Nordstrom Cafe Bistro

Love the casual chic atmosphere my favorite cilantro lime shrimp salad, glass of Pinot and the white chocolate bread pudding is to die for!!!
My girls love to go there 6 and 12 it is family friendly, but definitely sophi-​chic! Staff friendly and quick.
If at the mall, my favorite stop.

I really love the food here, I always order the Salmon niciose salad, it’s so amazing! I love their cocktails which average $ 9-​$ 10, and they have the yummiest bread and great staff. This is a good way to start or end a long shopping day, or just to go when you’re hungry, the menu really is fabulous.

I think they changed the name of this restaurant, it starts with a B — bazille? Anyways, it was changed from a quick serve to a fully waited restaurant. Which is nice and feels more classic to go along with a shopping outing.
I’ve always been fond of the food here, every dish can be customized and the kitchen is open to the restaurant for diners to watch their food being prepared.
I’m fond of the cilantro salad and the vegetarian version of their panini. The staff here is great and knows what to suggest to compliment your order. Some dishes include truffle oil and other delightful ingredients– I want to say everything here is very fresh, not sure if its organic but it can be healthy.
All in all I’ve never had a bad meal here and they reduced the price on a lot of dishes since the remodel of the restaurant.

I’ve always been a fan of Nordstrom cafes. Once upon a time, before kids and all, I was a regular shopper at Nordstrom, and would often stop off for a Caesar salad and bowl of tomato basil soup. I really love the food they have. It’s fresh and eclectic. The staff is super friendly, and its hard to believe that such a place exists inside a department store. It’s a bit pricey, but the portions are generous, and the food is really tasty!

Love this place, but go for the «off hours». Don’t try for noon to 1 lunch, go after 1:30. I really enjoy their sandwiches and haven’t had one I didn’t like yet. The specials rotate with the season and be sure to ask for personal changes if there is an element you don’t like (bell peppers & I are enemies). I do recommend the French onion soup if that is something you are in the mood for. It is one of the best in the bay. I appreciate the table service and refills. I really like the casual no rush feel about the place and it is a great place to meet up with friends from around the bay. Last but not least, the bread pudding is Amazing, share if you have to!

There are many eat places at International Mall but this is my favorite for light meals. The soups, salads, sandwiches and other servings are all great. Definitely not a chain restaurant menu or food preparation like you find at all the other dining venues in the mall. Tucked into the back of the second floor of Nordstroms it takes a little effort to find but is worth it if you’re feeling a little peckish while shopping.

Went to International Mall today, and they were offering samples of the pizza while we were shopping in Nordstrom. These samples were very clever, because both the Mushroom pizza and Margarita were DELICIOUS! This convinced my mom and I to do our shopping and head back to the café for lunch on our way out.
There was quite a long line, and I grabbed us seats at the counter, while my mom ordered our food. It also took a fair bit of time– more like you’d expect at a sit down restaurant, not really a quick grab and go place. All in all though, our Margarita pizza and side order of fries were both super tasty and hit the spot. The pizza actually was tastier than our usual California Pizza Kitchen, so that’s quite a feat!

This our go-​to for lunch. I guess this is a hidden gem because people are always surprised when we tell them there is a café in Nordtrom. My wife and I usually share the club bistro and a cup of the crab bisque. We’ve never been disappointed. The price is reasonable and the atmosphere, although a little on the feminine side, is pleasant. I highly recommend.

Sadly, my last visit here cost them a star. Got there 11:45, ordered and we sat down at a nice table. I got a bowl (huge!) of the crab bisque and a half goat cheese/​chicken panini. They were slammed, probably because it was a Friday.
My soup arrived, and I tucked in expecting heaven! Well, if heaven is very overspiced soup… yeah. So, I was hungry enough that I plowed ahead, in spite of it being so spicy. I’m diabetic and there are times when I have to eat whatever, and i could feel my blood sugar starting to fall — so I went with it. It was ‘sip of soup’ ‘drink’, ‘sip of soup’ ‘drink’. Thats a lot of ‘drink’ given how big that bowl was. No problem, I thought — my sandwich will rock and thats OK!
My companion had a chicken ceaser — which she loved.
My sandwich finally arrived, and it was cold. *sigh* The fries were good, but I had forgotten to order them with low salt. So, they were borderline inedible for me. *sigh*
By that point, my sugar was fine, and I was over it. I had a lovely time due to the beauty I was with, but its hard to be bitchy and send stuff back in a situation like that.
When I asked for a box, the waitress asked «was everything OK?» — well…
So a manager popped by, and I explained to him the shortcomings of my meal. 17 bucks for weak food. He went to check the soup and came back with «Oh I’m so sorry sir! I’m having the kitchen fix it right now. Way too spicy for sure»
«Thanks for letting me know. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it next time» And off he went.
Really? I’m sure you’ll enjoy it next time? Not «here’s a card for your next visit» or «let me adjust your bill»?
Worse than the food fail was the manager fail.
The next day, I microwaved the sandwich, and it was really good when it was hot. Too bad they got the sandwich and soup mixed up in that regard. I’ll be back, but next time I’m going to explain how much this visit failed compared to other visits and let them know I need taken care of. Still really surprised that this happened at Nordstroms.
Its only multiple visits here that stopped me from dropping them to 2 stars.

Love their coffee

I had NO idea!
When I think of Nordstrom’s, I think of overpaying for jeans and feeling guilty about it later, not great food. Or maybe sales people harassing me when I just want to browse. Or possibly hoping the overpriced shirt in my hands will make it to Nordstrom’s Rack at some point so I can buy it without remorse. But if you head upstairs it turns out they serve food too… and it is excellent!
Got a ham and cheese sandwich that was pressed and absolutely perfect. And about $ 10 felt perfectly reasonable for what I received. It tasted as delicious and gourmet as anything you could get at a fine New York Deli. One member of our party got a French Onion soup that was massive as well as very tasty and cheesy. But it’s the fries… OH YOU DELIGHTFUL FRIES!
Served with a garlic type seasoning and a pimento olive dip that is just incredible, they might compete with Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries as some of the best I’ve had anywhere. They’re served with all the sandwiches, but don’t be afraid to get an additional order for the table… they are that good.
So if you’re burnt out on all the dining options in Bay Street or the food court at IP, make sure to check this one out. I know it sounds bizarre to be eating in a department store, but it is very much worth the trip!

All my table ordered was the white chocolate bread pudding per recommendation from a friend. TO.DIE.FOR. One of the BEST things I have ever eaten. Husband, 15 yr. old bro., and 13 yr. old sis. all loved it. I dream about it night and day. I would put 5 stars but we didn’t try anything else.

While I’m not a fan of the standing in line to order beginning of this meal, the rest is a delight. Every meal I’ve ordered is than the one before! I’m partial to cups of soup (tomato, in particular) and the chicken sandwiches (there are many). Eating in Nordy’s just oozes class in a ladies who lunch sort of way… And I like it. Oh, and don“t forget to order the fries. No, really– they’re a MUST!

Nordstrom Café Bistro is by far my favorite place to have lunch when I’m shopping at International Plaza! I always have a hard time hemming and hawing over the menu, because they boast a wonderful selection of fare.
My absolute favorite item on the menu is the warm Asian glazed chicken salad… to die for. The pizzas have a lovely thin and crispy crust that they cook in the open fire oven. The sandwich selection is also wonderful: I always seem to end up selecting one of the daily specials. And… the french fries. They are quite possibly my favorite french fries anywhere: they are shoestring thin, crispy, and sprinkled with herbs. Delicious!
I highly recommend dining at the bistro if you’re in the International Mall!

On a recent trip to International, this time on a weekday evening, my dinner companions and I decided to try a good selection of what their menu has to offer. You begin by placing your order with a cashier. After paying, you are greeted by a host and sat in the dining room with your guest check. A server then attends to your drinks and brings out your order when it is ready. We requested that our dishes were timed out in the manner similar to traditional sit-​down restaurants and were pleased that the meal was paced just as if we were ordering directly from the wait staff. For those stopping by for a quick lunch, though, this counter-​order system seems to be streamlined to their benefit.
As a starter, the Bistro Crab Bisque has a pleasing, creamy consistency with nice chunks of crab to maximize the flavor. There is a slight amount of back-​pallet heat, but not enough to be considered spicy. It has just enough heat to counter the richness you expect from good bisque. Two salads followed: the Blue Cheese & Pear, and the Cilantro Lime Shrimp. Both drew raves from everyone at the table. The Blue Cheese & Pear, in particular, features a dark cherry balsamic vinaigrette that is the star of the plate. It was not overly dressed and had just the right about of vinaigrette (though that’s often a point of personal preference). The sweetness of candied pecans, pears and dried cherries works perfectly with the tang of large blue cheese crumbles.
Pizzas are always great for a table to share, so we chose the Arugula Salad with Crisp Prosciutto. For those who think eating a pizza with a knife and fork is a little too dainty for the task at hand, this style of pie might not live up to the usual standards of the category. The flavors, however, are fantastic. By using a sweet-​and-​spicy fig jam (which we were told employs a little of the versatile Sriracha hot sauce) to hold everything together, the salty prosciutto and caramelized onions coalesce into a mix of flavors that makes you wish you had the entire pizza for yourself. Other than it being next to impossible to eat by hand, this dish is not to be missed.
As the Bistro is an ideal lunchtime eatery, we had to try one of the sandwich offerings and chose the Citrus Turkey. There’s not much to say about the turkey itself, as it’s fairly standard, but the real draw of this sandwich is the citrus cranberry chutney. When you get a bite of that, along with some of the great gruyère cheese, the combination is fantastic. There is also a garlic aioli mixed in with the fresh greens, and it’s thankfully not overused so that the chutney has the opportunity to really stand out. The plate is completed with their signature french fries and a kalamata olive dip. The fries are not heavily salted, which works perfectly with the olive bite and saltiness of the accompanying dip. Personally, I would buy jars of the olive dip if it was made available, as it would be a great sandwich topping in its own right.
The Café Bistro also offers a nice selection of «specialties» such as flat-​iron steaks, grilled shrimp and risotto, and salmon with gazpacho salsa. We elected to try the salmon, even though one of our table guests wasn’t crazy for fish or salmon in particular. After a couple bites, especially when paired with the gazpacho salsa, our companion was a salmon convert. It goes to show how much a nice cut of fish can be set off by the simplest accompaniment. There isn’t much to the salsa, but its fresh and clean flavors work perfectly with the salmon. The dish also comes with sautéed green beans, which had just the right amount of snap left in them after cooking. Overall, it’s a very successful dinner option.
For dessert, we elected to try the Bread Pudding, which is served with separate white chocolate and raspberry dipping sauces. The pudding itself is topped with a thick layer of white chocolate shavings. Under the bread pudding, the chocolate sauce is about 80% of the plate, which doesn’t leave much room for the wonderful raspberry alternative. Being that the dessert is already covered in white chocolate shavings, the large amount of sauce is a bit of overkill. We agreed that it would be better served by a more even ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ split. That’s not to take anything away from the delicious flavor of the white chocolate, but the raspberry is definitely the better of the two. The pudding is nicely cooked through, with a little bit of crispness around the edges. It holds up to the sauces quite well, and is an ideal item to share at the end of a nice meal.
Whether you are on your lunch hour, in the middle of a shopping trip, or just looking for a good dinner that’s not a big hit on the wallet, Café Bistro is at the top of your best options at International Plaza. Skip Bay Street next time and find the escalators in Nordstrom. You will be pleasantly surprised.

The salad with goat cheese and pears was very good. I shared the steak sandwich with my sister. I don’t think I’d order that one again.

Not too shabby! The food is good, pricey but not outrageous. Inventive, but not unusual. The worst thing is the snobby silicone enhanced people you will be surrounded by.

You’ll probably never know of this place because 1) its nestled inside the department store upstairs 2) hesitant because its inside of a department store upstairs 3) or you just really don’t care to try but its actually good, offers healthy food, clean, oh and its better than food court food — all in a little nice place.
Upon entrance, there are menus to look over before you place your order at the counter. Service is friendly there but the waitresses are often gone missing for a long period of time and no refills until you ask for … at least ours was. After your order at the counter, you’re free to sit wherever its vacant and they will bring your order to your table according to the number given at entrance. It is a bit pricier than food court’s price but you get what you pay for! They offer wraps, sandwiches, soups, and pizza all at great quality!
The Citrus Turkey Sandwich with fries were lovely! The sweet and tartness of the fruits worked well together with the turkey and that created a satisfying experience! Hearty food can taste good? No way! =D My sandwich buns were cold and hard, I don’t know if that’s because of the bread type or not but it was still edible… Along with the sandwich were french fries that were a little salty but went well with the Kalamata Olive dip… which was so addicting. Crunchy yet melts in your mouth along with the creamy dip … mmmm!
Veggie pizza was quite good as well, small but fulfilling. Topped with assorted veggies and a crunchy and chewy crust!
Overall, a nice and enjoyably atmosphere with non-​food court quality at a reasonable price after some shopping damage. 3.5 because I like it but I don’t know if I like it enough to be a fan of. Would definitely return though!