Tucked away in sleepy Stuyvesant, NY, the Riverview Café sits just 250 feet from the shoreline of the Hudson River. One step inside and you’ll forget the crazy parking and high speed railroad tracks outside. The real show is what’s happening in the restaurant.
Over the years, this particular building has been home to a handful of businesses with varying degrees of success. When we heard that it was under new management and selected in the Hudson Valley Magazine‘s “Best Of” Contest, we knew we had to check it out.
Our Experience
The first thing you’ll notice is the comfortable and uncomplicated decor. The color scheme is crisp and cool; the furniture simple and chic. Huge storefront windows overlook the river and huge, spotless mirrors add an sense of space.
The staff and the music complement each other to give the restaurant an easy, relaxed vibe. The farm to table menu is short and the ingredients delightfully simple.
On our first visit I ordered kale and eggs. The kale was beautifully sautéed, with small chunks of carrot adding just a dash of sweet. The eggs were perfectly cooked, too. Even the coffee was outstanding. It wasn’t until the bread arrived that I was disappointed; the slices were tiny. But then I spread a little butter, and each bite was so good. More would not have been better.
Simply prepared dishes require exceptionally fresh food, and that philosophy is successfully illustrated at the Riverview Café. You can just tell that every dish has been prepared to order. The service is friendly and attentive without being too familiar or overbearing. The portions are consistently just right.
We’ve eaten here four times in the last year, and every time has been exceptional. (The only disappointment came when visiting in February. Unlike the toasted baguette slices served previously, the new bread was large, thick, very white, and rather uninteresting.)
According to the website, the Riverview Café is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for breakfast and lunch from 9:00am to 4:00pm, dinner 5:00 to 9:00pm. Open Sunday 10:00am-3:00pm.