The Café - more about the cuisine

Our commitment to culinary excellence inspires us to bring you innovative menus featuring the finest quality local and regional ingredients. Our greens and much of our produce comes from local farms while our grass-fed beef comes from High point farm in Trumansburg. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Head-Chef and Café Manager Kristian Woodall (an Ithaca native and former owner of the Home Dairy) takes care to use the best local produce and other quality ingredients in order to highlight the fresh flavors of the Finger Lakes region. He conceptualizes dishes based upon the availability of quality ingredients in our region and adjusts menus according to the season.

Kristian's philosophy at the Carriage House is simple: use the best ingredients, master the correct techniques, and you will create the most flavorful cuisine. Kristian and his highly skilled staff prepare each plate with care, respecting the qualities and flavors inherent in each ingredient. Even the most basic sauces (ketchup and mayonnaise!) are made in-house for the sake of quality.

Brie Stuffed French Toast

One of the most popular brunch items at the Carriage House is our “Brie-Stuffed French Toast.” This dish is exceptional because of its high-quality ingredients. First, we make brioche using King Arthur flour, kosher salt, fresh local eggs, and Plugra Hotel Bar Butter. Then the loaves are cut by hand and filled with the very best French brie. Finally, each slice of brioche is soaked in a batter made with the same great ingredients. Each piece of French toast is then griddled to perfection with more Plugra butter and served with local maple syrup and our house-made raspberry coulis.

Local Farms

It's more than a fad to use local farms. Local food is fresher, healthier and has traveled thousands of miles less than your average supermarket strawberry. Here's a list of a few of the local farms that we use for our supplies. Please support our local farmers and help make our community healthier.

Stick & Stone - Remembrance Farm - Indian Creek Orchard
Three Swallows Farm - Highpoint Farms - Hermann J. Wiemer