The Secret Garden Café: Historic Occoquan’s Hidden Gem

I can’t imagine a more picturesque place to brunch than The Secret Garden Café in Occoquan, Virginia.

The Town of Occoquan is an eclectic riverside community full of unique shops, breathtaking views, and charm. The Secret Garden Café fits here beautifully, offering inventive and classic eats from a 200-year-old building. The café actually used to be a pharmacist’s office!

[Other reasons to visit Occoquan include Mom’s Apple Pie Co. and Yarn Cloud, a local yarn shop.]

I walked by the entrance twice before I discovered that The Secret Garden Café also lives up to its name. The only hint of what can be found behind these historical buildings of Mill Street is a single sign!

Slipping between two ivy-covered buildings, I found brick stairs that led up to a matching patio. I followed them to the host stand and requested a table. At this point I was unsure if I was even in the right place, but yes, this was The Secret Garden Café. It’s clearly named well!

A friendly hostess led me up more brick stairs to a table. The outdoor seating area has several levels that climb the hillside. I sat at the very top, which gave me a lovely view of the tables down the walk and the nearby plants, but not of much else. The lowest level of seating curved down the hill to my right, but the plants provided privacy for me and for the other diners.

The outdoor seating area had sturdy tables and chairs that were well-shaded by tents and foliage. I noticed that there were fans and heaters in place under the tents, too, but neither was turned on. The weather was perfect!

Indoor seating is also available, but I don’t know why anyone would ever choose it!

The Secret Garden Café Menu

I looked over the menu before settling in. Breakfast is served until noon on weekdays and until 1:00PM on weekends, so I was just in time to secure one of the last breakfast orders. There were plenty of options and all sounded good. I ordered the Monte Cristo, a pan-fried sandwich with ham, turkey, and smoked gouda.

Other menu offerings included an assortment of plussed-up breakfast sandwiches, salmon, hanger steak, French toast, and shrimp and grits. The kids’ menu offers classics at a friendly price point, too: French toast with fruit and scrambled eggs with roasted potatoes.

My Meal

My Monte Cristo arrived piping hot, golden brown, and dusted with powdered sugar. It was served with a side of raspberry preserves and kettle chips. It was delicious!

The turkey had been seasoned and roasted. It was very tender and I wondered if it was a cut of tenderloin. It was thickly sliced and the ham, my usual favorite sandwich meat, was a bit overshadowed.

Even with sugar and preserves, the sandwich had only a touch of sweetness overall. The cheeses were smoky and soft, but I have to say the bread was the star. This sandwich couldn’t have been as good without this bread, which was crispy on the outside and soft in the center. It was like eating a sandwich made of grilled French toast.

Beyond the food, the overall experience was reason enough to visit. Our server was friendly and attentive, keeping us hydrated as we soaked up the sun in the garden.

The passion for food at this café is also obvious. With a picturesque outdoor seating area in a tourist-frequented town, The Secret Garden Café doesn’t need a robust menu to stay in business. They could get by with okay food and subpar service, but they still served up the best Monte Cristo I’ve ever eaten and took excellent care of me!

Plan Your Visit

The Secret Garden Café
404 Mill Street
Occoquan, Virginia 22125
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