Botanical Garden Cafes

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a 67.5-acre botanical garden at the southern foot of Red Mountain in Birmingham, Alabama. Situated next to Lane Park, the arboretum is home to more than 30 thematic gardens divided into three sections - Gardens of Collections, Gardens of Nature and Gardens of Culture. The Gardens Cafe by Kathy G serves a healthy, seasonally-sourced menu of delicious fare inspired by local greens and produce, such as fresh salads, gourmet sandwiches, homemade soups, and delicious desserts, along with freshly roasted coffee, loose-leaf teas, fresh fruit juices, casual wines, and craft beers.

Address: 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223, Phone: 205-414-3950, Facebook

Quick weekend itinerary:

Boasting spectacular views of Mount Wachusett and Wachusett Reservoir, Tower Hill Botanic Garden is a year-round botanic garden located in Boylston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1986, The New England garden hosts a variety of interesting plant collections and exhibitions.

The Frank L. Harrington Sr. Orchard has a stunning display of ancient apple varieties, while the Secret Garden is a romantic idyll that contains an intricate double pergola, a glassy garden pool, and fountain and elegant sculptures. The Farmer and the Fork restaurant serves a menu of healthy, locally-sourced, and prepared-to-your-order fare in a casual and laid-back setting with signature dishes made from fresh, high-quality ingredients. The food is accompanied by a list of casual wines and craft beers.

Address: 11 French Dr, Boylston, MA 01505, Phone: 508-869-6111

Atlanta Botanical Garden is home to more than 30 acres of breathtaking botanical gardens, with an array of fascinating collections, exhibits, and the famous treetop Kendeda Canopy Walk. Located adjacent to Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta, the garden has been around for 35 years and has continuously been updated and reworked to create a fascinating haven of urban bliss. The garden is home to the two-level contemporary Longleaf Restaurant, which offers full-service dining, a grab-and-go café, and flexible private dining spaces with stunning views of the Anne Cox Chambers Southern Seasons Garden. There is also a rooftop terrace where guests can sip cocktails while soaking up the views of the Storza Woods, and the Atlanta skyline beyond.

Address: 1345 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30309, Phone: 404-876-5859

Bellevue Botanical Garden is a beautifully manicured 53-acre urban refuge in Wilburton Hill Park that is made up of several smaller gardens consisting of meadows, wetlands, woodlands, flowering plants, shrubs, and herbs. The Copper Kettle Coffee Bar is the perfect spot to take a break while exploring the Garden and relax over a cup of organic free-trade coffee roasted by Sleepy Monk Coffee from Cannon Beach, Oregon, and mouthwatering pastries from Macrina bakery. The menu also offers gourmet sandwiches and fresh salads with herbs picked from the garden, and a charming patio has outdoor seating with gorgeous views over the gardens.

Address: Bellevue Botanical Garden, 12001 Main St, Bellevue, WA 98005, Phone: 425-452-2750

Designed by the Olmsted brothers in 1910, this relatively small, but beautiful 50-acre garden holds many delights, including an Elizabethan-style ‘knot’ herb garden and one of North America’s largest rose collections. The garden’s magnificent centerpiece is a Japanese hill-and-pond garden, complete with a teahouse and Shinto shrine.

In late April and early May, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden promenade is aglow with delicate cherry blossoms and hosts an annual Japanese festival, which highlights the country’s distinctive culture, food, and music. Stop off at the Yellow Magnolia Café or the seasonal outdoor eatery Yellow Magnolia Canteen for a variety of modern, vegetable-focused cuisine and an array of beverages. The Coffee Bar in the Visitor Center is open on the Garden's busiest days and serve freshly baked goods and snacks.

Address: 990 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11225, Phone: 718-623-7200

Spread across nine islands in the Cook County Forest Preserves, the Chicago Botanic Garden is a 385-acre living plant museum with 27 display gardens in four natural habitats, namely Lakes and Shores, Dixon Prairie, McDonald Woods, and Skokie River Corridor, displaying millions of plants and flowers in a variety of settings.

The Garden View Café serves an innovative menu of farm-to-table fare prepared using local, sustainably produced, and seasonal ingredients whenever possible, ranging from steel-cut oatmeal and gourmet omelets for breakfast and freshly made salads, seasonal soups, weekly specials, and brick-oven flatbreads for lunch. Other dining and drinking options include the Rose Terrace Beer Garden and the outdoor Garden Grille for alfresco dining.

Address: Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022, Phone: 847-835-5440

Located in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, the Cleveland Botanical Garden is an ever-changing urban oasis that features nine acres of exquisite outdoor gardens. The arboretum is home to the 17,000 square-foot Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse, which boasts a butterfly-filled Costa Rican rainforest and a spiny desert of Madagascar and is involved in several urban greening and forestry initiatives. The Garden Café is a casual, centrally-located eatery that serves artisanal foods prepared using regional and seasonal products from local farmers and prepared from scratch. The charming Geis Terrace offers elegant outdoor dining with a menu of refined cuisine and casual wines.

Address: Cleveland Botanical Garden , 11030 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, Phone: 216-721-1600

Stretched along the waterfront on Barters Island Road, overlooking Boothbay in Maine, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is a popular botanical garden that features a modern visitor’s center, seasonal café, and gift shop. The Gardens are home to a range of exciting and informative gardens, including the Giles Rhododendron Garden, with a breathtaking multi-level waterfall and the Bibby and Harold Alfond Children's Garden, which offers two acres of fun for the whole family inspired by Maine children's literature.

The Gardens are home to The Market, which offers grab-and-go lunches from sandwiches, salads and wraps to drinks, and organic and locally produced snacks daily; and the Kitchen Garden Café, which is open seasonally and serves a menu of farm-to-table fare made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, some of which come straight from the garden.

Address: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, 132 Botanical Gardens Dr, Boothbay, ME 04537, Phone: 207-633-8000

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is a 66-acre botanical garden located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake. Established in 1984, the gardens were created by combining the 44-acre DeGolyer Estate and the 22-acre Alex Camp House, which today features 19 named and plant-specific gardens. A family-friendly feature of the gardens is the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden, which was designed to connect children with nature and boasts over 150 individual kid-friendly activities, including The Texas Skywalk, The Moody Oasis, and a Walk in the Clouds.

The Arboretum offers several dining options from the Children’s Adventure Garden Café, which serves tasty light meals from the historic DeGolyer House for an elegant dining experience with refined haute cuisine. Other options include the casual Café on the Green and the Canopy Café, the Lula Mae Slaughter Dining Terrace, and plenty of picnic spots.

Address: 8525 Garland Rd, Dallas, TX 75218, Phone: 214-515-6615

Nestled in the Cheesman Park neighborhood, the Denver Botanic Gardens is a public botanical garden that boasts a variety of theme gardens, a glass-enclosed conservatory, and a sunken amphitheater that hosts open-air concerts during the summer. The Denver Botanic Gardens are made up of three locations, namely the formal garden on York Street in East Denver, the natural meadows, and riparian areas of the Chatfield gardens and the alpine wildflower gardens of Mt. Goliath.

Grab a bite to eat and a cup of coffee at Offshoots at the Gardens Café, which is in the main building next to the Water-Smart Garden or at Hive Garden Bistro, which is nestled under the trees adjacent to the Monet Pool. Both cafés offer a selection of farm-to-table fare made with locally sourced ingredients and boast beautiful views over the gardens.

Address: 1007 York Street, Denver, CO 80206, Phone: 720-865-3500