Willows Cafe

We almost made the obvious choice to stop at the inevitably disappointing Dunkin Donuts, but I’m so glad we found Willow instead. The owner served us and was lovely and charming.
We were here a few months ago to ski at Gore, when Lake George is such a ghost town that even McDonald’s is shuttered, but luckily Willow was just opening for the season. We got our food to go, but while we were waiting for it, the proprietor gave us the cute little cup of yogurt and granola that comes with each meal.
If I’m in Lake George this summer, I’ll definitely stop by.

Finally decided to stop here and it was very nice! I had the zenin salad and some tea. There was a big selection from the tea and it was served in a little kettle which was pleasant. The salad was good. I was expecting a bit more to it for the price at first, but I suppose it is worth it to give my business to a local rather than a chain restaurant!

We were in town for the largest garage sale in the world and stopped here for lunch. This is a cute place and I got clam chowder in bread bowl. It was good but not exceptional… I think maybe I should have gotten the chili… Maybe next time.

Loved the food and the interior. Wish I got back to it before I left town. Healthy, fresh and great options. Also very nice people there!

This place was the perfect lunch spot off Exit 23. We were fortunate enough to visit on a day when they offered a delicious vegan soup (mushroom and quinoa with a veggie based broth). Tons of vegetarian options (and of course non-​veggie options as well) that were easily adaptable for the vegan in your crew. Kids sandwiches served with apple slices. Quiches, salads, sandwiches and wraps. Loads of options for tea and coffee too. Featured local artist paintings and books.

Super cute place with lots of character! Food was great! Own was very thoughtful and brought out the kids sandwich in separate baskets with apples and Carmel! Would definitely recommend!

Love this sweet place. Needed a stop before continuing on to Adirondacks and is a lovely alternative to chains and pizza.
The grilled cheese and apple is delish. Seconds off route 87. Enjoy.

Delicious, healthier food! Great stop on our road trip home. Worth a few minutes to sit down and eat a tasty lunch. I had the Hawthorne ham and apple panini – very tasty! My husband got the piggly wiggly wrap, which he gobbled up before I had a chance to ask for a bite ;-) Sandwiches came with a side of cherry tomato and quinoa salad and good conversation with Debbie, the owner. Relaxing, cozy ambience. A little pricey, but definitely would return!

I was having a very bad day when I found out about Willow’s Café, and this place really turned it around. The very sudden realization that I was sick woke me up at around 3AM, in the woods about an hour’s hike from the nearest electricity and plumbing. It was my wife’s birthday, and I had to wake her up with the sudden but loving urgent shout of «You need to move, NOW!» with a sheepish «and…happy birthday» added after. So after running a quarter mile in the dark, there I was, having a bad day, throwing up behind an outhouse in the pitch blackness of night because my flashlight was running out of batteries and I couldn’t just let it run if I was going to find my way back.
Flash forward to beyond the point where I had to sickenly backpack out of the woods, climbing an unending hill for a few hours, took a reassuring nap to regain any semblance of health, and was finally okay to travel back home. My wife found Willow’s Café, and it looked like it had some nice, hearty food that would be easy to keep down.
The place was nice. They have a cool ‘hipstery’ décor with local photographers’ work being displayed and sold. The kid behind the counter was quick and attentive, taking care of the few orders in front of us but still making sure everyone was having a great lunch and wanted for nothing. The food was perfect. The kid made it quickly and it was hearty, healthy, priced just right, and was tasty. They’ve got this carrot side dish that is way better than I’m making it sound, and I relished it. This stop back home from my camping trip turned the day around. I felt human again.
So in one sentence: Willow’s Café is a great stop along US Highway 9 (and not too far off of I-​87) to replenish and restart your day, and in no way should be associated with throwing up behind an outhouse in the dark.

Very good food. Everything I have ever ordered has been delicious. Very friendly, small-​town atmosphere. It’s really a gem in a town with very few good options for food. My only complaint is that the service is super slow. Maybe that’s why the food is good — because they take their time. But when you’re traveling and you’re hungry, you just want your food and get back on the road.
I’ll continue to come here, but I’ll need to remind myself that the meal is part of the journey to our vacation spot.

Found this place on Unilocal as we were passing through. Glad we found it! Had delicious panini’s coffee and tea. Better than the standard roadside fare of a burger, hot dog or pizza.

Adorable café. Self serve, refillable coffee. Varied menu. Great egg white omelette on a roll. Would definitely return.

We stopped here on our way to Ottawa, just looking for a cozy café. This was the best place! The owner served us & treated us like we were regulars. They had delicious gluten free choices for bread on their sandwiches. Which were fabulous. I had the cranberry turkey & he had the turkey reuben. Both were made like a pannini/​club. The iced tea was fresh & served with mint springs plucked from the garden out back. Coffee was excellent. I wish it wasn’t so far away, I’d be there daily! A great spot to stop while camping, visiting, etc.

This was a nice stop for lunch. The owner who is also the chief cook and bottle washer tried to sell us the place, like really tried to sell it to us.
The food was good and the wait time was reasonable. Not sure this would be a good place in a highly busy day, as the only parking we saw was on street.

My boyfriend and I stopped here on our way home from camping in the beloved ADKs. In all honesty, we were in dire need of coffee and «Willows Bistro» is what came up in Warrensburg as the only place having coffee.
We parked on the street an walked in and were greeted by an extensive sandwich/​panini/​wrap menu at the counter which prompted us to order something to split. (we opted for the forest and fields wrap which was a combination of chopped Portobello, black beans, artichoke hearts, field greens and an herbed dressing in a spinach wrap)
We got our coffee (self serve but fresh ground beans every pot and quite good) and sat down at a table to wait or our food. The dining area is fairly small but not crowded (7 – 8 tables with seating for 2 – 4 depending on the table). Each table has a painted center, ours happened to have birds. The walls were full of artwork from a local artist and the gallery space changes monthly. The bistro also offers readings on occasion as well according to the back page of the menu.
Our food was served shortly after ordering and tastes as delicious as it looked. The wrap was also served with a small side of an orange slaw, also yummy. The colors of the food complimented each other very well– something I took note of as an artist myself that I thought was nice.
The counter serves as the place to order and pay as well as a display case for some muffin tops and other pastries. We decided on a triple berry muffin top for the road– a fabulous choice it turned out!
Anyone in the Capital Region looking for a nice drive and a yummy local lunch should definitely make the short 50 mile drive to Warrensburg. It’s also a convenient stop for anyone heading to the ‘Dacks for camping, etc. Willows is one of those «best kept secrets» of a little town. I definitely foresee stopping for a bite on our way through next time!

After a few hours of outlet shopping at the Lake George Outlet Center we decided to make the 10 minute drive up to Warrensburg and try Willows Café for lunch. We really enjoyed it. There’s something to be said about a small town café that boasts homemade soups, paninis and more. Not to mention freshly made coffees including lattes and cappuccino.
We started with a cup of soup; my wife had the pumpkin apple bisque and I had the potato leek soup… both were delicious Then we both had two different paninis and quickly learned that if we had just ordered one it would have been plenty for the both of us to split. However, then we wouldn’t have been able to each have half of both.
Bottom line… go there and sample for yourself. Great little places liked this are far and few between. I would be happy to see Willows Café to become a local phenomenon.

Very friendly service and a charming stop to and from Montréal — buffalo soup is delicious on a brisk fall day. Would come back again. Is i little pricey though. $ 30 for a soup, 2 sandwiches, and 2 drinks.

This is the ideal welcoming entry point into the Adirondacks, finally veering off of truck crazy 87north, around the bend, past the faceless gas stations, past the McDonalds, and suddenly you are in a small, somewhat gritty, deceptively colorful Adirondack town: Warrensburg. Park next to the funky mural and head over to Willows Café. The vibe is «arty» and local but less precious than the usual mold. It’s just comfortable and nice – your waitress is liable to be a very polite 10 year old daughter of the family. All the food is great. Salads –homemade dressings, fresh spinach, great blue cheese – taste especially good if, like me, you tend to eat a ton of red meat in the Adirondacks. But the magic is in the soups. How could you find world class clam chowder in a town like this? The Adirondack’s are filled with many surprises and wonderments. Your trip has begun. The seasoning is perfection (certainly thyme but others as well), the balance of milk or cream to stock is perfect and the flavor of clams is authentic. Bravo!

Top 10 reasons to eat at Willows Bistro
* California Dreamer breakfast sandwich: Eggwhites, feta, and spinach on a croissant (although I substitute whole wheat toasted)
* Friendly staff
* Wifi: a great place to connect
* Classy background music
* Interesting patrons: meet new people
* Clean, tastefully decorated restroom
* Plenty of parking
* Sandwiches-​to-​go
* Art gallery
* Gourmet coffee with bottomless cup
Willows Bistro: One of the very best things about spending August in the Adirondacks!

Willows features fresh food, real coffee, fair prices and friendly service. What else can you ask for in the middle of nowhere? After reading positive reviews on Urban Spoon, we set out by car from our rental cabin in Crystal Lake, and about 30 minutes later we were sitting in the pleasant little café, waiting for our orders and drinking freshly-​ground, freshly-​brewed coffee.
My chicken salad was so tasty; full-​flavored and hearty, but not heavy, and my friends loved their sandwiches. They both ordered the Cuban, and even though one received the Reuben by mistake, (his garbled Southern accent is often difficult for others to translate) he was so satisfied with the Reuben that he saw no need to complain!