Seaboard Cafe

Alright. This place is sort of hidden if you don’t know about it! Walk on over to Logan’s Garden Shop and head to the outside area. Or ask a Logan’s Staff Member for help, which is what I did my very first time. The owner is super friendly and makes everyone feel welcome!
Try the Old Fashioned Chicken Salad Sandwich! You have a choice of different breads such as White, Whole Wheat, Sunflower Bread, Rye and Sourdough. Comes with Chips or Pretzels. A couple of Pickled Carrots make their presence known on the side.
Now if you get Sweet Tea here, add some Lemon and Mint Leaves. The combination is pure genius! Other delightful bites range from the Cheeseburger on a Sesame Seed Bun and Cross-​Tie Fries and the Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich. The latter has a Peach-​Pepper Relish and comes with a Potato Salad and Kosher Pickle.
Pay at the register and seat yourself. Food is delivered shortly by some cool waitstaff! Lunch only! Dig in, y’all!

How have I not reviewed this place? Oh right, cause I want it all to myself. The owner is a doll and everything is delicious. What specifically you ask? no problem, tuna on toasted sourdough with pretzels, crab cake sandwich, a specialty item served usually Friday, SHRIMP SALAD omg if I had a shellfish allergy i’d still chance it. It’s attached to a plant nursery with a highly knowledgeable staff to help you. Also a gift shop and even fresh produce and preserves.
What this is best for: dates, parents visiting, playing hookey from work, first communion, last meals. A short list.

Seaboard Café is one of the nicest, unpretentious and pleasant dining experiences in Raleigh.
I discovered the café in 2005 and have been going back ever since. Rick, the owner, is one of the most cheerful people I have ever met. He often greets customers at the door.
The food is delicious. Soups are fantastic, the sandwiches are worth your time and most everything on the menu is worth a taste. My wife LOVES the pickled carrots and cannot wait to get them again.
On a Spring afternoon there is no better place to eat lunch in town. Located inside Logan’s Garden center, you will find yourself surrounded by flowers, butterflies and be just generally satisfied with life. The rest if the year? Well, you’ll just have a great relaxing meal.

I’ve been meaning to eat here for a while now. My 50^th anniversary bonus bucks were about to expire so I thought I’d drop by for lunch and then spend the bucks. Turkey club was excellent, the fresh pickles & tomato slices were on point. Pickled carrot was good too. I had the fruit cup as a side, tasted great and even had bits of marshmallow in it.

This place is so cute and quaint. It’s located in the trading store and the café is situated in the back near the nursery.
I ordered the tuna with Swiss. It was a tasty sandwich that had cranberries on it and of course I had the fries too!
The best thing about this place is the view of the nursery and being surrounded by all of the gorgeous flowers.

Really pleasant and yummy, but hard to find electronically. LOL
The Café is actually hidden inside the Logan’s building. Do not trust the street address and GPS, or you will end up way down the block near Peace China looking at a photo of the dumpsters, no lie! I added a storefront picture to their profile to help you find it. I had a laugh with the owner over Raleigh’s «permission» for him to only post his signs facing the railroad tracks, not the entrance of the building. Being so hidden has not apparently hurt their popularity, but it can be aggravating if you have only heard of a place and want to drop in.
This was a great stop while in-​town for a Saturday. You order your food and it is brought to you. The staff were very attentive, asking several times if I needed anything or a refill, but it was not precisely waiter service. As others stated hear, this is located inside a wonderful garden center, so toss off the formalities! I had the daily special, which sounded odd: tuna fish salad with whole cranberry jam and Swiss, but it really fit together nicely and was more like a Thanksgiving sandwich than anything fishy. You can sub the side, so I went with the chili, a mostly kidney bean and meat blend with just the right spices and cumin.

I’ve gone to Logan’s several times, but never knew this place existed until this week. I went for lunch on a not so beautiful day in February. As a quick FYI, they don’t accept Amex, so it is a little difficult for a charged business lunch (I would absolutely order in to the office if they did).
The atmosphere is very casual and they have plenty of outdoor/​indoor patio seating. Essentially in/​next to Logan’s, you are surrounded by plants which creates a really relaxed vibe. I’m sure the experience would be excellent on a nice day.
Typical of many cafes, the food is very recognizable, though it did seem slightly better in quality and flavor than your average deli/​café. I’ve heard the chicken/​tuna salads are very good, though I stuck to a plain sandwich and fries. Basic but delicious (I have a soft spot for waffle fries).
The best part about the whole experience is the owner and staff. It is hard to rate a place with a very normal/​average menu 5-​stars, but this is the reason why. He is very friendly and talkative, and will come around to the tables to make sure everything is going well. You don’t find the old fashioned level of hospitality much these days. The café already has a great homely feel, but this is just enhanced by the easy going and accepting atmosphere.
Would definitely check out for a relaxed lunch!

Honestly, I’m between 2 and 3 stars… it wasn’t bad, per-​se, but I could have made that grilled chicken sandwich better at home. The chicken was not done very well at all as it tasted very processed. The peach pepper relish that comes on it was disappointing; very little flavor. And I definitely could have done a better balsamic pasta salad… it was unecessarily DRENCHED in the dressing. Nice enough

Although tucked away and slightly hidden, Seaboard Café is a cute, casual lunch spot. It’s behind an interesting store that sells a hodgepodge of things and surrounded by plants and flowers with tons of outdoor seating.
You order at the register, find a seat, and someone will bring you your food. I think the owner was behind the counter during my visit; and he was so cheery and helpful.
I had their veggie sandwich (no mayo, added some avocado) on rye, and it is hands down the best vegetable sandwich I’ve bought/​eaten. I say «best vegetable sandwich» because it is packed full of fresh, delicious veggies and cheese. I chose not to put any sauce in it, but the flavors were fantastic on its own. It’s like my perfect summer sandwich! They also have different sides you can choose from to accompany your entrée. I like how I can tell that they really do cook (and bake) their own food. It’s their own recipes and ingredients and creations. AND it’s not just your typical sandwich café. It’s got its own flare.
Aw man, now I’m craving that sandwich again…

Seaboard Café is one of my favorite lunch spots in downtown Raleigh. It’s a good place to enjoy a casual, delicious lunch outdoors when the weather is nice!
Parking is easy since there are plenty of spaces available in the Seaboard Station shopping center. The café is located in the back of Logan’s Trading Co. which creates a natural aesthetic as you enjoy your meal amongst the plants and garden décor. There is a lot of natural light, a cool breeze and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.
You may have to wait in a line during normal lunchtime hours, but the line moves quickly and during the rush there is often a staff member taking orders to help the process move along more quickly. After placing and paying for your order at the counter with the owner who is always welcoming and kind, you can move down the line where you can put fresh mint and lemons in your tea.
I have never actually ordered off of the regular menu because I am always please with the daily specials. Most recently I ordered a baked crab cake sandwich that came with a side of shrimp seafood macaroni salad and a pickle spear.
Next time you’re in the area on a nice day and looking for a new lunch spot casual, give this place a try!

SUCH a huge fan of this place. It meets all my most important requirements for a lunch destination. Firstly, it’s in Logan’s and you absolutely cannot walk through that place on an even moderately nice day and not feel happy. Then go into the café and there’s lots of natural light and plenty of both indoor and outdoor seating. The man who owns this place always has the most warm, sunny smile. The food is always really, really consistent and very good. My husband loves their burgers. I always get the Veggie Sandwich. They also have some really good chicken salad sandwich offerings. The only thing I can’t say I’m wild about is the pasta salad, but it seems that pasta salad is something that many restaurants miss on. In any event, this place is one my favorites in Raleigh and I go there almost every week.

Really a lovely place for a lighter lunch, with delicious sandwiches, salads, sides, and friendly employees.
Inside Logans, you’ll find this gem of a lunch place. Great for a casual meet-​up with friends for a fresh bite to eat.
I’ve been happy with everything that I’ve gotten here. They have chicken salads featured and the pistachio is my favorite as of right now. Price is fine for lunch, at under $ 10.
My 5 star reviews are usually quite short because you only need to know that you should go to this restaurant. Enjoy!

Seaboard Café, where to begin?
I have been eating here for the past year. Lunch only is the only thing they serve, still amazing though. I could not say a bad thing about this place. For me it starts with customer service, and there is plenty to go around. The food, I believe I have attempted everything on the menu and the Chicken Salad Sandwich is to die for. Moist, tasteful, and filling. The price is about 8 – 10 for a lunch, its worth about 15. I love this place and it will always be my favorite place in the Raleigh area for a nice lunch.

I can’t believe it has taken me this long to come eat here. It is located in the Logan Building in the Seaboard Station area. The ambiance is homey and beautiful. The food is fresh, tasty and simple. We ordered the chicken salad sandwich and the crab cake sandwich. Each sandwich comes with a side. We got a bag of of chips and the dill, peas, cheese, and macaroni salad. We also ordered the Jalapeño Cheese Muffin.
Chicken Salad Sandwich — Fresh, tasty chicken salad on whole wheat bread. I was a happy camper.
Crab Cake Sandwich — It was definitely a very tasty crab cake and the fixings were perfect but the only issue I had was the bun. The bun was a regular hamburger bun and it just doesn’t work with the crab cake. Need to upgrade on the bun
Chips — Standard Lays
Dill/​Macaroni/​Peas/​Cheese Salad: Very tasty and fresh. Perfect amount of Dill.
Jap/​Cheese Muffin — Blown Away! Love Love Love
If you want to go for a laid back lunch with fresh tasty food come here! I can’t until the weather gets better. They have a beautiful outdoor area!

Food is always fresh. Staff always has on a smile. Specials are great there too! Great outdoor seating as well.

When my mom came to visit, I was excited to try out this café with her– she loves working in her garden, so I figured a café in a garden shop was a no brainer! We came on a Friday around 12 and the line was already curved around the corner. The staff must be used to this– there was a guy taking orders about halfway down the line, so that once we got to the register we could just pay instead of gawking at the menu.
So when I finally took a look at the menu, I was a little surprised to see nothing that really struck my fancy– there were a lot of mayo heavy dishes which I stay away from and chicken salad seems to be their main event. I ended up selecting the grilled chicken sandwich with a peach-​pepper relish, my mom got the apricot chicken salad du jour on a croissant and my boyfriend got the burger and fries.
Hands down, my favorite thing about this place was the fact that you could put fresh mint and lemons in your tea. Other than that, the food was fair, but nothing special. My sandwich was fairly bland (I had to ask for a side of mustard since the relish barely tasted like anything) and the chicken breast hadn’t been pounded flat, making the sandwich a little cumbersome to eat. My mom loved her chicken salad croissant, however, and Andrew had no complaints about his burger.
I’m glad we got to try it out and the location really is lovely… next time you’re in Seaboard Station on a pretty day and are looking for a casual, unique spot to catch a bite, give this place a try! Just make sure your date isn’t mayo-​adverse ;)

The Café is tucked behind the Garden shop. Remember, it is a garden shop, not a boutique hotel. It is a rough and ready place in a roll your sleeves up and let’s get some dirt under your fingers Garden Shop. The café somewhat hides behind the Garden shop, which has an affinity for Christmas, so be aware of the many decorated trees as you swing in. Or you will be paying for more than your lunch.
I love looking at the expertly decorated trees, and have often just admired the ornaments without purchasing until I learned this year (after many years of gawping) that you can buy OFF of the tree. But I still feel guilty ruining the decorations.
On to the café…
The ambiance
The décor is forgivable, but not necessarily at first sight. Plastic garden chairs (albeit, the nice high backed ones) and basic tables. Look around though, and there are decorations «borrowed» or themed from the garden shop. LIke everything here, the decorations kind of chameleon into the walls and windows making the feel shabby chic. Not unclean, just a kind of comfortable clutter. Sit still and let your eyes linger. You’ll find some creativity here.
The food.
I have eaten here twice for lunch.
Once was a light soup and half sandwich.
Very filling and honestly made.
The muffin was not a steroid induced Arnie swartznegger gargantuan muffin filled with fakeness. It was normal sized and filled with imaginative flavors. I believe it was savory.
I had soup of the day. No need to tell you what it was as it would be different the next time. But trust me. It was nice.
The service
The first time, I was greeted by a very jocular man, who had a slight accent. It seemed as though he was/​is the manager/​owner of Seaboard Café. It seems to me, that this charming man has done a vulcan mind meld on his fellow co-​workers as the «friendly» seems to be sucked right out of them and he is the only one with the bright smile and the jolly demeanor. The great thing, is that he genuinely means it. The rest of the staff slog around wiping tables and serving as though they can’t wait for you to leave. The difference in his attitude and the attitude of his staff is day and night.
My second visit yielded the same appearance of high gratitude and zest for life from the manager/​owner and very little other than grumpiness from his staff. You smile, they grunt. You smile, they frown.
Why go then?
The food, for the price, is well made, honest and delicious. A great place for lunch when you are famished after a hard mornings work of planning your garden and picking up supplies.

Have lunch in a garden
Visits: Once in awhile
R-​Line Stop: R3
If you have never been to Logan’s Trading Company, the urban plant and flower nursery, then you may not know about little café located inside Logan’s. Seaboard Café opened in 1991 and is hidden among the flowers at Logan’s. There’s only a small, unobtrusive sign next to the main entrance of Logan’s advertising it’s location and existence. On Saturday after working out at O2 Fitness Seaboard, my husband and I followed the heavenly, enticing scents wafting on the air to Seaboard Café. When you walk in the main entrance, go all the way to the back right of the building to find the café. Rick Perales, the owner, welcomed us with a big smile. He’s a jovial, charismatic guy and he was happy to see us even though he didn’t know us. But he did know many of the other patrons and it was apparent that the customers really liked him. I asked Rick about the tortilla soup. He explained that is was made from tomatoes, onions, broth, a little pepper and some cumin. Yes, as advertised, menu items are fresh and made from scratch daily. Awesome! Rick took our order just before we reached the cash register. I selected the soup and salad combination. Andy ordered the same thing and added on some Cross-​Tie (waffle-​like) fries. All the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. As I was getting a cup of water, I noticed the bowl of sliced lemons and another bowl of fresh mint next to the tea station. Wow, that’s special! I added a lemon slice and a sprig of mint to my water… yum and it felt fancy. I like the little things. Since the weather was so pleasant, we picked a table outside. There were beautiful, blooming camillas close to our table and rows of flowering fall shrubs and annuals all around. Such a lovely spot. After a short wait, our meals were served. It’s very casual at the café with paper plates and cups and plastic utensils. The soup was steaming hot which would be great on a cold day. Note to self: get hot soup at Seaboard Café this winter. The soup had good flavor and I liked the crunchy tortilla strips on top. For me the addition of a shake of salt made the soup perfect. I ordered the Greek salad but this salad was a loose interpretation of a Greek salad in that the olives were black olives but not kalamatas and the dressing was a light vinaigrette that was pinkish in color since it was made with red wine vinegar. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I’m just saying it was different from what I expected. I enjoyed the crisp, fresh salad and the light dressing was a healthier option than the normal heavy olive oil greek dressing. Andy gobbled up his soup and salad but he needed the order of waffle fries to fill him up. On a previous visit, I had the Turkey Club on Whole Wheat, which was a scrumptious sandwich with thinly sliced, lean turkey, two crisp strips of bacon, on toasted wheat bread. I also tried the pickled carrots, a signature side at Seaboard Café.
Seaboard Café serves a delicious lunch in a garden setting in downtown Raleigh. Discover this hidden gem.

I love this place. Definitely one of my favorite lunch spots in Raleigh on a nice day.
Sure, it’s a little overpriced. But they treat you like family and the food is consistently delicious.
I love that they have fresh herbs to add to your lemonade or tea. I love the pickled carrots. I love that you sit outside in the middle of the best garden center in town. I love Rick!
Their veggie sandwich is my favorite — I try to make it at home all the time. The grilled chicken sandwich is yummy. The potato and pasta salads never disappoint. The specials are always good. And let’s not even talk about the tempting pastries at the checkout counter. I don’t usually eat sweets, but damn!
I think the charm and nomminess make it worth the wait in line and the extra couple bucks, for sure.
Don’t forget to tip your runner!

I am going to miss this place the most in Raleigh. The owner is one of the nicest guys in the world and makes dining here so enjoyable, and the food rocks too. This will be a place I come back to whenever I visit!