Riverview Cafe

I would like to love this place. But I don’t. The chef, owner, menu consultant, investor, or someone obviously wants to run a farm-​to-​table seasonal restaurant. But the execution is not very successful. It’s too precious in my view and somewhat annoying. (As an aside: I bristle at their overly-​cheery ads: «see you at the river!» It’s NOT that kind of place.) Who does this successfully? Swoon Kitchenbar in Hudson. I could LIVE there, not here.
The waiter is all solicitous, but has no connection to the kitchen, and I can’t order the sides I want. I want kale not lettuce with my eggs; extra charge for substitution. I don’t want an argument at breakfast, especially pre-​coffee. So this place does not feel like a place I can snuggle into with pleasant anticipation of an excellent meal that makes me happy. Rather, it doesn’t quite fit. And for that it’s pricey.
But. .. if you want a pleasant lunch and you’re nearby there’s no other option. For breakfast I would choose Broad Street Bagel in Kinderhook. Or the new breakfast place just around the corner in Kinderhook.

Adorable place at just the right distance from our home in Albany for a nice little Sunday drive. Views are glorious (hence the name) and the décor is eclectic yet classy, making use of local antiques and architectural salvage. The food is local, creative and delicious. My husband and I enjoyed a mouthwatering homemade cinnamon bun to start our brunch and both ordered classic eggs and bacon. The bacon was thickly sliced and hand cured. The sourdough toast was crunchy and the perfect accompaniment. Daily crêpe specials were also available and seemed very enticing. We will definitely be back.

I went to the Riverview Café yesterday with 3 friends. It’s a very sweet place, with a great view. I wish them well. But we all agreed the brunch menu was underwhelming. No omelet option? No pancakes? No sausage? At Sunday brunch? Are you kidding me?
Two of us had the mediocre rendition of eggs benedict. I had a side of tasty hash browns, but it was so tiny, and when I requested ketchup, the waitress brought me a spoonful in a tiny bowl. «Farm to table» doesn’t have to mean precious, tiny portions. Please reconsider your brunch menu, and give people real portions. Potatoes, even «farm to table» ones, are very cheap.

So far I have only made it to the café for breakfast and love it. All three times I went I had the bisquits and gravy with a side of bacon. Now you bacon lovers out there pay attention. The bacon at Riverview is hand cut heaven. The renovations to café are beautiful and functional. Yes this café will cost a little more than some of the local diners however the food is well thought out and more of an experiance. Sure go have your cheap breakfast with paper thin factory farmed bacon and pale yellow eggs. The better alternative is to pay a couple extra dollars to get locally raised food that tastes 100 times better. The atmosphere is quiet and relaxed it’s well worth the trip.

This little café is worth the drive from pretty much anywhere. It is owner operated which guarantees nothing but the best. The atmosphere is lovely, service was spot on and the food is made with love. Menu is always changing keeping it fresh and interesting. I hear brunch is amazing as well. This place shouldn’t be missed!

if you’re looking for a delicious farm-​to-​table meal in a clean, quaint, and comfortable setting, you’ll find it in the riverview café. having been a handful of times, i’ve enjoyed both brunch and dinner menus, and the food never disappoints. chef uses local seasonal ingredients to create inventive dishes that are cooked to perfection. the waitstaff is friendly and attentive, the drink menu is varied and reasonably priced. (i highly recommend the white sangria!) and then there’s the view, which can only speak for itself. you truly couldn’t ask for anything more!

Danny and Meghan have made this café one of the best!!! Food is great, chef is inventive, staff is more than accommodating and wine is reasonably priced and excellent selections. My new home away from home!!!

Very, very good spot. Helpful lovely staff. Good food.

We really want to like this place. The view of the river is nice, the décor is tasteful and the place appeared clean. The server was attentive.
So what’s my problem? The wine was expensive, cheapest being $ 11 a glass for a uninspiring red wine. Despite ordering medium rare the burger came out clearly medium. I saved it to show to server who looked at it and said «sorry». My partner had a $ 13 chicken salad sandwich on burnt toast. This is no exaggeration, it both looked and tasted burnt. There was too much bread any (triple decker) so partner ate it without complaint.
Now we get the bill $ 60 for lunch (excluding tip). Yes, I had two glasses of wine and partner (driver) had one. There was no adjustment for the burger (or the burnt sandwich). Had they at least offered a glass of wine as a gesture I wouldn’t be writing this review.
In conclusion, there’s better to be had for far less money. Hard to consider going back there at this price point/​lack of quality.
Note: I wasn’t going to mention this but I heard a slapping sound coming from the kitchen while waiting for the meal. I looked over to the server who said «That’s your burger.». Even a beginning chef should know not to overwork a burger.

The best!
Breakfast was excellent. Fresh and quality ingredients and friendly atmosphere. Our new favorite restaurant!

Excellent food, folk and views alike. I can’t believe I’m this lucky to have the Riverview café this close to my organic vegetable farm. Thank you universe, thank you Riverview café.
Oh, ja, and this mornings brunch of crêpe… Inspirational. Spinach chèvre mushroom chicken… Ok I won’t spoil it for you. Just make your reservation (seats are going fast), go eat and then you’ll have to decide if you want to tell your friends about the café with a view, or if you want to keep it to your own self.

Try it, you’ll like it!
I’ve been past this spot many times but today I stopped for brunch. The food, service, and view are perfect. The menu is compact, but the fare is very good.
This is a great place to savor life.

I can only vouch for the bfast: 3 softly poached eggs atop the root veggie hash, all of which was perfectly prepared and tasty along with the quinoa toast and fresh butter. A most pleasant setting and experience. I will be back for lunch and dinner.

I’m a lover of biscuits and sausage gravy. Messaged last weekend to see if they were available on Sunday. I received a very prompt and nice reply, sadly the answer was no. So this morning, Valentine’s Day, we drove over. We were greeted very pleasantly and seated at a window table with a great view of the Hudson. A bottle of water was provided on the spot. The coffees ordered were excellent, they use local Capital Roasters beans. I had my biscuits and sausage gravy, which were just like my Mom used to make. My wife had the braised kale with poached egg, very pretty and very tasty. We had a great time watching the boat traffic on the Hudson River. Highly recommended!

I have been here twice, somewhat spontaneously with my wife and kids, during times most people aren’t dining off the beaten path. Like a Wednesday at 11am. Yet it has been well staffed, and we were welcomed into a very comfortable dining experience. Nice ambience and the river outside has a life to it that is enjoyable to observe. I liked the coffee — roasted a bit up the road in Castleton.
Both visits I was impressed with the use of local ingredients and the simple preparation that didn’t spoil the greens, the bacon (from nearby Pigasso), etc. Nice touches like housemade sausage and a plate of pickled vegetables made in-​house.
I actually think many of the restaurants in Columbia County give lip service to farm to table or whatever the buzz phrase is — but then I find the winter months devoid of anything local or they overwork the ingredients that might have been better left alone. Riverview has been one exception and I hope that is not lost over time.

An excellent place. We did a documentary shoot here and the only thing better than the food was the friendly staff. An incredible view of the Hudson to boot.

Very solid breakfast, I got the eggs benedict and they were poached just right. Not too long of a wait, nice view of the Hudson, I’ll definitely be stopping here again when I travel up to the capital district. They change up their menu frequently which is great, because as much as I love old standbys, creativity sets this place a cut above.

What an adorable place! Had brunch here this morning, and it was a wonderful experience. Beautiful view of the Hudson, classy and comfortable décor, and very friendly and attentive staff! The brunch menu offered only a few options but was the perfect mix of sweet and savory items. I had the crêpe with pears, toasted pecans and Nutella but the crêpe fillings change weekly so there’s always something new to try! Overall my party were all very satisfied, and would definitely return for dinner or another brunch. Must check it out!

Had brunch here today. The view is beautiful and the food was delicious. The Chef is a pro (as is proprietor Meghan V) and the service was spectacular. The brunch menu has both sweet and savory choices, with a focus on farm to table, seasonal and local foods. Not only does the café select quality ingredients, but they also will make things vegetarian and/​or gluten free if desired.
I had the eggs Benedict and the hollandaise sauce was perfect. The bacon (used in place of ham) was cut thick and heavenly. My mother and sister got sweet options, both delicious: a maple cream cheese stuffed French Toast and crêpe stuffed with Nutella and biased pears and walnuts.
Coffee was also great (key for a coffee lover/​addict) and refills were plentiful. All in all a wonderful experience, including updated décor. Reservations are required for brunch (and I believe dinner) as the seating is limited. A real gem, and worth the trip (even from further away).