Dining in the Garden: Cafe uses seasonal produce, herbs in dishes

Stephanie Shomin, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·2 min read

Jul. 24—KEWADIN — Dine among the plants at Pine Hill Nursery.

Manager Andrea Otto said they seeded the Garden Cafe at the Kewadin location about 10 years ago with a couple items on the menu.

"People like to come and spend a lot of time at the nursery," she said. "There's nowhere to eat around us, so they can shop and eat here."

The outdoor dining space includes a pizza oven and grill, which Otto said were added several years after the initial opening. They also grew the food menu and received their license to serve beer and wine — much of it from Michigan companies.

"We have a big garden," she said. "We serve as much locally-sourced food and beverages as possible. We try to grow as much herbs and vegetables as we can."

The menu includes a harvest salad, smoothies, a vegan veggie wrap and other sandwiches. The salad is made with grilled chicken, spinach, kale, dried cherries, avocado, goat cheese and other seasonal ingredients.

Co-owner Sandy Naples said beverages, soups, sandwiches, muffins and coffee made up the initial menu. The light lunch fare soon transitioned into lunch and dinner options with the inclusion of alcoholic beverages.

"We thought we'd carry Short's and the local beer and wine," Naples said. "Our first wine was WaterFire."

Their goal was to give customers a place to eat and talk. Naples said these are achievable at the outdoor café.

"Our locals love it," she said. "It's not confining."

She added that the food is simple, but delicious and everything is homemade.

The café previously presented live music three nights per week, but Otto said these events are not on the schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic. They hope to resume next year, she added.

In the meantime, Otto said they can host special events like small weddings, bridal showers and other group gatherings.

The Garden Café serves food from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Hours may shorten after Labor Day.

Pizza and burgers are available from 5-7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

The café opens in May and closes for the season in September or October, depending on the weather.

People can call 231-599-1131 to reserve a table or place a carryout order.