Welcome to Legion of Honor Cafe
Legion of Honor Cafe, nestled within the museum, offers a unique dining experience in a serene setting. Known for its elegantly decorated pastries and specialty food, this cafe delights patrons with artful dishes and beverages. Customers rave about the exquisite desserts, savory sandwiches, and friendly service. The indoor and outdoor seating, along with the beautiful sunken garden, provide a tranquil ambiance for enjoying a leisurely meal or afternoon tea. While prices may be a bit steep, the quality and creativity of the dishes make it worth the indulgence. Don't miss out on the opportunity to savor the culinary delights at Legion of Honor Cafe.
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100 34th Ave Golden Gate Park San Francisco, CA 94121100 34th Ave Golden Gate Park San Francisco, CA 94121 Hotline: (415) 750-3547
Welcome to the Legion of Honor Cafe, a hidden gem nestled in the breathtaking Golden Gate Park of San Francisco. Located at 100 34th Ave, this unclaimed treasure offers a delightful culinary experience that stands apart from the average museum café. Surprisingly, you can savor its offerings without the need for a museum ticket, as acknowledged by many first-time visitors.
As you step inside, the enticing aroma of freshly prepared dishes envelops you, drawing you in with promises of exquisite flavors. Among the highlights are the hot sandwiches like the Norwegian Smoked Salmon Galette and the classic BLT, both exquisite in their execution and bursting with flavor. One review aptly described their BLT as the best they’ve ever had, praising the divine lemon aïoli and perfectly cooked bacon—an experience that's hard to resist.
But it’s not just the sandwiches that shine; the café also serves a selection of delectable pastries, each more beautiful than the last, tempting you to indulge in a slice of art with every dessert. From elegant apple tarts to rich cakes priced around $10, these sweet creations are, as one satisfied customer noted, well worth the cost.
The wine list is as varied as the menu, featuring a range of options from Petite Syrah to Pinot Noir, allowing you to find the perfect pairing for your meal. The ambiance—described as beautiful and serene, especially in the sunken garden—enhances the overall experience, making it an ideal spot to relax with friends or take a break from art exploration.
Service here is consistently praised for being friendly and attentive, ensuring that your dining experience is pleasant from start to finish. With both indoor and outdoor seating options, it caters to all preferences and weather conditions. However, it's advisable to keep an eye on the changing menu, as patrons have expressed a desire for updated offerings to stay informed on the latest specials.
Whether you're in the mood for a savory grilled cheese with a touch of truffle or a sophisticated glass of wine to accompany your sumptuous meal, Legion of Honor Cafe is a destination worth returning to. The blend of exceptional food, a stunning setting, and great service makes this café a unique dining experience that should not be missed.
I never knew you could go to this café without having to buy a ticket for the museum! I would definitely have come to the café before hand if I had done a little more research! Each of the pastries were so elegantly decorated they look like mini pieces of art work themselves! Each cake or decadent dessert was about $10 and they looked well worth it but a little expensive. They also had a number of different types of espresso with espresso machines, as well as drip coffee and tea. I also like the huge assortment of wines, red, white, sparkling, and beer, as well as some bottled beverages. As you enter the café area, the amazing aroma of I'm guessing the soup of the day in golf in your sens and it smells simply amazing!! The soup for this particular day was French onion and it smelled amazing!! I didn't order any, but it was $23 a bowl and with menu prices being the same as a regular restaurant even though this is a café I did like their assortment of Lunch items, fresh salmon, sandwiches, as well as decadent, croissants, and cups of coffee. Everything was set up in a café style, where you purchased your food/ordered first and then were seated and somebody came out to serve you. Normal café style. I guess you would say or more like a cafeteria. I would definitely like to come back again and see what other specials they have and definitely taste a couple of different wines or wine pairings with cake!!
Nice service, inside museum, great specialty food and beverages I wish they would post current menu as it changes often.
It's expensive, but always good. The specials are often really tasty -- I've had some excellent sandwiches there. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, with some interesting sculptures on the patio outside. Service is always friendly. All of this makes it worth the extra cost.
I really like the ambiance of this place. It's beautiful to sit in the sunken garden. I got the apple tart this time instead of lemon meringue, and I thought it was quite a bit better! They warmed the apple tart for us and it was really tasty.
I was reluctant to eat here because of the prices. But everything is more expensive now so decided to give it a try on my visit to the museum today. I ordered the BLT and it was amazing. It was probably the best BLT I have ever eaten. The bread wasn't too hard, the lemon aïoli was divine and they caramelized the tomatoes. What!?! Typically, there was too much inside the sandwich to actually pick it up and eat it so I just opened it up and ate my way through until I could put my mouth around the bread. The bacon was perfectly cooked. Not too fatty and not too curly for the sandwich. It came with three little dill pickles in a cup. if you do not care for arugula you should tell them to substitute something else for it. They have spinach and lettuce. I arrived early, 11:45 AM and the food I ordered was at my table within 10 minutes. Lots of staff to serve and clean up after us. Really pleased and will return.
A place for late morning breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea. The setting is very light as there are glass doors onto the terrace. The greenery & art inside and outside is fitting. I already had planned an early lunch. It was nice to take an art break of a beverage & chocolate cookie in the cafe. Trios, couples and singles were dining in the cafe. Pleasant ambiance to catch up with friends. A glass of wine. Yes, they have it. Coffee or tea? Yes, they have this. Tarts. Quiche. Sandwiches. Etc. It's here for you to enjoy at museum prices. Similar to FiDi food prices (Imho). Just you're in a beautiful setting that transports you to France. Art abounds too.