It’s Summer Time, so we are always finding things to do with the children. This particularly Friday we decided to head out to Rip Van Winkle Gardens. We have heard so much about this place over the past few years but we would never think of going. 

Before touring the beautiful Rip Van Winkle Gardens we decided to eat lunch at the little, cute Cafe. The Cafe is Cafe Jefferson. So cute overlooking the water. Great spot and beautiful scenery. 

Cafe Jefferson has indoor and outdoor seating. We decided to sit inside because the clouds began to look a little overcast. So we played it safe, just in case. As we entered the restaurant we were greeted by a sweet old man. He asked us if we had a preference as to where we wanted to sit. 

We chose a table that was right near the window and we could see the beautiful Lake Peigner and Views of the Garden, which is surrounded by beautiful Oak Trees. A cute and quaint cottage.

Cafe Jefferson’s Menu included Sandwiches, Po-boys, Salads, Entrees such as Seafood Dishes, Chicken, etc. My husband decided on the Chicken Sauce Piquant which included a Caesar Salad. The Caesar salad was a traditional Caesar salad with Romaine Lettuce, Caesar dressing, Parmesan cheese and croutons. The salad was fresh. 

The Chicken Sauce Piquant looked so good. The Dish included Chicken thighs with a spicy red sauce, that included andouille, tasso, red pepper that were roasted and also a vegetable mixture all cooked in the delicious sauce. Superb dish with a rich flavor served with rice on top. 

My step daughter chose the Club Sandwich. The Club sandwich included your traditional toppings, Ham, Turkey, Bacon and Cheese with lettuce, tomato and mayo. Served with chips and a pickle. She said it was good, but nothing stood out about it. Just a normal sandwich.

Baby girl decided on the Boston Ham Melt. Which is a Ham and Cheese sandwich dressed with lettuce, tomatoes and melted mozzarella cheese. She loved the taste of the sandwich, but the bread was hard. The Panini sandwich was too hard. The cooked it too long. But the portion size was good. She eventually just separated the sandwich and ate the meat and cheese.

I chose the Weezie’s Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. The gumbo was pretty good, but lacked salt. A perfect portion size and a touch of Louisiana for the visitors passing through. The gumbo was loaded with meat; Boneless chicken breast, smoked sausage, pork sausage, andouille and tasso. I would have liked to see a little potato salad on the side with the dish or as an option. But it was good.

Cafe Jefferson also offers an extensive Dessert Menu with options like Tiramisu, Pecan Pie, Key Lime Pie, Bread pudding, just to name a few. I did not have Dessert that day. Which I know may come as a surprise especially since I love dessert. But I passed. Lol.

The food is reasonably priced for the portion size. There was no kids menu, so if you have multiple children, they could share a plate.

Overall our dining experience was Exceptional. We loved the environment, the scenery, the food and we had a blast at Rip Van Winkle Gardens. Minus the rain we were eventually caught in after lunch. But Rip Van Winkle is definitely a great place to take the family and enjoy a nice family outing. 

Cafe Jefferson is located in Rip Van Winkle Gardens at 5505 Rip Van Winkle Road, New Iberia, LA 70560.