The Café at the Frick

I arrived at the Frick Museum early to see «Killer Heels» (this will be reviewed separately) and wanted to have lunch at the café. I went over there at 11:00 when they opened and inquired about a reservation. I called upon arrival and left a message. They recognized my message and said I could dine on the patio at my appointed time. I later learned they were have a bus group in at noon for the main dining room. I was grateful they were able to accommodate me.
Since it was a nice day I opted for that. I arrived on time and was seated promptly. I was attended to immediately by a very nice waiter who went over the specials of the day. I opted for the salmon over asparagus, with broccoli and pea shoots from their greenhouse.
I got my meal within a reasonable time frame. I was told the pea shoots were indeed edible and my meal was very good. Please note they do offer a price fixe menu which includes a cup of soup or salad, entrée and dessert for $ 28.00. The other options you can get is soup or salad, whole sandwich and dessert for $ 24.00 or the same thing with half sandwich for $ 20.00. I decided just to go with this special and order a dessert.
I learned the lady at the next table ordered the blackberry crème brûlée for dessert but when I saw it I was overwhelmed at how big it was. When my waiter offered me choices I asked for something smaller. He then told me that all their desserts except the crème brûlée come from Signature desserts in Squirrel Hill and they have another shop in Castle Shannon. I opted for the apple fringed tart dessert. He explained to me that they have their desserts sent in fresh daily and they just cut slices out of whatever selection they are given for that day. The crème brûlée he told me he could wrap up what I couldn’t finish but since I wasn’t done with the museum I knew it would go bad. Please note all desserts are $ 8.00.
I got my tart and it wasn’t too heavy but it was just ordinary. Nothing to write home about. I think next time I visit I’ll go with either a soup or salad option instead with my main course and skip the dessert.
The café sits in what was formerly a carriage house not for the Frick family but for another family who lived in that area. The surroundings are beautiful and it is a great place to relax and take in the beautiful surroundings.
Same day reservations are available to non members. Advance reservations are available for members only. They also have afternoon tea but I’ll look into that when the weather cools.

Nestled behind the Frick museum is this cute little café. They serve lunch, tea time from 2 – 4 and dinner on Friday (a reservation a week in advance was recommended for dinner). They have indoor and outdoor seating with half of the outdoor seating under a canopy and the other with patio table umbrellas.
The café is set in a very picturesque 19^th century setting. It was very lovely and beautiful. Flowers and little gardens every where. Lawn chairs and benches on the open grass and under trees. It was so nice. You can admire the old children’s «play house», the greenhouse and the old mansion.
Onto the Tea time. This was my first time so be understanding if I get verbiage incorrect. There are two menus. One for tea and one for hard and other drinks. The waiter, which was very attentive, asked us how many people were being set up for tea. Then we ordered which tea we wanted. The teas were served with «loose tea» in little kettles, and cute little strainers for when you pour. The tea was amazing! I got the chocolate tea. The tea was so yummy there was no need to add sugar or anything.
After some time, we were served our three tiered bites… I would let them know of any allergies when ordering the tea. There were children attending tea time, so this did come to mind while I was eating. All the food was enough to share 2 of each item. The bottom tier had 3 different types of little sandwiches. The second layer was a tasty cake bread with jam and this white buttery cream you can spread. The third layer was an assortment of cookies with little, fresh strawberries and 4 cherries.
The only reasons why I am not giving a 5 star is for very simply that it was a little pricey for tea. It would have also been nice to have been able to have a choice of what we wanted on the tiers. Maybe a choice of fruit? That’s all. Very good otherwise. Will like to come again and enjoy the lunch or dinner and the yard a bit.

I worked at The Café at the Frick as as a server back in 2005, but haven’t been back until this past Saturday. Remembering how it could get busy in the afternoons, especially on weekends, I called earlier in the day to request a reservation for 3P. We arrived shortly before our reservation time and were promptly seated at a window table. They were a bit busy, so it was a couple minutes before our waitress made her way over to our table. I noticed that she also had been dealing with a guest that kept questioning every line item on his receipt, which kept her from making the rounds. That aside, she was quite pleasant and explained to us the specials of the day. After perusing the menu for a bit, I ordered the Crab Salad sandwich ($ 12) and my boyfriend ordered the Pork Belly sandwich ($ 12). We also each ordered a glass of wine. The wine selection is small, but there’s something for everyone and a couple different price points. For example, I chose a dry rose which sold for only $ 6 a glass. Not too shabby. The sandwiches arrived within 10 – 15 minutes. I was extremely pleased with the portion size of my meal, although a bit more blue crab would have been appreciated between the two brioche rolls. My boyfriend enjoyed his pork belly sandwich, which was served on sour dough bread. The Café at The Frick is a relaxing, cozy spot to enjoy lunch or even high tea (starts at 2:30 each day they are open). Although we didn’t partake in high tea, I did notice a few tables that were eating both savory and sweet treats. High tea starts out at $ 18 and runs into the mid-​twenties (which then includes a glass of house wine or house bubbly).
After dining at the café, walk around the grounds of the Frick campus.

I’ve been looking for a good place for tea service for months and I’m glad I found this gem! For only $ 18, you get a full tea service enough for a light meal for 2 people. On top of your choice of freshly brewed tea, you get sandwiches, scones and other pastries, all on an adorable tea/​pastry stand.
The restaurant itself is very cozy, and they have outdoor seating as well. Too bad my friend and I didn’t get to sit outside because there was construction going on nearby, but we still had a great experience! I heard the regular food they serve here is worth trying as well, so I’m definitely going to head back in the near future!
PS: the scones are TO DIE FOR.

Surrounded by trees and bushes and with large windows allowing plenty of natural sunlight to flow through, Café at the Frick is the ideal spot for afternoon tea time.
We arrived right at 2:30pm for tea time and asked to be seated outdoors, but the hostess informed us that there was construction going on and that it’d be better to be indoors to avoid getting a layer of dust over our food. We ordered the Afternoon Tea and really enjoyed most of the items on the plates, from the savory mini sandwiches on the bottom (crab, chicken, cucumber, egg) to the delicious scones in the middle to the cute dessert pastries (tarts etc.) at the top. Unfortunately, I was so excited to dig in and take photos that I barely paid attention when our server was explaining what everything was. I LOVED the scones. I’ve never had such amazing scones before! The mini sandwiches were also delectable. I thought some of the dessert pastries were just okay, but the rest of the food exceeded my expectations.
Food, tea, service, and all the natural surroundings make Café at the Frick a very solid 4.
Taste | 4
Atmosphere | 4
Presentation | 4
Service | 4
OVERALL | 4

Love this place! An Oasis in the midst of Pittsburgh with its beautiful garden and fine food. Every dish is a palette teaser. Simply delicious!

Scones were the best! Amazing tea and such a cute place for a girls night out! Tons of fun

I’m not usually one to slam establishments, but I have to here.
Our mothers went there for brunch today and were eventually asked to leave because their 90 minutes was up. They were even told they had to take their desserts to go. I’ve never in my life heard of such a crass approach to hospitality.
We’ve all felt the subtle pressures of crowded restaurant staff, and that’s understandable. And if you have to have a hard time limit, I suppose then you can at least tell people before they sit down. But neither of those happened here. Absolutely terrible treatment of your guests.
Thankfully this was a social occasion, and not an important lunch with a client or key constituent member. Even the remote possibility that this might happen at a restaurant has to rule the place out for me.

My husband and 1year old son brought me here for Mother’s Day. We had the afternoon tea it was quite delicious the sandwiches were great and the scones and deserts were very tasty we went for a walk around the paths. We will be back for sure

I am Frick’n impressed. This café is perfect for fancy time. The food is very good and the view is beautiful. It feels like a little getaway. The grounds of the Frick are lovely and this place is perfect for tea time – tea is served after 2:30 on every day except Monday when the place is closed. Tea service is $ 18 and provides enough food and drink for several people. The dessert I had – Semolina Cake with lemon curd and ginger ice cream – was perfect.

I came in for afternoon tea service for myself and my two daughters (7 and 10 years old).
Be sure to call ahead to save yourself a trip. The restaurant is quite small and walk ins are welcome according to the website, but I can’t see that working out in anyone’s favor. There were at least 5 groups trying to get a table on a walk in and they were all turned away since they were completely booked up.
Since I’m not a member of The Frick, I had to do a same day reservation (members get to set reservation just about anytime they please). I totally lucked out on this holiday week by snagging a same day reservation. Best to try at 9am when the museum opens and getting into the reservation book at that time. I called promptly at 9am and then got a callback around 10:15am confirming that there was an open table for me and my daughters.
All three of us opted for Afternoon Tea ($ 18 per person). For an additional $ 7, you can upgrade to the Royal Tea which gets you a glass of house wine or champagne with the Afternoon Tea service. I totally went for the upgrade and it was worth it! The house champagne was just great and a generous pour.
And the food was excellent! Presentation was great in the classic tiered plates that came to the table.
The bottom tier were the finger sandwiches. The savories today included a crab salad on brioche, salmon salad on croissant, beet and cheese sandwich and an egg salad. My kids went especially nuts for the egg salad. They were not so crazy about the crab or salmon sandwiches. Great — more for Dad!
The scones were in the middle tier and they were all still warm. Three to choose from — plain, lemon poppy and chocolate chip. My kids devoured the chocolate chip scones and I enjoyed the plain ones. Jam and clotted cream were also on hand for the scones.
The top tier were the desserts. Again, all winners on this tier! Mini cheesecake, berries, shortbread cookies with jam, oatmeal raisin cookies and a frosted gingerbread cookie.
The tea selection was pretty solid. Loose tea with strainers provided for each teapot. My 10 year old and I went for English Breakfast (pretty good) and my 7 year old went with the non-​traditional raspberry tea. We were all pleased with our selection here, too.
This is only my second experience of afternoon tea service in Pittsburgh. My first one was a dreadful one at The Terrace Room at The Omni Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh. My kids remember it as well as being unimaginative and expensive.
Service was very warm and attentive. We received frequent checkins to make sure we had plenty of hot water in our teapots and that all is well.
After tax and tip, the bill came to $ 75 for our party of 3 at afternoon tea. This is very much worth a visit and my kids can’t wait to get back. For next time, I might ask for a stronger teapot of English Breakfast. I do enjoy a darker cup of tea — but there was so much going on with all of us enjoying the food and one another’s company, I forgot to ask on this first outing at The Frick!

We were finally able to get a seat for lunch! They let us make reservations even though we are not members. The food was very good. The watercress salad was amazing. The setting is quaint, elegant, historic and charming. I love being seated where I can look out the window directly at my dreamhouse. The menu is limited which is okay with me because all of the food I sampled was very good all except for the deserts. The deserts were not excellent. I tried the Chestnut Panna Cotta with Orange Marmalade. In my opinion… it wasn’t all that good. I kick myself for not taking a snapshot. It LOOKED good. I tried my daughters peanut butter pretzel with pretzel ice cream. It was ok. My sons lemon Crème Brulee was good. Desert menu is the only reason for the absence of a star, which is subject to change pending future experiences.

Went here for afternoon tea. $ 18 for tea service including tea sandwiches (chicken salad, egg salad), scones (peanut butter, cinnamon), and petit fours. For $ 7 extra you can add on a glass of champagne or wine, for royal tea.
Slightly pricey, but it’s expected for a museum café, and the tea service is worth it for the experience. Make sure you make reservations on the weekends, because it’s a small space. Their outdoor seating has a relaxing atmosphere, perfect for summer Sunday afternoons.
Even you aren’t in the area for the museum or the park, it’s still worth going out of your way for the brunch prix fixe or the afternoon tea experience.

This place is definitely a sleeper gem for a great brunch and/​or tea in PGH! I visited with some friends this past Sun. at around 1:30pm, per their suggestion. They wanted to visit since they’d been to the Frick before, but had never been able to eat at the café. In order to ensure that we could get in this time, they called ahead, and although only members are able to make reservations, they allowed us to make one on the day of. When we arrived, they originally were going to seat us inside, but given the beautiful weather and available tables outside, one of my friends asked if we could sit at one of them, and the waitstaff were happy to oblige.
I wasn’t aware that the Café offered a brunch, but we were handed a menu containing an insert for brunch. Although we were given the disclaimer that there may not be brunch items left, our waiter checked on it, and it was our lucky day, since there were still some left. In light of this, one of my friends and I ordered from the brunch menu, and the other decided to order off the regular lunch menu instead. The brunch comes with three courses: soup, entrée, and dessert, to which drinks can be added for an additional cost. For soups, I ordered the soup of the day (crème of broccoli), and my friend ordered the squash soup. Both of the soups were good, but to my surprise, I ended up preferring the squash soup, based on my spoonful of my friend’s soup, due to its richness and complexity of flavor. For entrees, both of us went with the pumpkin bread pudding, per the waiter’s recommendation, and it was dynamite – definitely one of the most unique and delicious brunch entrees I’ve ever tried! It had the perfect balance of flavors and textures: savory yet sweet, soft yet crunchy – it was seriously heaven on a plate! It was quite rich, though, to the point that my friend wasn’t able to finish hers (I did so shamelessly, however).
My other friend ordered the mushroom ravioli off of the lunch menu, which came topped with arugula. Although it looked small to him at first (he’s a big guy with an accordingly large appetite), the portion size ended up being just enough to fill him up. According to him, the flavor of the raviolis was great, but the arugula and other toppings took it to the next level. He highly recommends it.
Each of us ended up ordering a different dessert: pear-​apple tart, hazelnut torte, and crème brûlée (me). (I’d originally wanted to order a slice of maple cinnamon cheesecake, but they’d run out of it.) All of the desserts were quite different in flavor and texture, but all of them were wonderful in their own way. My friends had coffee with their desserts, and I had the Frick blend of tea, which was quite mellow. The tea helped cut the richness of the crème brûlée, which was the perfect combination of a crispy exterior and a creamy interior generously seasoned with nutmeg.
Although this brunch cost a bit more than I’d usually spend ($ 24 w/​o tip), the high quality of food and service, as well as the atmosphere, made it well worth it. Our waiter was quite friendly and attentive, and offered great recommendations. As for the atmosphere, I couldn’t imagine a nicer place to have brunch on a beautiful Sun. afternoon. It was so relaxing to feel the gentle breeze, take in the beautiful fall colors, and watch the leaves drift lazily to the ground while catching up with friends and enjoying delicious food. (So relaxing, in fact, that I forgot to check in on Unilocal,which rarely happens – oops!) As a bonus, after we finished, we enjoyed checking out the greenhouse, art gallery, and new gift shop – all for free! :-)

2.5 stars for the afternoon high tea. It was easy to get a reservation the day of being a non-​member though I called right when they opened. Loved the ambiance of the building though small. Surrounded by windows so there is a lot of light and you can see the beauty of the park. The meh was the food. Three tiers of sandwiches, scones and desserts sounds wonderful though the food was just too rich and underwhelming. If I had to pick a favorite it would be the scones. You can take the leftovers home which I suppose is a good thing if you enjoy their food. $ 18 per person.

Came here for a bite to eat before touring around the grounds.
The menu is small and the choices are slim. You need a reservation to sit inside so we were seated outside. It had rained earlier and all the chairs were wet still. Instead of cleaning it she sat us at semi dry seats.
After glancing at the menu we decided to just eat a snack since nothing really screamed out to us.
We ordered the jumbo lump crab bisque and key lime cheesecake with a cup of peppermint tea. The bisque was a joke. There wasn’t a single lump of crab inside and it was watery. The flavors weren’t really there and the best part was the bread crisps
The cheese cake was a small slice with a dent in the top like someone tried to slice it then decided to stop half way. The taste was OK but dry. Very overpriced at $ 7
The service was nonexistent. As soon as the waiter found out we weren’t having a full meal he stopped showing up.

If ever the term «hidden gem» applied it would be for the Café at the Frick. We were in Pittsburgh for the weekend and saw an article in the paper about the emergence of fine dining at museums. The article discussed the Café at the Frick so we decided to go. Lunch was al fresco with a garden of herbs surrounding. My salmon and my wives caesar chicken salad were both delicious. The server was smart and helpful. The weather was perfect.

«Intimate, inventive, seasonal, reliable, not stuffy” – that’s Café at the Frick for lunch – hands down, our favorite lunch in Pittsburgh.
The green setting is a small house on the campus of the Frick Art and Historical Center in East Pittsburgh. In good weather, a small patio offers additional seating. An adjacent Visitors’ Center is under construction, so a shaded side patio is – at least for now – off limits.
The typical Sunday brunch menu features two savory soups, three salads, several sandwiches, several entrees, and five or six yummy desserts. Manager Patrick complements the menu with thoughtful wine, beer, and cocktails selections.
Today we enjoyed three courses: wine, fish, and dessert. The special was crisped hogfish over Swiss chard and maitake mushrooms, topped with brassica greens, all over a drizzle of Hand of Buddha, honey, and pink peppercorns. (Many veggies are grown right on campus.) Desserts included a cherry-​cranberry-​walnut cake with caramel ice cream and a yellow almond-​based cake with not-​too-​sweet chocolate icing.
Interesting flavor combinations, a constantly-​changing menu, sensible portions, attentive service, and personal attention from the host keep us coming back. Members get 10% off and can reserve in advance of the day. Parking is free.

The Café at the Frick is THE quintessential café. As other reviewers have noted, it is a tiny little restaurant on the grounds of the Frick Museum and is surrounded by the gardens. Comprised of only a few tables, it has all of the charm of walking into the scene of a Jane Austen novel. You may expect to run into Mr. Darcy himself, but one look at the sleek and updated menu and you will be brought back to present day.
The Prix Fixe menu is really a steal, at $ 22 for soup or salad, an entrée, and house made dessert (lower prices if you choose a whole or half sandwich instead of an entrée). While everything was prepared perfectly and full of flavor, the star of the meal was definitely the dessert. I ordered the oatmeal biscuit (ah-​ma-​zing) that was topped with fresh cream and whiskey-​soaked peaches. One of the best things about it was that the portions for the first two courses were portions for actual humans and not blown up for some mythical giant like most American restaurants, so I actually had room left to enjoy every bite of this sweet ending to the meal. Don’t get me wrong, the rest of the food was certainly memorable. I started with the soup of the day, which was a honeydew and basil gazpacho and super refreshing on a hot summer day. My entrée was the hanger steak, which was perfectly cooked and served over a mushroom risotto that was earthy, rich, and delicious. Everyone at our table of 7 thoroughly enjoyed their experience.
After trying the main menu, I can’t wait to go back and check out the high tea! Perhaps for a twist I’ll throw on a petticoat and see if I can’t convince my very own Mr. Darcy to join me :)

Pricey, and you should make a reservation ahead of time to guarantee a table. However, the service was friendly and the food was excellent. When the weather is nice outside, their outdoor patio can’t be beat especially since smoking is not allowed (yay!). This is possibly the best outdoor eating experience available in the burgh due to the location away from traffic noise and smoke.

After a full morning touring the Frick museums and Clayton House my sis and I were starving, ravenous zombies, not unlike those present in the Walking Dead.
The staff at the museum warned that reservations aren’t accepted unless you’re a member and the restaurant is miniature so it’s basically a coin toss to get in here. Luckily, our toss won, because we were able to find a nice window table after the lunch rush.
The menu is small but well-​thought out, and many of the vegetables are grown in the nearby greenhouse, right on the property. I was super pleased to see a vegan option for the daily soup, kale and cashew. It was a bright green, vivid bowl of nature’s best, creamy and delicate but power-​packed with flavor and antioxidants.
My sis had the coquilles St. Jacques, and I ordered the wild mushroom sandwich. The coquilles were a smaller portion, served in two seashells, very sea-​side chic.
My sandwich was a standout, thick, perfectly braised mushrooms atop crunchy, chewy peasant bread. I had to share the goodness with my sis, who proclaimed it her favorite of the afternoon.
We both had little pots of the house blend tea, a warming weapon against the cold, rainy afternoon. They also offer a proper afternoon tea, British-​style, which appeared to be quite festive, and authentic.
What a lovely discovery for us both, we will certainly return.

Charming! You could use that word and nothing else to review this place. Charming location nestled between all the Frick buildings in the beautiful wooded Frick Park. Charming inside café with few tables and homey atmosphere. Charming sandwich? Okay, maybe we’ll omit charming for that, but I’m charmed to say the least!
I came in literally on the tail end of brunch (what I was supposed to be coming for… that’s what you get for being late!). You know what though? It’s okay. A temporary setback considering my chicken and cranberry salad sandwich was amazing! It made me forget the delicious bite of french toast I had from my dining mate (seriously, next stop French Toast town!). On Chiabatta bread, it was the right amount of mayo, cranberries, chicken and walnuts. Gosh, it was incredible! Considering the sandwich was so good the pasta salad that came with it didn’t hold a candle to it. Pretty bland and I left half eaten.
I ordered the chocolate mousse for dessert, considering the dessert case looked so inviting! It fell flat as well. Do you remember those ice creams that you got in the elementary school cafeteria that came between the cardboard? It kinda tasted like that. The only thing that made it was the cherries and sauce that adorned it. THAT made it! I wouldn’t order it again though. I’ll stick to carton ice cream!
Surprised I still gave it 4 stars? Me too! But it earned it with the setting, friendly service and dream inducing chicken sandwich! I cannot wait to come here for high tea! I can’t imagine it’s going to let me down, I honestly imagine it’ll earn that fifth star! Onward my friends!

WOW, is this place a surprise. I was in heaven here! Outdoor dining in Frick Park amongst blooming flowers, lovely people, and with divine food? I’m alright with that!
I came here for an afternoon snack upon finishing a walk-​through of the new PAN exhibit on show (which is amazing in and of itself) at the Frick Art Center. I wasn’t expecting anything but mediocre overpriced food at the café, so my «snack» turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. I split an asparagus panini with mushrooms, gruyère, and mustard with my boyfriend. The sandwich turned out to be more than enough, since it came with a side of fresh orzo salad (can’t remember what was in it aside from feta, but this was delicious as well). The vegetables were incredibly fresh, which makes sense since I later discovered that all vegetables are actually GROWN ON SITE at the Frick! Brilliant.
Only bone to pick with my meal was the fact that I was unaware of the plate fee for splitting a sandwich ($ 3). I really didn’t mind considering how tasty the panini was.
If you’re already at the Frick for an exhibit or to check out the Historical Center, definitely do yourself a favor and try their café! The food isn’t too expensive, the service is professional, and most importantly, it’s delicious!