Saluda Grade Cafe

My very favorite restaurant. A place that feels like home to me and where we go for all of our celebrations even though it is 45 minutes away. Kaye and Kevin are brilliant creative chefs who work with any and all food allergies. The staff are gracious and caring. Everything there is done with care and individualized for each person

Closed early… Luck gave us a tiny grill which was not what we were expecting. We were starving and had looked at salute a great menu and had traveled extra miles to get there. Looks great make sure you check on the hours.

We just ate here (again) two nights ago with my elderly mom. Great service, very accommodating for my mom who uses a walker. Our server was attentive even while being very busy (seemed a bit understaffed). Our food was excellent. Recommend without any reservations!

Our server was friendly and offered suggestions about how good the specials were and how everything was home made and social. We were not disappointed. This place is a gem in this beautiful tiny, had it all town, called Saluda. The brisket sandwich special, smothered in onions and a terrific melted cheese on a fresh made bun was nothing short of spectacular. The entre salads were very fresh and a nice size. And the many desserts looked wonderful. We go hiking often in this area and will be back. Highly recommended

Went in on a Sunday afternoon with my wife. We were seated relatively quickly by the manager (?). Shortly after, there was a party of 6 that came in. The manager came and asked if he could take one of our extra chairs which was no problem. We sat as the manager and 2 different servers kept passing our table. Nobody offered a menu or drinks. Meanwhile, the table of 6 got both. Finally overheard one of the servers talking with the manager and apologized that «she hadn’t seen them». I assumed this was in reference to us but she passed by twice again. We finally just got up and left. There were several empty tables and at least 3 people working the handful or table so they weren’t overly busy or under-​staffed. No idea if the food was any good which it too bad since the menu on the front of the building had a couple of interesting choices.

We are visiting family in the Saluda area, last night we enjoyed a fabulous meal at the Saluda Grade Café. Our group consisted of 6 adults, and 3 children. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. Our meals were delicious, we had a variety of entrees and each was a winner. I’d highly recommend this restaurant!

First glance at the menu I noticed the prices were a little high. As I read what was in each dish it became clear that quality was a priority. Then the food came out and it was amazing! After I finished I can say I’d go back and it was well worth the price. If you are a fan of good food and a relaxed atmosphere, this is your place.

Saluda, for a small town, has some pretty good restaurants. This is one of them. Stopped here on my way home from work for a quick meal. The restaurant looks like an old store front with banquettes along the walls. Very cozy with local art hanging throughout. I voluntarily sat at the small bar which looked like it was made from old floorboards. An ice cold bottle of New Belgium Accumulation to start (no taps or soda fountain/​cans and bottles only). My spunky waitress Dorrie read me the specials and one resonated with me. Tomato Basil Soup and a Grilled Cheddar Cheese with bacon and tomato. Great presentation and wonderful flavor combinations. My sandwich was halved, stacked and impaled with a pickle on a skewer next to a big mug of freshly made soup. The chef even came out to make sure I liked my food. Only $ 14 before tip. My only complaint was that I was asked if I wanted fresh baked bread or not. I never say no to fresh bread, «Yes please». I was later told that my meal didn’t come with bread. If that’s the case, don’t offer bread until someone finishes ordering. And if you promise someone bread in error, give it to them anyway as a matter of prinicipal. The impression I got (although it may or may not have been what they meant) was that I wasn’t spending enough money to get bread. However, other than that, the food, ambience and service were good enough, I decided not to fuss. Check this place out if you pass through Saluda!

Saluda seems to be a sleepy little town, but that doesn’t mean that you should have low expectations for the Saluda Grade Café! After a long day outdoors in the cold, I was searching for a burger. A nice, juicy burger. When I saw one on the menu at Saluda, we were sold. I ended up getting a beer too, since the price was so nice. $ 3 for one of my favorite beers, Sam Smith Nut Brown!
We had the fried green tomatoes with goat cheese as an appetizer and it was delicious. But really, the star of the night was the Southern Style burger. Oh. My. Goodness. Pimiento cheese, jalapenos, bacon… I couldn’t have asked for a better burger. The meat was juicy and so flavorful. I think I literally moaned while eating. I won’t lie… this burger was better than the Juicy Lucy I had the Spence. By a longshot!
We also got dessert to go, a peanut butter cream pie, and that was fantastic. I mean, it’s hard to go wrong with a peanut butter pie, am I right?
If you’re looking for a solid dinner, Saluda Grade Café has decent prices and great food, all in a cozy, artsy environment.

I love this restaurant. Love it. The food is creative, homemade and very good. I feel that the prices are very reasonable for homemade food that is good for you. I had the portobello burger and a cup of soup, my husband had a quesadilla special and our young cousin had mac and cheese. She said it was the best she’d ever had, and I don’t know how they did it, but the quesadilla was better than average.
Moreover, we each got plenty of food and our sever was very friendly and accommodating. All around, this is a better place to eat than the Purple
Onion on my opinion. I have eaten at Saluda Grade Café at least twice in the past and it is always excellent. Friendly staff are what really set the place apart from other restaurants in town though!

We went on a Saturday evening. The restaurant was packed so hopefully that was why service was so slow. Our ice actually melted in our drinks while we waited for our entrees. Although
slow, everyone in our group was pleased with their food —especially the burgers! The bread served before dinner was really good, but we only got two small loaves
for six hangry people :(

At the recommendation of our Bed and Breakfast (The Oaks B&B) and a local bartender (Green River Beer Depot) we chose to have dinner at Saluda Grade Café while we were in town. Although the décor is not impressive and it’s pretty outdated inside, the menu looks amazing! (Of course my husband the architect had some great ideas to update the joint for a more appealing ambiance!)
We were told to ask for Dori as our waitress and lucked out that she was available. She was cute as a button and very sweet! She made done recommendations to get us started.
We got the warm pimento cheese appetizer. I am a huge pimento cheese fan but must admit this was just okay. It was served warm in a small dish with tortilla chips. However we both agree that it would’ve been much better with warm pita chips.
For our dinner, my husband got the meatloaf (which he had seen the night before and said it looked amazing). It was served with homemade mashed potatoes and grilled squash. He really enjoyed it! I had the wild mushroom ravioli. OMG, where do I start? This was house-​made ravioli and it was amazing! Although it had a creamy thyme sauce, it definitely was not heavy. I was so disappointed that I couldn’t finish the entire dish because it was so delicious!!! I might have to write Bön Appetit to see if they can get me the recipe! I wish we hadn’t gotten the pimento cheese so I could’ve eaten every bite!
I definitely would go back and I highly recommend eating here! You won’t be disappointed! And ask for Dori!

Looking for a BBQ joint but it was closed. Decided upon this crafty little café! The menu is definitely not café style. It is definitely a café feel on the inside. Very laid back and relaxed feeling, light music playing.
I think they try and go to fancy with the menu selection. (Salmon, egg plant, French toast, burgers, shrimp) Sort of all over the board.
The server was very nice. I decided on the burger with mashed potatoes. The burger was cooked great. Juicy and Big! that’s what she said! The meat had a nice chargrilled flavor to it. I asked for ketchup only but it came with a pickle on top (I do not like pickles, I hate them) and it soaked into the bun just a tad.
The mashed potatoes were Luke warm, I like mine hot. If the burger itself wasn’t so yummy, I would only give two star based on my line experience here.

We stopped in on a Sunday on our way to Brevard and we’re expecting more of a brunch fare, but in the middle of the day they were serving their dinner menu. We stayed, as it looked delicious, and were not disappointed.
We ordered the lamb, the shrimp, and the brie in phyllo appetizers. The lamb was very good, though the sauce beneath it wasn’t my favorite, the shrimps were amazing, and the Brie was not what I was expecting. In my head I had expecting almost an en croute, but this was like the had lined the bottom if a muffin pan with the dough, and then filled it with cheese, and serving it in a looser more liquid state. Delicious, but extremely filling.
The service was great, loved all the art on the walls, and with cute b&bs in the area we may have to return soon!

Food nirvana. Everything here is great, you just can’t make a bad selection. Meatloaf is awesome and one of best values on the menu. Salads are fresh. Fresh trout is amazing — and usually offered two different ways. From burgers to steaks there is just not a wrong choice. In the summer season and in leaf season if you have a party over 4 you will need reservations. The rest of the year you can usually sneak in. They accomodate large parties with advance notice, and all of our friends love this place. It’s on the «we want to go back to list» for all the people that visit us in Saluda. The food here is much better than the Purple Onion even though the Purple Onion is written up more in Southern Living and other publications. The Saluda Grade is the «go to place» for the informed locals. The staff is local, friendly and promote a relaxed and enjoyable dining experience. Best of the best.

My group came in only for dessert and wine and we were not disappointed. We ordered the oreo three layer chocolate cake, banana bread pudding, and the peanut butter pie. All were delicious and home made. The prices were reasonable and the waitress was attentive to our needs.

We went for dinner Saturday January 14, 2011. We got there at 6:30 and were able to walk right in. Nice casual atmosphere. Service was prompt for getting drinks, rolls and our orders. It took a good amount of time for the salads to be to served. After that everything was prompt. The waitress was attentive and never let our drinks run dry.
Varied menu with fish, chicken, linguine, burgers, meatloaf. Prices were reasonable. I don’t recall any steaks on the menu although that was one of the nightly specials.
The salad as so so… mostly greens and not much else. The dressings were good and served on the side.
I had the chicken breast which was very good. It was served on a bed of rice, spinach on top of the rice, a nice white cheddar cheese slice on top, and a couple of other small tasty veggies on the side. The main dish came with the salad and the veggies.
Also served at our table was a Thai Curried Shrimp dish. The feedback was that there was little to no curry in the dish, it was not spicy, and they would not order that particular dish again.
I will order the chicken again, it was very good.

Visited in November after a full day erranding in upper SC w/​a good friend. We decided to treat ourselves to a late lunch & glass of wine. While our server was very accommodating, we were one of only two tables at 2 in the afternoon on a Friday, the table was dirty, in need of wiping off. We didn’t notice it however until we were already comfortable.
Our server brought us sample sips of wine which was perfect, then we made our by-​the-​glass selection w/​ease. The wine list was really good, I must say, and the menu had such a nice, creative list, it was really hard to decide what I wanted to eat! The salads were okay, can’t remember what we had by now; the wines we drank were just right.
Overall, however, the place looked in need of some serious TLC. As we sat and visited after lunch, enjoying our last wine sips, my friend and I noticed the air vents in the ceiling — all were dirty, dripping w/​dirt stains –seeing that after eating was most unappetizing… the room had a lot of eclectic, local art which added to the comfortable feel of the place. But after seeing the vents, the whole place just felt like it needed a serious spiff… I love Saluda, but next time I visit & grab lunch or dinner, I think it’ll be The Purple Onion for me!

Stopped here on a Sunday hoping to find a late brunch. We ordered 2 of the daily specials: a Belgian Waffle and a chicken pot pie.
Food and service were so-​so, not bad… not great. But *way* overpriced for what it was. If their prices were a little more in line with their fare it’d be a nice little restaurant.

This place was awesome. I went here with a group of 8 people for lunch. We were in a pinch to go tubing and were kind of hesitant about stopping to eat, but we had no reason to be worried. Our service was quick and attentive.
Their menu for lunch is made up of soups, salad, and sandwiches. Pretty much everyone got something different and was extremely happy with their food. I got the chicken salad sandwich and it was nice chunks of chicken breast, grapes, celery, and I could really taste the dill. The lemonade was good and homemade. One of my friends got the blackened chicken breast sandwich special and could not stop raving about how good it was. With your sandwich you have the option of chips or a cucumber salad. Definitely go with the salad which consists of pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions.
The atmosphere is nice and the restaurant is decorated with paintings of local artists. If you’re in Saluda go tubing and eat here.