Casual Cafe Along The River
Palmetto, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: American Cafe, Greek
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 2/5
Dined in: December 2018
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Restaurant Name Zomato rating:
The Riverside Cafe is a hole-in-the-wall neighborhood gem that my wife stumbled upon by accident. She had been to the Riverhouse Reef and Grill which was the biggest restaurant in the pavilion of the Regatta Point Marina on the Palmetto city side of the Manatee River looking out to the city of Bradenton. My wife started with a Riesling from Chateau St Michelle which according to the winemaker has a crisp apple aroma and flavors with subtle mineral notes. I had a Shock Top beer.
Riverside Cafe Menu:
- Appetizers and soup
- Fresh Delights
- Mediterranean Favorites
- Black Angus Burgers
- Sandwiches
- Seafood
- Steaks, Pork, and Chicken
- Pasta
- Fresh Eggs and Platters
- Riversides Famous Breakfast Creations
- Fresh Egg Omelets
- Breakfast Side Items
- Desserts
We started with a few appetizers starting with a big plate of onion rings which by themselves could have been an entree. I was thinking there would be five or six served with a sauce, not twenty-five. We each ate a few, then had them boxed up. The second appetizer which came out at the same time was the flaming cheese, there Greek take on a Saganaki dish, with Kasseri cheese, a semi-hard buttery flavored cows milk cheese that with the high wind being on the patio, our server could not light.
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| Riverside Cafe / Flaming Cheese |
My wife had the Gyro Platter Greek Salad, a large portion of sliced lamb gyro meat served with a bowl of rice, a Greek salad, and warm pita bread. The salad had the usual suspects of feta cheese, pepperoncini, olives, and tomatoes.
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| Riverside Cafe /Gyro Platter |
I had the Stuffed Grouper with mashed potatoes, a locally caught grouper, stuffed with crabmeat stuffing topped with a creamy beurre blanc sauce, served with a side of steamed vegetables. The grouper had a fresh mild taste, which went well with the stuffing mixture.
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| Riverside Cafe / Stuffed Grouper |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other noteworthy Cafe style articles and restaurants similar to Riverside Cafe:
A café, cafe, or coffeehouse is a small restaurant serving coffee, beverages, and light meals such as sandwiches. In continental Europe, cafés often serve alcoholic beverages, but elsewhere the term "café" may also refer to a tea room, "greasy spoon" a “caff.”
Al Fanar Restaurant and Café Authentic Emirati cuisine, Festival City, Dubai, UAE
Café Arabesque Contemporary Middle Eastern and Levant buffet in the Hyatt Park, Dubai, UAE
Café du Monde Iconic café and coffeehouse serving beignets since 1862 in New Orleans, Louisiana
Harvest Moon Café Farm-to-Fork daily changing new American fare menu in Sonoma, California
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Ripponlea Food and Wine Rustic café for modern Australian food in Ripponlea, Australia
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
A few Florida restaurant favorites:
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A casual spot for classic Vietnamese favorites
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Beachside joint offering casual American eats
Pass-a-Grille / St Pete Beach
|
2nd Review of this Brew Pub Chain
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See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations, and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Riverside Cafe a 2 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Riverside Cafe
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Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
|
11
|
9
|
2
|
Food quality
|
11
|
6
|
5
|
Plate presentation
|
10
|
8
|
2
|
Customer service
|
13
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10
|
3
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Alcohol and other beverages
|
6
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4
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2
|
Total regular points awarded
|
51
|
37
|
14
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
|
0.725490196078431
| ||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
Total bonus percentage
|
0
| ||
Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
|
0.725490196078431
| ||
Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
|
2
|
**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
|
2 of 5 Stars:
73% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
Far Above the Average Dining Experience
|
Corkage fees:
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Riverside Cafe does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style at Riverside Cafe:
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American, Seafood
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Low Carb Choices, Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
|
Reservations:
|
Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
|
Dress code:
|
Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wear’s flip-flops!
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Riverside Cafe Experiences:
|
Place for foodies, Contemporary, Modern, Trendy, Lounge, Business parties, Romantic, Hotspot, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Rustic, Scenic views, Great brunch, Hole-in-the-wall, Intimate, Classy, Upscale, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Riverside Cafe has a public lot
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Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Riverside Cafe is a non-smoking restaurant with a non-smoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$$
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
|
€€
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Alcohol prices:
$22.00 USD
Riverside Cafe:
955 Riverside Dr
Palmetto, Florida
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 (941) 729-4402
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Email Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
|
Lunch: Mon - Sun
7:30 am - 9:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for Riverside Cafe:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Top 10 American fine-dining ornate chophouse
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Turkish culinary journey with an eclectic European twist
Plaza Versace Hotel, Dubai, UAE
|
Seasonal Irish with French gastronomic dining
Dublin, Ireland
|
Other Riverside Cafe Pictures:
 |
| Riverside Cafe / Onion Rings |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
