a local I would frequent this place. read more

Wow, not used to this type of place around here! My grandparents have lived near by for the last 100 years (lol) and we have never been to a place like this! We loved it. Service was excellent. I was with someone who has a lot of food restrictions and they accommodated them all! We had the charcuterie plate (which comes on a slice of a log!) and shared a bunch of pizzas. They are huge and filling if you get the Neapolitan. The thin was super good too. We had the meat, one with a fried egg and a plain cheese. All excellent. It's a super cute place and gets crowded, but a wonderful surprise in the area. Farm to table dining and great service! read more

I look forward to eating here each and every time I visit this area and am never disappointed! This time around I had their beef tenderloin which was cooked to perfection. Had the fried oyster appetizer and it melted in my mouth. Carrot cake to top it off and now feel like I've just visited foodie heaven. Make a reservation and GO!! read more

Kudos Team Luke Zahm. Our first time in, Sarah & Sam and Chef Brady took care of us. We were able to chat with Luke Zahm, owner and head chef. We had a really nice time/meal. Last night, August 13th, 2016 we viewed the WI Foodie episode of The Driftless Cafe on TV. So sweet and dear. All that they are. Local. Fresh. Organics. Expect a high mark and enjoy. It is expensive for western WIsconsin, however, it is top line foods and care. My son and I ate at the cafe this last week, and Katie took care of us and we enjoyed a GF veggie pizza - me, and an oyster po'boy-my son. Good beer and a nice glass of French pink bubbles. Thank you all! We'll be back. We need more time to eat a dinner and enjoy. read more

Yummmmmmm.... How this place survives in a small country town I don't know but I was glad to finally discover it. This is the kind of place with an ever-changing, I'm talking daily, menu based on what is in season or locally up for slaughter. (Sorry, too graphic? C'mon...you're in the COUNTRY.) ...with an actual creative chef! So far, I've only been for lunch and it was lovely. Whenever I see something on a menu that has me thinking, "What the...." I'm inclined to be curious because the chef MUST know something I don't, right? So when I saw the Fish Po' boy with....what would you put in this sandwich? What would any normal person expect to find?.......Nope. With SAUERKRAUT, I had my "What the...." moment and knew I was in. Yes...YES! Never question the chef. It was a wonderful, tasty, crusty, unusual thing. Mmmmm... My dining partner had some sort of pork sandwich that apparently is regularly on the menu. She liked it but it was a little spicy for her taste. Bringing the rest home, the lucky recipient declared it the BEST thing he'd ever tasted in a sandwich. I've checked the menu for dinner. It's not cheap but it looks oh, so worth it. I'll be back. Only drawback to this place is the seating. Maybe I'm too old...or too bony arsed...but bare wood benches don't do it for me. Would it be weird to bring a sit-upon? lol read more

We drove from Madison and checked the business hours for the Driftless Cafe which were posted as 11AM to 10PM. We planned to catch a music concert so we got there at 4:30 to get a good meal prior to the show but when we got there the place was closed with a note on the door that they were closed till 5 to prepare the food. Huh? I guess not enough staff to seat customers. So we decided to walk around the downtown area for 20 mn and come back around 5 but when we returned there was a huge line of people all lined up at the door waiting to get in so we figured we'd never make the show on time with such an influx of people trying to all get served at once. What a disappointment!! read more

Overall a really great experience for a night out. The food is absolutely delicious. I ordered duck meat and my bf cod. The only thing is that the service is a little bit out of order. We were giving final greeting before the check before we received our entries because the server thought the appetizers we had was entry. Other than that, it's a restaurant worth trying. read more

AMAZING HAVE HAD NOTHING BETTER IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!! would 100 percent recommend! Loved everything about the food absolutely loved the hostess she was sweet and kind I believe her name was Ava. Food was to die for will never be eating any where else ever again read more

This place gets great reviews and rightfully so. All the food seems to be sourced locally and to prove it there is a blackboard in the dining room with the sources. I had a lamb burger which was very good and my wife a catfish poorboy which was equally good. They even had Spotted Cow our favorite beer there on tap. My one complaint is that everything is made with RED ONIONS. We both asked for them to be left off, and they were not on my burger but were on wife's poor boy. Usually it's about a fifty fifty shot the cook will see this on the order and delete them. We both dislike onions and especially the nasty red ones. I'm sure the chef likes them a lot to put them on virtually everything he makes. In my opinion they do nothing to enhance, say a catfish sandwich. There is a place for them but not on everything and I hate wondering if they got the order right or are they going to be in my food. That said we liked the place and would go back. read more

Funky and pretty tasty. Went there for lunch recently, and everything was great from beginning to end. The coffee was outstanding, the pizzas were quite tasty (I'm a huge fan of thin crust, and 9 times out of 10 when you order "thin crust" you get something vaguely thin but kind of soggy and disappointing - this was nice and crispy. The sauce was a little one note, but given that everything else was fresh and delicious, it's hard to complain). Sandwiches and baked goods were fantastic. It's a nifty little enclave right there off of hwy 14. read more

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Everyone at the table ordered something different and it was all wonderful! Then the cookies came!! OMG don't skip them! read more

The Driftless Cafe - Desserts and wine! - Sandwiches Near Me - Viroqua, Wisconsin

Best restaurant in town!! Unique menu changes often. All ingredients are locally sourced. The Bad axe pizza is a must have!!

A must stop on your way through Viroqua. Chef Mary has a unique talent to make the best tasting food ever! They also have pizza and burgers so there is something for everyone. I recommend the cheese plate and whatever unique special they are offering! Stay in Soldiers Grove at the Tabacco Warehouse for a weekend getaway. read more

Visiting the La Crosse area, we heard about Driftless from local friends who know and love good food so stopped by for lunch. We prefer to avoid meat and shared wonderful black bean tacos and an incredible pasta dish with nettles (we had them leave the chorizo out... much cleaner that way). We loved both dishes. Ordered 3 pieces of cake for dessert....chocolate, lemon/lavender, and carrot. All were divine and devoured. We also loved the Wispop sparkling water, which tastes like it has fresh citrus in it, instead of the chemical flavor of most citrus sparkling water. This place was a real hi light of our visit to WI. read more

Stopped for a quick lunch while in town, staff were friendly. Food came out quick and was delicious. A bit spendy but burger was cooked perfectly and tasted great. read more

My husband and I are on a road trip from Nashville with our daughter and she found this restaurant for us to try. From the moment we walked in we knew we were in for a special evening. The restaurant has a main dining room upon entering, with a bar at the back of the room and another dining room adjacent to the main room. There's a nice urban yet rustic vibe. We were greeted by our server Sean (Shawn?) who made our evening even more special with his attentive knowledgeable service. They have a nice artisanal cocktail menu along with wine and beer; but they had me at New Glarus Strawberry Rhubarb ale. Seasonal and only available in Wisconsin so I had to go for it. Talk about fresh, the menu changes daily depending on what's fresh from the local farms. We started with the chickpea tempura battered sweet potato wedge appetizer with a sorrel aioli and micro greens. But we were only getting started. For our mains we had Greek feta gnocchi in a lemon asparagus broth with wild morel mushrooms and toasted garlic, and the Alaskan halibut with brown butter pine nuts, broccoli tabouleh with currants and sautéed Swiss chard. Entrees come with a house salad of mixed greens topped with daikon radish, green apples and a choice of dressing- the maple vinaigrette was the perfect accompaniment. Oh yeah. Of course we didn't stop until we tried their housemade vanilla bean cheesecake with a rhubarb coulis. Our dinner here definitely has been the highlight of our culinary road trip. I'm already sad we live so far away, but hope to make it back one day. read more

Best burger in the Midwest. If you count only the meat and how it was cooked. Good soup too.

Have attended several of their special meals nights. Great food and fun atmosphere!

We stopped in today for lunch and, based other good reviews and the owner being nominated for a James Beard award, we had high expectations. While nice and nothing was particularly wrong, nothing was particularly good, either. Our expectations rose as we entered and discovered that the cafe was nearly full in the early afternoon and long after a typical lunch hour...usually a good sign. We were greeted by a very friendly hostess who seated us right away, and our server also was prompt and friendly. Those were the highlights. I like the idea of water served in canning jars, but the water was luke warm and not terribly refreshing. From the limited lunch menu we ordered a hamburger and a home-made bratwurst. While the burger was large and had decent but nondescript flavor, it also was very dry, which is typical of very lean ground beef from grass-fed animals. (Lots of people are enamored with things that sound "green," like grass-feed beef. They are not familiar with the actual environmental metrics of grass vs. corn finished beef production. This restaurant focuses on local sourcing and organic ingredients, so it is not surprising that the burger was from a grass-fed beef animal. That is fine, but it was too lean, and too dry.) It was served with "chips." The burger was $11, plus $1 extra for cheese. The home-made brat also was good but neither distinctive nor unique. The brat was served with either "chips" or sliced apples in lemon juice. I opted for the apples, and they complemented the brat nicely. The brat was $10. This is a very pleasant cafe with a wonderful staff, good service and a nice feel. That said, the food did not live up to its billing, or what one would expect for the price. read more

Definitely the best restaurant in the area. Pizza is a little bit overpriced for the size, I'm interested in trying other things on the menu next time. read more

I love this place. I work just around the corner so I eat lunch here pretty often. This is the go-to spot for family birthday dinners, when friends visit and we want to impress them with local dining, or whenever we get a hankering. It can get pretty crowded for dinner so we plan accordingly - go early with the kids, or prepared to wait with grown-ups. Service is sometimes a little slow; that's something you should know going in. If you're on a schedule, let your server know right away. I haven't had a meal here that I haven't liked. I think you could order anything off the menu and be happy! Luke, the chef & owner, sources local (and the menu tells you where your food comes from), and much of the fare is organic. The only downside is that it is closed on Sundays. Mondays too, but that's not a surprise. read more

Wonderful place. I only had dessert, but the food and service was exemplary. I choose a dessert, asked for a wine pairing, and was delighted with the recommendation. Atmosphere is comfortable and casual, which may make you think the food will be ordinary. It's not - it's extraordinary. read more

This place is lovely! Went there once for a fantastic lunch and then was lucky enough to attend a wedding they catered in Alma, WI. Planning a future trip to Viroqua just so we can eat here again! read more

Super nice staff and local atmosphere. Despite an unexpected surge of customers on a Saturday night, everyone was SUPER sweet and accommodating. Food was amazing (as we had heard from a local winery) with a great selection of local beers. Highly recommended!! :) read more

I have had four amazing pies from Driftless Cafe,not all at once but I could see that happen...if I had an extra stomach! Yum,Yum is my official review and I have felt fortunate when they have magically appeared before my grasp. I must train myself to s l o w down while eating but that may take some effort. This fine establishment has also catered an event at Driftless Books and music last month which I was happy to have attended. The offerings were of such high quality when I realized my plate was almost empty I became emotional and sad comparable to the ending of a loving relationship. Well,almost. read more

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Stopped by while we were out camping. The place looks pretty cool. I liked the ambiance. The food was ok. My complaint was with the steak I got. I asked for it medium rare and it came out rare with pink all over. read more

Beef TenderloinMy boyfriend and I went to this cafe for our anniversary. I suffer from severe anxiety and I had a panic attack during our meal (lunch time). I had to lay on the bathroom floor for a while and came back out, still recovering. Not only did they notice I was in distress, they were so calm and gentle with me. They even bought us a dessert which was so delicious. Everything on the menu looked so marvelous that it was really difficult to choose between all of them. We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals - I had a vegetable soup that was literally to die for. If you want to eat fresh food that is so well thought-out and perfectly crafted, eat at Driftless Cafe. If you want sustainable and organic options, go to Driftless Cafe. We drove about an hour and I would drive many hours when given the chance to eat their food and support their business. I am raving about the food because it's so delicious but what really was the cherry on top was the genuine and diligent service. I would recommend anyone visit to experience true care, both in food and in service. read more

First off, try the Wisco Pop Ginger Beer made locally. I had a pizza slice and side salad. Both were amazing. Will be back.

Three of us had lunch today at the Driftless. We have seen their chef on the Wisconsin Foodie. Very rarely have I ever given a restaurant five stars but the food was absolutely delicious. I had caesar salad with salmon, creamy tomato soup...absolutely delicious! The boys had a mild spicy Spanish pork and hominy soup with a cat fish po boy. They loved both! The server was ok and the restaurant was a small cafe ... nothing special. They have beer and wine. Also they make salamis... 6-8 different kinds. We bought five to try but recommend that they put a slice on the salads or something so patrons could try before purchasing. At $7-8 for 3 oz, a taste might sell much more. Server told us they do a brisk dinner business and reservations are recommended. read more

This place is what everyone is trying to be. The food has life energy and is thoughtfully made. The food supports the community and land. It fits the Omnivores dilemma's definition of farm to table excellence. read more

Very good fresh food! Had cornbread appetizer that was delicious!! Had the tenderloin and a salad. Expensive for dinner but everything was very very good. Everything they make comes from local farmers. Want to go back and try their lunch sometime. read more

Delicious little spot to eat in this little town. High quality local farm fresh ingredients cooked to perfection. Pizza, steak, always winners. Most things are gluten free, and pizza is available with gluten free crust as well. Five star place foodies love to haunt in this small town in the middle of nowhere. Worth a drive out to have dinner. read more

In the progressive community of Viroqua, it is not unusual to run into an organic farmer, a Waldorf teacher or a healing arts professional. The Driftless Cafe serves food as it was meant to be: simple, local, fresh, made with love from scratch. The menu changes every day dependent on what is available and in season. There are maybe 15 tables and the place can fill up pretty nicely on a Friday or Saturday night. It is a totally chill place to hang out and savor a good meal. A real treat for this town. read more

Very disappointed with Driftless Cafe. Arrived around 2on a Wednesday for lunch. Was a nice enough place. Was seated promptly and given menu took a while before order was taken. Ordered a Caesar Salad with chicken. When I saw my salad I sent it back before it was set on table because the chicken was all dark meat. The menu should have said it was going to be warm shredded dark meat. In my experience, most chicken on salads is sliced chicken breast. I also ordered a single non-alcoholic beer. I was charged $14 for some lettuce w cheese and a beer. They did not adjust my bill when I sent first salad back. I think I was totally ripped off. And the food was nothing special. read more

Had a slice of pizza with meat toppings and a big salad with sweet potatoes, bacon, goat cheese, arugula with a brown butter vinaigrette and a poached egg on top. Everything was fresh and excellent. Can't wait to go back the next time I'm in town. More restaurants like this please! read more

Stopped there for dinner on a friday night based on Yelp reviews. We did NOT have the pizza, and probably should have. I had the Chicken Curry. The curry and veggies were excellent. Nicely spiced with good flavor. You could chose tofu or chicen with the curry and the chicken part was the letdown. It was dry, overcooked and not really that good. (hence the reason for 4 starts). I felt that they had a big bowl of cubed, cooked chicken sitting in the kitchen and added it to the curry before serving. My wife had the eggplant which was in fact excellent. The eggplant was wonderfully breaded and had very good flavor. Even with the chicken, I'd recommend stopping here. Next time I'll get the pizza everyone raves about :) read more

On my way back to MN I decided to take the scenic route. The drive to Viroqua was beautiful. The town itself is cute and the main street has some unique shops. The driftless cafe had the vibe of an arty organic restaurant. I was so relieved that they had a slice of veggie pizza ready to go because I was not about to order a whole one. The crust was wonderful- crunchy and doughy at the same time. Definitely a great place to stop for lunch. read more

Love. Love. Love. All of the food is thoughtfully prepared with fresh local ingredients. Everything is homemade as it should be. We drive here a couple times a month from La Crosse, just to eat the pizza. I love that the menu is small and well done. They always have at least 3 daily specials and an list of daily desserts. The atmosphere is very casual, and the food is consistently wonderful. Also, it is extremely affordable - the value is definitely there. Good Job Driftless Cafe! We love you! read more