My wanderings today brought me to the town of Saluda, North Carolina right around lunch time. Back when I was running the Green River just about every other weekend on souped-up innertubes, we would stop at the Saluda Grade Cafe before heading into the gorge. Since that time we’ve upgraded our flotilla to kayaks, and the Cafe has undergone a similar upgrade.
Atmosphere
Located on Main Street, the cafe is decorated with brick and rich red and yellow tones (albeit, not the same red and yellow as fast food places.) Original artwork and photographs adorn the walls.
Menu
There is a nice selection of salads and sandwiches. The menu also includes burgers, and couple of larger meals, such as quesadillas and Caribbean jerk chicken. Prices range from $5 – $12. There is also a surprising wine list.
Food
I ordered the Italian chicken soup and chicken salad sandwich. The chicken in the soup was shredded, and there was quite a bit of it. In addition to the broth and chicken, there were spices and chunks of tomato. Very delicious. Although there was only a half sandwich, the chicken salad came out in a ball form large enough to fill a couple of sandwiches. I decided to eat it open-faced, rather than trying to hold it. Everything was excellent.
While I was munching, I saw some incredible slices of cake being brought out. I wanted to order some to go for dessert for the evening, but they had just sold the last piece.
Service
Service was excellent. I seemed to have attracted a bit of attention with my Palm and keyboard. The chef/owner came out, and we had a nice little chat.
Conclusion
The Saluda Grade Cafe is a great place to stop while out and about in the mountains. I highly recommend it.