Schenley Park Cafe

I brought my kids into the café for a quick bite before the pool opened up today. We walked in around 12:40. There were only two other people at tables drinking coffee. There were two young women working. We ordered two sandwiches, a snapple and a large cookie. They gave us the drinks and cookie. For the next twenty minutes I watched the two women slowly fumble around behind the counter, as customers started to pile up. Nothing was prepped. They had to hand cut everything. I finally told them we needed to leave and asked them to box it. They didn’t have bags. They were still heating the chicken for the sandwich in a little oven. Not that I am a huge stickler for these things, but one of the girls hair was not up and out of the way and I didn’t see gloves during food prep and they were handling money, etc… I think they need to get some new management on board who understands food preparation and safety protocol.

This place has really nice and refreshing options such as a fig butter goat cheese prosciutto panini, miso portobello cheddar sandwich and grilled Brie and orange marmalade panini. Salads, some soups, and coffee of course! Great place for a lazy afternoon in the park!

This place is okay. They have healthy food and good portions but I never crave their food. It is a very quiet and calm place and the staff is very friendly. But most of the time food just tastes bland.

Great place and hardly ever crowded. Service is a little bit slow, but the atmosphere is really good and so it makes up for it. Protip, great place for a coffee first date, if it goes well walk to Phipp’s. Also, subsidized by the city, check it out or you’re wasting your taxes

At 12:15 on a Tuesday afternoon my daughter and I walked in and ordered two chicken dishes, a buffalo chicken sandwich and a chicken, goat cheese, and almond salad. They had run out of chicken and only had enough for one of our entrees, so my daughter ordered her sandwich and I was going to order a different salad.
I decided on the «apple, cranberry, blue cheese» salad. I asked the workers (two behind the counter), what exactly was on the salad – anything else? They told me no, just apples, cranberries and blue cheese, and had a little giggle at my expense. We laughed, too.
So the salad came to the table, and on it was cucumbers, tomatoes and walnuts. No blue cheese, no apples. My daughter and I chuckled at this ridiculousness! I asked for the blue cheese, and decided to forgo the apples. It was tasty at least!
My daughter’s chicken was well-​cooked and the side order of grilled veggies was great! But truly, the lovely setting out back on the deck is what made our lunch.

Good food made better by a great atmosphere.
My girlfriend brought me to Schenley Park Café as part of our Valentine’s Day celebration. Since V-​Day fell on a Thursday this year we were lucky enough to enjoy the live music during lunch. We ordered quiche and the brie with orange marmalade panini. The food came with a side of couscous and was delicious! The brie with orange marmalade was one of the most delicious paninis I have eaten. The only real downfall to this place is that it is only open until 4:00pm.
I cannot believe it took me four years to find this place. Don’t make the same mistake that I did. Give this hidden gem a try!

A nice hot drink after a quiet, snowy walk in schenley park= a lovely afternoon. I look forward to coming here more in spring and summer after morning runs. Friendly staff, super cozy atmosphere– love the high ceilings and little fireplace.

I’m a big fan of the Schenley Café. The current owner, Bart, has really tried to revamp the food choices and ambiance. He’s somehow turned what was once a park information booth into a restaurant with a relaxing atmosphere, great food and coffee, good service, free wifi, and an amazing view. There are huge windows, from which you can observe the park through all seasons, and some outdoor tables for when the weather is nice.
I think it’s the best place to eat within walking distance from CMU for anyone who would like a little distance from the undergraduate population or tourists visiting Phipps. My colleagues and I eat here about 60 percent of the time we go out for lunch together. Our department also rents the place out for a holiday party each year. It’s a nice venue for that sort of small gathering of less than 100 people.
The only downside is that when it’s really busy, it can take a while to get served. There are only 2 people doing everything – preparing the food, waiting, busing tables, and running the counter. They have a good attitude though, which makes waiting much easier.
If you go, I’d recommend trying the Balsamic Goat Cheese Chicken Sandwich. The quiche is usually very good, and there are interesting soups made fresh each day.

I think I’d give the Schenley Park Café 3 ½ stars if I could. Years ago, my parents tell me, you’d never eat in a park café like this. Mom and Dad say that the food was terrible and overpriced, the facilities were rundown, and Heaven help you if you attempted to use the restrooms! O how times have changed!
The building that the café is housed in was, over the years, used as a tool shed, a nature museum, an office, and a storage shed. It was closed several years ago; however earlier in this decade it was completely restored and is now a little gem of a building. You can even rent it out for special events.
My cousin and I stopped here to revitalize after hiking at Schenley Park. The food here is pretty much coffehouse chow. They have a limited menu of sandwiches, salads, desserts, soft drinks, coffees and teas. The soup and half a sandwich looked good, but the grilled brie with orange marmalade sandwich caught my eye. Cindy opted for the goat cheese and grilled chicken salad. The coffee was excellent.
So come and check out Schenley Park. Plan on spending all day to fully appreciate all the park has to offer. Then stop here for a sandwich or coffee. The only thing is that they close at 4pm and they’re closed on Mondays, I believe.