The Driftless Cafe

Awesome food, Mac and cheese was Amazing and steak sandwich was a must. Bakery looked like they had some great treats.

I love this place. I work just around the corner so I eat lunch here pretty often. This is the go-​to spot for family birthday dinners, when friends visit and we want to impress them with local dining, or whenever we get a hankering. It can get pretty crowded for dinner so we plan accordingly — go early with the kids, or prepared to wait with grown-​ups. Service is sometimes a little slow; that’s something you should know going in. If you’re on a schedule, let your server know right away.
I haven’t had a meal here that I haven’t liked. I think you could order anything off the menu and be happy! Luke, the chef & owner, sources local (and the menu tells you where your food comes from), and much of the fare is organic.
The only downside is that it is closed on Sundays. Mondays too, but that’s not a surprise.

Wow, not used to this type of place around here! My grandparents have lived near by for the last 100 years (lol) and we have never been to a place like this! We loved it. Service was excellent. I was with someone who has a lot of food restrictions and they accommodated them all! We had the charcuterie plate (which comes on a slice of a log!) and shared a bunch of pizzas. They are huge and filling if you get the Neapolitan. The thin was super good too. We had the meat, one with a fried egg and a plain cheese. All excellent. It’s a super cute place and gets crowded, but a wonderful surprise in the area. Farm to table dining and great service!

I suppose it would be all right if I said, ”My goodness,” wouldn’t it? Well, my goodness… How did such a place come to be in Viroqua Wisconsin?! I’ve been coming to this town since I was a young child and never has there been such a fabulous restaurant! Don’t get me wrong, The Viking has a dear place in my heart but still, it says small town Wisconsin all over it, which is fine! This, though, this would have a very competitive place in Chicagoland.
The menu is unique: daily changing dishes depending on what’s in season and who’s been butchered. When it says you’re getting potatoes from the Miller Farm… it means you’re getting potatoes from the Miller’s farm. When it says you’re getting Pete or whoever’s fresh pork… you got it! The chef is an artist at what he (or she?) does– I came for dinner and had the porkchop, a meal I never order elsewhere because no one ever makes them as good as my mother. It. Was. Awesome! (don’t worry Mum, I still love yours excessively) It was juicy and so flavorful and accompanied by delicious sides such as butternut squash, sweet potato, creamed spinach and a delicious side salad topped with beets. This meal cost around $ 24. My dinner companions, likewise, enjoyed their meals immensely. While the prices here are higher than the other local places, it is very much worth it.
The Driftless Café seems to have two different dining sections. The side I sat on contained roughly a dozen tables and the bar (good local brew selection and nice wines), lighting was dimmer, and music was contemporary– a rather cozy hip place! Bathrooms are located towards the back past the kitchen and bar and were nicely maintained.
Service was first rate. I wish I had caught the name of our server, a lass in probably her twenties with dark brown hair, bold lipstick, and strong pretty facial features. She was pleasant, knew her menu well (both food and drinks), and was perfectly attentive even after we paid the bill.
I hope this place does well, what a gem to be found in small town Wisconsin!

Best food ever, we even had to get dessert! Our waiter was amazing and the food was supreme. I had the tenderloin and my hubby had the chicken breast, our son had a special ordered pizza-​we all shared each other’s food because it was all so good! Our bill was $ 132, but as a special treat it was worth it! A special place in this small town, like no other.

Yummmmmmm… How this place survives in a small country town I don’t know but I was glad to finally discover it. This is the kind of place with an ever-​changing, I’m talking daily, menu based on what is in season or locally up for slaughter. (Sorry, too graphic? C’mon…you’re in the COUNTRY.) …with an actual creative chef!
So far, I’ve only been for lunch and it was lovely. Whenever I see something on a menu that has me thinking, «What the…» I’m inclined to be curious because the chef MUST know something I don’t, right? So when I saw the Fish Po’ boy with… what would you put in this sandwich? What would any normal person expect to find… Nope. With SAUERKRAUT, I had my «What the…» moment and knew I was in. Yes… YES! Never question the chef. It was a wonderful, tasty, crusty, unusual thing. Mmmmm…
My dining partner had some sort of pork sandwich that apparently is regularly on the menu. She liked it but it was a little spicy for her taste. Bringing the rest home, the lucky recipient declared it the BEST thing he’d ever tasted in a sandwich.
I’ve checked the menu for dinner. It’s not cheap but it looks oh, so worth it. I’ll be back.
Only drawback to this place is the seating. Maybe I’m too old… or too bony arsed… but bare wood benches don’t do it for me. Would it be weird to bring a sit-​upon? lol

I am in the restaurant business so it’s hard for me to be woo’ed. The Driftless woo’ed my wife and myself. Great atmosphere, service, and my organic tenderloin was perfectly prepared.

I have had four amazing pies from Driftless Café, not all at once but I could see that happen… if I had an extra stomach! Yum, Yum is my official review and I have felt fortunate when they have magically appeared before my grasp. I must train myself to s l o w down while eating but that may take some effort. This fine establishment has also catered an event at Driftless Books and music last month which I was happy to have attended. The offerings were of such high quality when I realized my plate was almost empty I became emotional and sad comparable to the ending of a loving relationship. Well, almost.

Awesome place for lunch! Drove two hours to see Luke’s restaurant in Viroqua, WI. Very well worth the drive out there.
Had the pasta special with salad and pork and vege soup. It was a great meal. Salad was pleasing to the eyes, smells good and taste wonderful. The salad itself excites all the senses that make a dish good. The creamy pasta with chicken was also delicious.
The interior décor is simple and yet unique. Two tree trunks were used as supporting beams. How cool is that? Along the wall are paintings from the high school and those grade 11 kids are very good!
The best part was seeing Luke and having a quick chat. Luke explains that the highlight each day will be dinner. The menu changes every day. The chefs will discuss what to cook that night based on what they get locally. They will take reservations if your party has 6 or more people.
Looking forward to the next time to try dinner there.

Back again for a relaxing Saturday evening glass of wine and some oysters. I had already prepared an early dinner at home, so we really weren’t there to eat. But that changed quickly when Chef Luke Zahn emerged from the kitchen with some complimentary off-​the-​menu small plates to try. The first is difficult to describe. It was sweet bread with house cured ham covered in a raisin sauce. Delicious! He stopped by later with fried buttermilk chicken legs with a smoked pepper applesauce. it was fantastic. A glass of wine turned into a bottle and we never made it anywhere else that night. a wonderful evening with a very personal touch.

When you walk in the place looks comfy with about 12 tables but there is another dining area off to the left. There are two blackboards on the wall listing the names of all the farms and the product they get from the farm. We started with a cup of creamy vegetable that was very tasty. It came with a couple slices of buttered baguette. My husband ordered the special that consisted of a fried catfish po-​boy that came with macaroni sales. He said he enjoyed the tasty sandwich but liked my walnut burger better. There is a lot of vegetarian options and we saw a lot of nice looking salads being served. Drinks are served in cute mason looking handless jars, including water. They also had a selection of pizza by the slice or whole. If I was in town again I would eat here but would most likely try someplace else just to try it. If I was a local I would frequent this place.

Me and my family were visiting Viroqua. I had heard about the café on WPR and wanted to try it. The establishment was clean and well designed with neat wooden booths. We ordered grilled cheese for the kids, pulled pork panini for my husband and a house salad with cream of potato soup for me. In addition, when we asked what soda they had, we were expecting the server to say Coke, sprite etc. but were delighted to find they had cherry bomb, root beer, and ginger root on tap. Let’s just say that when our food arrived we all had an OMG moment! It was absolutely delicious. Their bread is made at the restaurant and they source their ingredients locally including the soda. Everything was amazing and the servers brought our kid’s meals out first so they could eat right away! Very observant! Definitely see how they got such a buzz!

Everyone at the table ordered something different and it was all wonderful! Then the cookies came! OMG don’t skip them!

I am reviewer #42 and I agree with the 41 ahead of me — truly a find in an unexpected location. The beef tenderloin was «melt in your mouth» delicious.
The dinner is not cheap here but it is well worth the money. The quality and presentation are equal to any «fine restaurant» in Chicago.
Kudos to the proprietor and the staff for a very nice dining experience!

Pleasant surprise. Pá amb tomaquet was good but needs to be rubbed into bread. Otherwise, great place. Needs to be a little more generous with their wine pours.

This place is what everyone is trying to be. The food has life energy and is thoughtfully made. The food supports the community and land. It fits the Omnivores dilemma’s definition of farm to table excellence.

Locally sourced food, and prepared beautifully, with very friendly service. So happy we ate here tonight!

We stopped in for coffee, but because we’d heard the food was good we decided to eat something, we opted for the macaroni with bacon Parmesan and truffle oil.
OMG! My girlfriend and I agreed this was the BEST mac and cheese we had ever had! They use as much locally sourced produce as possible and the menu changes with the seasons.
If you like mac and cheese, do not order this because you’ll never be satisfied with any other mac and cheese again.

So I’ve been trying to come to the Driftless Café for a couple of years… But I often seem to be in Viroqua, WI on Mondays. They are closed on Mondays (as is much of Viroqua).
Driftless Case is named after the Driftless region of South Western Wisconsin. The Café is sources everything they can locally and it is apparent in terms of freshness and quality.
So here is the feast I embarked on: Indi Pizza Special (chipotle aioli, bacon and potato), Autumn Salad (local fresh green season is rapidly coming to a close in WI), and perhaps the best freaking cream of tomato I’ve ever had.
The personal sized Indi Pizza had nice chew — the aioli didn’t overwhelm the subtleness of the potato and or the smokiness of the bacon.
The locally roasted coffee was a bonus as were the cookies I ordered to go — peanut butter and a oatmeal, coconut, chocolate chip concoction. I’m going to get into the cookies on the drive back to Madison.
Yup it’s true, I’m a Locavore Pig! I really hope they have the cream of tomato soup the next time I’m here. If you visit the Driftless Caffe — I hope for your sake they have the Cream of Tomato Freaking Soup on the menu and your are smart enough to order it.

Greatly expanded menu! Luke Zahm is a 5 Star Chef. The Driftless Café is one of the great gems of the Driftless Region.
Revolving nightly menu featuring local produce, meat and dairy. Treat yourself to one of the best steaks of your life. Great service. Very knowledgeable staff.
Still, by far, the best restaurant in Viroqua!