Lake House Café

- 115 Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY 10471

The Lake House Café, located in the heart of Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, offers New Yorkers a unique and refreshing dining experience that expertly blends casual accessibility with a scenic waterfront setting. This establishment is not just a place to grab a bite; it's a genuine retreat from the urban hustle, providing a beautiful backdrop for a quality meal. Catering to both golfers utilizing the historic Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course and members of the public seeking a relaxing parkside meal, the Lake House Café stands out as a premier lunch destination in the North West Bronx. The café's prime location on Van Cortlandt Lake provides guests with picturesque views, making a simple lunch or a casual drink feel like a special occasion. For anyone in the New York area looking for a perfect combination of nature, history, and delicious food, the Lake House Café provides a compelling reason to visit the Bronx’s third-largest park.

The café serves as an accessible hub for park visitors, offering a full bar and grill menu designed to provide a satisfying and quality meal at a competitive price point. While the broader venue, the Van Cortlandt Golf Lake House, is well-known as a historic and attractive event venue for weddings and social events with a 2,500+ sq. ft. outdoor deck and capacity for up to 150 seated guests, the Lake House Café specifically focuses on providing a daily, casual dining experience. Its commitment to serving the public and golfers alike ensures a steady, welcoming atmosphere. The menu often features a blend of appetizers, salads, main courses, and thin-crust pizzas, accommodating a variety of tastes and dietary preferences, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-friendly options.

Lunch at the Lake House Café offers numerous appealing options. For lighter fare, the menu often includes fresh salads like the Classic Caesar or a Baby Spinach Salad with candied pecans and goat cheese. For those desiring more substantial meals, appetizers like Beef Carpaccio or Semolina Crusted Calamari, along with various Thin Crust Pizzas such as the Mediterranean or Wild Mushroom, are popular choices. The café recognizes the diverse dietary needs of its New York clientele, highlighting options like the Mediterranean Mezze Board, which can be prepared vegan on request, and the availability of gluten-friendly flatbread and pizza crusts.

The menu’s culinary style appears to lean towards contemporary American and Mediterranean influences, incorporating fresh, high-quality ingredients. Examples of main courses that have been featured include dishes like a hearty Namaste Salad with warmed quinoa and chili-marinated chickpeas, offering satisfying and globally-inspired options. The focus is on flavorful, well-executed dishes that complement the relaxed setting. Customers in the area appreciate a local dining option that offers both classic and modern choices, ensuring there is something for every craving after a morning on the golf course or an afternoon exploring the park's expansive trails. The casual, welcoming environment is ideal for families, friends, and solo diners.

In addition to its daily café services, the larger venue is fully equipped to handle private events, offering comprehensive catering and bar services for social events, including cocktail hour, buffet dinners, and dessert stations. This dual function of casual public dining and specialized event hosting maximizes the potential of the stunning lakefront location, solidifying its place as an integral community resource within Van Cortlandt Park.

Location and Accessibility

The Lake House Café is situated at a highly accessible and scenic location within the Bronx. Nestled in Van Cortlandt Park, which is known for being the third-largest park in New York City, the café benefits from its proximity to major park attractions. Its location at the Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course makes it an easy stop for golfers, while its park setting means it's also a draw for hikers, museum-goers, and anyone visiting the vast 1,146-acre green space. For New York residents, the accessibility is excellent, with multiple ways to reach the spot. While specific public transit details are best checked before a visit, Van Cortlandt Park is generally well-served by Bronx public transit options. The location is strategically placed in the Northwest corner of the Bronx, near the Westchester County border, making it a convenient destination for residents of the northern Bronx and nearby areas. Guests arriving by car benefit from available self-parking. The setting provides a true "getaway" feel, being a historical waterfront site that offers views of Van Cortlandt Lake, an unexpected oasis within the city limits.

Services Offered

• Lunch Service: Providing a varied menu of appetizers, salads, pizzas, and main courses, with a focus on quality and reasonable pricing.
• Full Bar Service: Offering a complete selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to complement any meal or park visit.
• Catering and Event Services: The broader venue, the Van Cortlandt Golf Lake House, offers full catering, bar services, and event planning for social gatherings, including weddings, corporate outings, and golf events.
• Outdoor Dining: Featuring a highly sought-after outdoor space, including a large deck area, with lovely views of Van Cortlandt Lake.
• Dog-Friendly Seating: Pets, specifically dogs, are allowed in the outside dining areas, making it a perfect stop after a walk in the park.
• Dietary Accommodations: Menu includes options and modifications for Vegetarian, Vegan (upon request), and Gluten-Friendly diets.
• On-Site Golfing Proximity: Direct catering to golfers utilizing the historic Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course, the nation's first public golf course, which opened in 1895.

Features / Highlights

• Historic Waterfront Location: Located at the Van Cortlandt Golf Lake House, a historic venue in one of New York City’s most expansive parks, offering an escape from the city noise.
• Scenic Lake Views: The dining area, particularly the expansive outdoor deck, provides stunning, picturesque views of Van Cortlandt Lake.
• Varied and Quality Menu: The café and restaurant menu moves beyond standard park fare, offering quality American and Mediterranean dishes like Beef Carpaccio, specialty pizzas, and diverse salads.
• Proximity to Park Attractions: Strategically located near key park features like the Van Cortlandt House Museum, the Van Cortlandt Nature Center, and over 20 miles of woodland hiking trails, including the John Keiran Nature Trail and the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail.
• Golf Course Hub: Serves as the primary public dining spot for the historic Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course.
• Commitment to Dietary Diversity: Offers clear labeling and options for customers with dietary restrictions, including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-friendly choices.

Contact Information

Address: 115 Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY 10471, USA

Phone: (718) 543-4595

What is Worth Choosing

Choosing the Lake House Café for your next meal in New York is all about embracing a unique New York experience that combines urban convenience with natural beauty. This location is particularly worth choosing for its exceptional scenic value. Finding a relaxing, waterfront dining setting within the confines of the Bronx is a rarity, and the Lake House Café delivers this perfectly. It is an ideal spot for locals seeking a peaceful atmosphere for a midday break or for visitors concluding an exploration of Van Cortlandt Park’s numerous historical and recreational offerings. The ability to dine by the lake, often with your dog in the outdoor seating area, adds a layer of relaxed, suburban charm that is highly valued by city dwellers.

Furthermore, the value proposition is strong. The café promises a "quality meal at a competitive price," which is a significant factor in the New York dining landscape. While the restaurant’s broader event venue has received high praise for its comprehensive, transparent, and quality service for large functions, the café’s daily operation offers access to similar culinary standards in a casual environment. The diverse menu, which thoughtfully includes vegetarian and gluten-friendly meals, ensures that the Lake House Café can satisfy a wide array of local palates. The fact that the menu options go beyond basic grill food—featuring globally-inspired boards, specialty pizzas, and curated appetizers—shows a commitment to a sophisticated yet accessible casual dining experience. It's a fantastic choice for those who desire a satisfying lunch that feels like a mini-getaway, backed by the history and tranquility of one of the Bronx's most cherished green spaces. The blend of a full bar, quality cuisine, and a historical waterfront setting firmly establishes the Lake House Café as a must-visit local gem for New Yorkers.

Lake House Café

115 Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY 10471, USA