River’s Edge Cafe

Downgrading my review. I abhor poor service as it taints the entire experience. I’ve enjoyed dining here before on bike rides along the GAP, but not on this occasion.
Service today was inexcusably slow from the moment we sat down outside. And when it was time for the check, our server was nowhere to be found. We hadn’t seen her for a good while before then and now had severe trouble tracking her down. I asked another server, then after several minutes, I asked the hostess, then after several more minutes, another in our party went inside to track her down. Ya know, most of the patrons are cyclists and a leisurely meal is not usually in the cards. THIS dining experience was out of the norm even for the leisurely bunch who might have time to kill.
So, management, we’ll most likely take our business elsewhere when we return to Confluence after cycling next time. Poor service is not rewarded.

Stopped by and got a table on the porch to watch the river and bees. Beautiful scenery. Lunch was very good and reasonably priced. Side of fries about $ 3 and a great pulled pork sandwich about $ 9. Was just stuffed after!

After frequenting the River Edge since 2007, our last visit this past weekend will truly be our last. The decline in the quality of food has been steady and It has bottomed out with inedible steaks and crab cakes formed from flaked Starkist crabmeat. Awful. Even the view is not worth waiting 40 minutes (with reservations!) for. Skip it and grab a Riverside pizza–

We were mountain biking through Ohiopyle park when a passing couple recommended that we eat here .
We set the gps an drove through the woods; literally through the woods.
It was well worth the drive and the atmosphere of this little gem of a café will not disappoint.
The owner couldn’t be a sweeter soul, super nice and very kind hearted energy pours from her. The café clearly reflects her kindness.
The food was fantastic, and the ambiance of eating on the side porch with the river literally a few feet away is just priceless.
The food is fantastic, very fresh farm to table goodness. The servings are also perfect. We enjoyed the grilled salmon with dill sauce and tilapia with cranberry sauce. Both came with fresh veggies and home cut sweet Potato fries that were really tasty.

This is a great little spot! The staff is super friendly and the food is excellent. If you are biking the GAP then consider staying at their Bed and Breakfast overlooking the river.

We found this quaint yet sophisticated restaurant years ago, when we went exploring the Confluence Dam since we’d spent the day at Ohiopyle State Park. I loved, loved, loved it! Now years later, when I have more Eatery experience, thus higher expectations, I feared a return trip would disappoint. It did not! I actually had more of an appreciation for the unusual combinations that made the Menu so interesting!
Location: it’s worth unearthing it behind the everyday neighborhood, to come upon the Secret Garden location! As others have said, there is a garden area near the river to relax with some wine, the Wrap-​Around Porch feels like you’re at Grandmas house, and inside, the restored home is downright charming! Wooden floors, interesting antiques on the walls, homey lamps etc.
Food: loved my Veggie burger, made of Black beans, etc, with a delish hint of smokey cumin. I was disappointed it rather squished out of the bun however as I ate it. The briosh roll was toasted, a nice touch, and tasty home for my burger, and no fuss that I wanted cheddar instead of Gorgonzola. Loved the fresh crisp home cut potato chips too, I added a side of Cole slaw, which was good, but not anything creative, but the sides were quite reasonable. Burger n chips were $ 9.95, as expected for the quality of ingredients. Hubby got an Angus burger, and it was cooked as ordered, sounds simple, but so many don’t get this right!
Service: Friendly, helpful, a bit of a wait for the food, but it was such a lovely setting, we were content enjoyingthe river thru the window. (We’d been on the river all day, so were happy to be in AC!) I was a bit nervous as we were not polished up after having been soaking up the sun on the rocks above the Falls all day, but they didn’t flinch or look down their noses, even tho other diners were a bit dressier, and the caliber lent itself to not being too messily dressed.
Ok, so I realize I didn’t describe the food as much as some, but you can check out the menu, and for me, location, ambiance and courtesy can make or break my experience. Sure wish I knew more about wine, seemed a very nice selection!

Did not eat at Café, due to day of the week. Otherwise «Stay here!». sublime accommodations.

Have eaten here several times, both for lunches and dinners.
Food * * * *
There are occasional «misses» with some food offerings, but generally
the food is above average, using good quality ingredients some of it locally sourced.
This is particularly welcome because there are not too many other choices or options for good meals in the area without traveling a bit.
River’s Edge holds its own and serves tasty and enjoyable dishes.
Service * * *
The service is generally friendly, polite and accommodating though at times could be better organized. However, when it gets busy, the service does tend to bog-​down and get a bit slow. But I think that’s a function of the kitchen, not the wait-​staff.
Location & Atmosphere * * * * *
As mentioned by most all of the other reviews, the setting here is excellent and one of River’s Edge strongest attributes, both inside and out.
The décor inside is charming, comfortable & cozy without being overly «cutesy». Weather-​permitting… the setting «al fresco» on the porch is splendid. (see pics)
Misc
The River’s Edge functions as both a café/​restaurant and a B & B, both run by the owner who lives on the premises.
If you happen to come here at a time when it is NOT busy and the owner is around, do try to meet and speak with her. She is a *most* interesting and charming person with varied & unique life experiences.
River’s Edge — well worth a stop and even a drive to get to.

For the life of me, I can’t understand why this café is not rated higher. We found it on a ride and came back another day for more! While I have not had dinner (because they had no space on a Saturday night), both lunch experiences were excellent.
As mentioned in other reviews, the outdoor seating and indoor décor were perfect. My first sandwich was the Cuban which was a new twist on a favorite sandwich of mine. The following day was even better with the Edge sandwich with tasty grilled chicken and red pepper, gouda, and spinach. It was a simple, mildly upscale, and surprisingly memorable lunch. Both times my girlfriend got a salad with the optional salmon and loved them.
Whenever we get back out to ohiopyle to slay some more whitewater, I know where I will be going for at least one meal!

Went in 2008, the food was good and comforting.
A good place after a long hike on the river.

This is a quaint little Bed & Breakfast and restaurant about 20 minutes from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water. It’s on the edge of the Youghiogeny River next to the state park. The restaurant is the ground floor of the house as well as on the wrap-​around porch. We got there just in time to sit down outside overlooking the river. It was a beautiful day to enjoy the weather and the view. They have quite an extensive menu with many veggie entrees.
We ordered the soup of the day, which was a cold sweet potato and tasted like dessert! Then steamed mussels and a side of spinach, the veggie burger and a button mushroom sandwich. The best meal was the veggie burger, the mushroom sandwich wasn’t bad, but it was a little greasy.
The food is so-​so, but the ambience is well worth a visit!

A quaint, little place, right next to the Youghiogeny River. The food is more or less mediocre and won’t wow you, and the service was slow (more than 2 hours for dinner), but the view of the river from the porch is more or less worth the price of admission. This place is a little more expensive than I really expected for the quality, but I don’t really feel ripped off by it. A worthwhile place to eat if you are visiting the area.

Four of us enjoyed lunch on the porch at the River’s Edge Café on a mild summer day. We found the food quite tasty (I recommend the hot Italian chicken sandwich). The service was very friendly and pretty quick. The interior of this restaurant is charming, but the real attraction is sitting outside, watching the water go by.

The River’s Edge Café is a quaint restaurant in the small town of Confluence, PA.
The décor includes a lot of antiques of times gone by.
The food in no way screams modern, but in a setting such as this, I feel this to be expected.
If the weather is nice, I suggest sitting on the porch nearest the river. The sounds of ‘nature’ are quite soothing. Plus there is a lot to keep you entertained if this is your sort of thing.
Now, for the meal:
To start, I ordered the soup du jour — the French Onion soup. I ordered the bowl, which might have been a bit too much, but was pretty tasty all the same.
For the lunch entrée, I ordered the blackened catfish. The lettuce and cucumbers were fresh. The tortilla chips on the side were warm.
Also, my iced tea had a sprig of mint in it, which is a nice touch that I don’t often see. I really enjoyed my meal and the atmosphere.
I recommend this place for a casual stop in a small town.
Also, if you enjoy antiques, why not stop at the River’s Edge Antique Shop right down the street?

Peaceful sitting by the river on late Spring afternoon. The Organic Black Bean Burger was delish!!!

A large group of us did the bike ride into Confluence on a Sunday morning. We arrived at the River’s Edge Café and I must say, if this rating was based on the scenery itself, there would be no doubt about five stars. We had made a reservation for noon and were able to be seated outside immediately. The café is situated in an old bed and breakfast right on the edge of the Youghiogheny river. The trees and flowers were in full bloom and we sat on the wrap-​around porch with a beautiful view of the river’s activities.
Strangely, none of the waitstaff seemed to realize who had which table and we waited for about 10 minutes before a waitress came up and asked if anyone had been by the table. The place was not very crowded and I saw at least four servers walking around. I ordered the french onion soup (excellent) and the edge sandwich (and asked them to add artichokes) with char-​grilled chicken, Asiago cheese, roasted red peppers, and artichokes. Unfortunately, they forgot both the artichokes and the mayonnaise and I had to wait an additional five minutes for those. The sandwich itself was quite good: the bread was soft and delicious, the chicken seasoned perfectly, the Asiago cheese was plentiful, and the vegetables complemented it perfectly. I would highly recommend doing the bike ride into Confluence to enjoy a light lunch at this gorgeous location.

River’s Edge Café is probably not like this all the time, but we went on Labor Day Weekend and it was SUPER crowded. The gorgeous scenery in the area made the wait more tolerable (we sat down by the Youghiogheny River while we waited), but other people waiting were a bit edgy and impatient, so make sure you make your presence known with the host (ess) or risk a longer wait.
We were seated facing the river on the outdoor porch and it was gorgeous. Just unwinding with an iced tea and their delicious gorgonzola apple salad (and their «famous» sweet potato fries, too!) was wonderful. My friend had one of their sandwiches which also looked great. Being that it was crowded, the service was a bit slow, but everyone was friendly and again, the atmosphere is beautiful. Confluence is a bit out of the way, but if you’re in the area, this certainly seems to be one of the more popular places to have lunch or dinner. River’s Edge also runs a B&B upstairs which looks great and there are some nice antique shops nearby as well, so it’s a pretty cozy experience. Definitely recommended if you’re in the area on a sunny day.

The restaurant gets a bumped-​up rating for its ambience and location. The area is growing in tourism, and this place has a prime spot. Flowers, river, breezes. Really, the food ought to be better. The restaurant has plenty of business.
I’ve eaten here several times because it is so well situated, and there aren’t comparable options near by. So by now I know the drill. Just get a salad and a beverage, enjoy the beautiful porch, and watch the cyclists coming off the Great Allegheny Passage.

My wife and I enjoyed a nice lunch on the porch overlooking the river. We enjoyed the company of the butterflies and birds as they visited the many flowers in bloom. This is a very special place and we will certainly visit it again when in the area.

I was misled by Unilocal!
On a recent trip to the Laurel highlands of PA, my husband and I were looking for good restaurants. We had a reservation at Out of the Fire (which was great!) on Sunday night, but needed a place for Saturday night. I found River’s Edge Café and saw that it had only 3 reviews, (there are barely any Unilocal reviews for this part of PA) but they were glowing! Well…
If you consider yourself a bit of a foodie and are looking for contemporary fare, do not eat here.
The house was charming, and the view of the Youghiogheny River from the porch was lovely, but blech!
The salad was old school iceberg lettuce and mealy tomatoes straight out of the fridge. I had the special — Caribbean mahi mahi — and it was covered with canned mangoes and pineapples and smothered in a «raspberry sauce» that basically tasted like sweet salad dressing. It was served with mashed sweet potatoes (they were the best thing on the plate) and soggy, boiled sugar snap peas. I felt like I stepped back into my grandmother’s kitchen in the 80s.
My husband’s meal was not any better. He got mushy scallops swimming in a «tarragon butter sauce» that looked more like dirty dishwater. It was definitely flat.
We also started with a crab dip that was served with ritz crackers. meh.
Too bad about the food, because the place is quite charming. Perhaps come by for a simple salad or soup and a glass of wine at lunch to enjoy the view.
Or on second thought, just walk along the river for the view and skip the restaurant altogether.