1906 Fine Dining and The Terrace Cafe

We visited 1906 Fine Dining, which is located at Longwood Gardens, while visiting the gardens for their Christmas layout before it’s finished this week. The restaurant is named in honor of the year Pierre S. du Pont (1870 – 1954) purchased the grounds. The other dining option at Longwood Gardens is a alacarte cafeteria style food court.
There’s no doubt that this restaurant is a fine-​dining establishment. Since reservations were made weeks in advance, we were excited to give this restaurant a try. The four of us were famished from walking around the beautiful indoor and outdoor displays. On the way up to the restaurant in the elevator, I had the opportunity to meet the restaurant’s executive chef, who invited me for an after-​dinner tour of the restaurant’s kitchen.
We showed up at our appointed time and were promptly seated near the entrance to the dining room. The menu was elegant, yet simple. It detailed their commitment to use locally-​sourced vegetables, meat and fish. I started with a salad, and mushroom risotto with scallops and sprouts. While it was plated elegantly, it was a small portion on a big plate. In addition to sprouts, it was topped with 3 scallops. The risotto was salty, and was a bit too loose. In fact, all four of us agreed that the food came out over-​salted.
Since the final bill was about $ 240 for the four of us (nobody had alcoholic beverages and only two of us had dessert), we felt that the ambiance was great, the service was good but that the food was not exceptional, especially for the price.

We visit Longwood Gardens frequently throughout the year and thought it would be nice to eat at 1906 for dinner after looking through the Christmas displays. I personally wouldn’t eat there again, the food is too rich for my taste and way overpriced for what you get. But I’m sure a lot people really enjoy it. It’s a fine dining restaurant, but people were dressed in a variety of levels from very dressy to very casual.
The hostess staff was very snooty and the first thing the waiter said to us was something odd about «if it’s not on the menu, we don’t have it.» The Porcini Stuffed Gnocchi and Grilled Pork Chop were by far the best tasting things ordered at our table. The Grill Beef Tenderloin was also very good.
The Local Mushroom Risotto was good, but very creamy and not really an entrée item, I would have ordered it for the table to share as a side. Plus, paying $ 12 extra for two small scallops on top felt like a huge ripoff. The $ 35 Maine Lobster Tagliatelle was disappointing, questionable if there was any lobster in the dish at all it was so hard to find.
Unfortunately we left disappointed.

One word Excellent ! 1906 is # 1. Chef William Brown and Chef Bruce Galloway have a talent for food beyond others. Every time we have Dinner there we’re amazed at the meals. This time we had Baby Romaine Salad, Chefs Daily Selection Soup, Entrée Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Lobster and Crispy Skuna Salmon. Dessert was Mad Elf Chocolate Cake and White Chocolate Crème Brulee. Thank You Chefs and Staff who spoiled us and funny too! Longwood Gardens Christmas was wonderful after a great meal ! Ken & Linda D

Last night I took my two of my key staff members out to enjoy the gardens and also dinner at 1906 to celebrate the New Year. While no question the gardens decorated for the holidays continues to be impressive as I visit each year, my first experience at 1906 was less than stellar. I was really under the impression that this was a more high caliber restaurant but when I found out it was next to the café the first stage of disappointment kicked in. We were greeted in a relatively caviler way then seated in the small interior dinning room. First set of points deducted was the sloppy way the table was set. I really had expected more since Longwood prides itself on presentation. Our wait staff was pleasant. After we ordered a bottle of wine she brought out an amuse bouche. It was served on a cup saucer. Again points off for bad presentation as well as the rather uneventful bland taste that it left my palate. I had the parsnip soup which was excellent and the Lobster Tagliatelle (which was well rather bland too). We also had the Crème brûlée as dessert which was average. When we left we were not thanked or even acknowledged for that matter. The prices were certainly reasonable but I really left expecting a lot more from the overall experience. I was truly thinking it would be a bit more elegant since it is in fact Longwood, it is was not. If the DuPont’s ate there I think they would be disappointed as well in the presentation and lackluster interior décor. It really reminded more of a commercialized division of the café, not fine dining. I think I can safely cross this one off my list for the future.

ALWAYS FABULOUS!
This restaurant is really top notch. We have had dinner, and lunch too, at this establishment, MANY times. They are always fantastic. PLEASE be sure to make reservations! We had the mushroom soup (divine) and the «chef inspired» daily presentation of the Parsnip Purée with Chili Oil, my husband LOVED it, and I tasted, fantastic! We had the Beef Tenderloin, and as a special request, my husband added scallops to his, delicious! The «Warm Winter Ciders» are a MUST! We ate outside, in January, on the heated porch, it was fantastic once the lights came on. Very nicely decorated, even with cloth pole covers for the seasonal «porch». The Hostess and staff were extremely patient regarding guests who were too hot, and too cold every few seconds! Service is TOP notch, butter for FABULOUS bread comes with PINK sea salt… nice touch. Water and beverages are refilled with out asking, additional bread is offered, and helpful tips from staff (offered to split our salad as we ordered a TON of food!) Missed the WASSAIL though, had it last year… excellent!

This review is for the Terrace Café, which I’ve visited many times – most recently the night before last. The Café is located in Longwood Gardens, and is the casual on site dining option. As the name suggests, the format is cafeteria style – you go through a line to select and purchase your food and then take a seat at one of the indoor or outdoor tables to eat.
On my most recent visit, I came with my mom for a light dinner while seeing the winter lights display in the gardens. We both ordered the mushroom soup and a dinner roll, and I additionally ordered a side salad and a dessert, which came to around $ 22. While I remember enjoying the mushroom soup in the past, this time, it seemed just okay. It may be that my tastes have evolved, but it seemed rather salty and lacked the depth of flavor that I expect from a well-​made mushroom soup. On the positive side, the thickness was appropriate, and it contained decent-​sized slices of mushroom. The salad, which consisted of cold sauteed mushrooms with a balsamic glaze and blue cheese, was all right, but nearly as flavorful as I would have expected given the description. The best part of the meal was the dessert – a peppermint chocolate mousse cake – but even that could have been improved by the addition of some peppermint crumbles on top.
While the café is convenient for a quick bite while in the gardens, I don’t recommend eating a full meal here, esp. given the price: quality ratio. Instead, I recommend visiting one of the nearby restaurants in or around Kennett Square to sample some of the local cuisine. Also, for those averse to the stroller crowd, be aware that there are always small children running rampant. Overall, the café is a convenience option and nothing more – given the choice, I’ll choose somewhere else every time.

Looking forward to a lovely dinner of fine dining after seeing the Christmas lights at the gardens. Sat down in a lovely indoor/​outdoor room with a grand decorated tree. From there it was all down hill. The waiter was not up to the task, inexperienced on the menu and not able to get all the food and drinks out in order. We needed to remind him that we ordered a beer. The mushroom soup was delicious, the crab cake was cold (sent it back, supposed to be served hot) with a mustard sauce and the side of greens that were very bitter. Our scallops on risotto came out hot, the scallops were thin and not seared, the risotto was salty. We ordered a side of cauliflower that came after we finished our dinner. You would expect a fine dining restaurant to at least have the manager come over to apologize or the waiter to check on you after the main entrée. I would suggest the staff communicate better to improve the patrons experience when something goes awry.

A really nice treat at the end of a day in Longwood Gardens. I’ve been in the summer and for the holiday light show, and if I can make one recommendation: reserve well ahead of time for park tickets and definitely for dinner reservations. My stepmother made our mid-​December reservations in October.
The food is a lot of local and quite fresh. Your standard nice restaurant fare, amidst a crowd and staff not quite used to it. Our server made a comment about how the butternut squash apple soup «sounded weird, but he heard it was very good» to each table, us and those around us. Kind of adorable but a bit too folksy for my taste. He also made a point of calling me ma’am and my stepmother miss. I think he learned how to be a waiter from 90s tv shows.
Dress code is unfortunately distinctly not dressy. The room and white tablecloth set up could easily be a jackets only situation but you get your Walmart chic and a bit of biker action too! This was disappointing but not overly so; but I note it here so you don’t waste your dry clean only outfit.
That butternut squash apple soup was delicious, the scallops were a bit too tough and gritty. But the accompanying goodies were divine. Our Chardonnay was excellent and we ended the meal with some winter cocktails. The hot apple cider was delightful.

An overall nice restaurant to go to if you are in the area but I would not go out of my way to eat there. I’ve been twice — once for brunch and once for dinner. They make an effort to vary the menu seasonally, which I always appreciate. Their bread is made in a cute shape that fits perfectly in a cup. During my dinner meal, I had the shrimp with spinach fettuccine and artichokes and mushrooms. The sauce was a little watery and the pasta was a little bland. The other components of the dish were good. The roasted pear and cheese salad and butternut squash fritters were very good appetizers. My companion had the stripped bass and it was cooked well and tasty. It is a bit on the pricey side but I think that is due to the fact that it is the «nice» restaurant on the grounds of Longwood Gardens.

Everything was delicious and fresh, and the service was great. The only thing I would change is possibly updating or adding to the décor (it looks a little out-​dated), and I would play some quiet music just to create an ambiance.

September 18, 2015: 1906 Fine Dining — I went for lunch here. The menu wasn’t extensive and we ordered 5 different entrees and 1 cheese starter appetizer. The cheese platter was ok. Half of the cheeses were ok. The other half were disgusting. The mushroom soup was good. It tasted creamy. The soup of the day (tomato gazpacho soup) was ordered by 2 people, both didn’t care for it. I ordered the panini. It was tasteless. The fries were good and my mom liked her spinach omelette. I wouldn’t eat here again unless I was absolutely starving and the café section was booked.
Pros: The staff was extremely nice and accommodating (brining my son some fruit before the food came out). The décor is nice. The bread is good.

We stopped in yesterday with company from out of town so she could experience a local favorite. Once again we found 1906 to offer expertly prepared but not fussy meals in a simple and elegant setting. This is a family favorite for special occasions and we have never been disappointed. The salmon was prepared to perfection and the mushroom soup is always a favorite. Our server was friendly, attentive and professional. The flower pot dessert was a delicious and fun end to yet another fantastic meal.

Meh about sums this experience up. We had lunch in the café today. I was immediately drawn in by the gorgeous heirloom tomato salad, and ordered that. The tomatoes had been chilled, so were mealy (I never refrigerate tomatoes), the garlic was super spicy and cheap… the kind straight from a jar, and too much of it. No fresh basil to set it off, and the balsamic was just ok. It was an underwhelming disappointment. Everything else we had was a similar effect… just meh. On the plus side, there are a lot of vegetarian options, lots of veggies and fruit available, and whole grain options. So you can get your fiber fix, but the flavors are disappointing.

The 1906 Fine Dining experience was a total surprise to me, as was the beauty of Longwood Gardens, which I visited for the first time ever last week. A superlative visit to one of the best botanical gardens I’ve ever been to was capped by lunch, outside on the deck, under the trees at a spacious umbrella table. It was truly a fine dining experience in every sense from the well spaced, capacious tables to the impeccable yet friendly service, to the food itself. Everything was organic and locally sourced and there was a lot to choose from on a rather ambitious menu. Some of the veggies were grown on the estate itself (like the heirloom tomatoes in the special gazpacho that I started with). The rolls came in funny little pots which it seems is a tradition at Longwood, and they were wonderful too. My main course was a grilled organic chicken that was «beyond belief» succulent, and came nestled in a bed of garlicky, herbed grits– yes, I said grits. They are definitely not just for breakfast anymore. We are talking «melt in your mouth «wonderful.
After tromping around the spectacular gardens and taking pictures all morning, it was a real treat to be pampered under the treetops with a leisurely lunch at 1906. This was my first, but I hope not my last visit.

It’s almost mandatory that I make lunch at 1906 part of my planned day at Longwood when I get to visit. Today was an exceptional visit to the gardens and a great lunch of lump crab cakes completed the day perfectly.

Only ever eaten at the terrace café. It’s decent cafeteria food. Way better than what you had in college :)
Sandwich area, entrée area, soup area and kids meals. There are also deserts and salads. Always some options available that skew healthy. You get a discount with your member card.

A solid 4.5 Unilocal!This is based on the great mood I was already in from walking around the gardens, and the fact that I would have liked to try a dinner there. Unfortunately the dinning season is short and only available on certain days I believe. So brunch or lunch are the more common options. We reserved a late lunch well in advance, but we did notice some walkins. I opted for the tasting menu with beverage pairings, and was so glad I did. I was told that this menu changes very frequently, based on the chef’s whims. It was apparent that the chef was having fun with his craft, as well as showing off his skills and the quality of the ingredients at his disposal (there are vegetable gardens in the park, and he used several items in the meal) The most memorable course was the main, which was a sort of pork steak from a local farm. This may have been my favorite pork dish of the year. Each pairing complemented the course, and a local wine that I was curious about was served with the main. I thought the $ 55 price was a value for this experience. 5 star service.

I can’t say enough things about this polished restaurant, the wonderful staff, and the delicious food that they serve here. The warm bread and the mushroom soups are must haves and everything else that I have had on the menu has also been delicious. The setting within Longwood makes this place really special. I couldn’t think of a more perfect place to celebrate a special occasion.

Personally I never expect much or seek out dining options at museums or exhibits. However when I walked into Longwood Gardens on a sunny September afternoon my stomach was growling like an Alaskan grizzly and I made a beeline for 1906 and The Terrace Café. I wish I had planned ahead because you can make reservations for 1906 on Opentable and at 2:45 the hostess informed us that all the tables were booked (despite half the restaurant being empty and closing at 3:30? Ummm…). The dining room looks very elegant so I wish we could’ve been accommodated but oh well.
The Terrace Café is the more causal dining option that offers both indoor and outdoor seating. It is set up cafeteria style which may not be appealing to some and can get very overcrowded especially with some of the massive strollers mommy’s are pushing around these days! I always skip the prepackaged salads and sandwiches because I feel like they just sit, but luckily there are hot options here too. For children they have hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, or pizza (all which really look unimpressive to me, but I’m sure satisfy a picky toddler). They also offered some fresh sandwiches as well as 3 soups (Chicken Noodle, Chili, and Kennett Square Mushroom Bisque). I tried the bisque since I felt it was only appropriate and local too! I found the large soup to be a great portion and flavorful while it was also very rich and creamy. There were three featured entrees which included Potato Gnocchi with truffle crème and shitake mushrooms, Salmon Kabobs, and a Apple-​Butter stuffed Pork Tenderloin. Sautéed zucchini and asparagus or garlic mashed potatoes were included sides with the entrees. My party tried each entrée and agreed that for a few dollars more than a sandwich the quality was definitely worth it.
Sit outside on the patio and soak in the sunshine and copious natural beauty that is Longwood Gardens. These restaurants might not be the focus of your visit, but they certainly accent the unique experience it is to come here.

We wanted to like 1906 more than we did. It came highly recommended by friends of ours, and I went in with a positive attitude. «We’re going to love this! It’s expensive, but it’s worth it! This will be so much better than the cafeteria.»
It was true, it was probably better than the cafeteria, definitely at least in terms of the atmosphere. It was nice to have a big table to ourselves and to not have people rushing past us at every moment. And it was definitely quieter than the café.
But our service left a little something to be desired. Our waitress didn’t really engage us at all, smile or say anything pleasant. She was all business, and I feel like, at a place like this, so much of what you’re there for is the experience of feeling pampered. I loved the little touches like the bread in the flower pots and the amuse bouche we received from the chef, but our server’s attitude did not convey this feeling as well.
Our entrees were good, but not blow-​you-​out-​of-​the-​water good. Not $ 16 burger good. I got a goat cheese omelette with side salad, which was well made and tasty — I liked my meal the best out of all three of us. The mushroom panini and burger with bacon didn’t live up to the hype as much. We shared the crispy portobellos with basil aoili, and I think that might have been my favorite part.
All in all, you should visit 1906 if you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the café and have a relaxing lunch. Just take a deep breath and be prepared to pay the high prices. It might take the sting out of the high expectations.