Harbor View Cafe

Lovely to visit. A great destination restaurant. Make a day out of it
Simple dishes bursting with flavor. Portions large enough for family style sharing. Menu is a chalk board. Protip: take a photo and peruse the daily offerings back at your table.

Over the years we’ve stopped to enjoy the food and service at the Harbor View Cafe in Pepin, Wisconsin. It is a very pleasant drive from the Twin Cities. It has so much history and now a collection of great memories for us. The location is fabulous – offering a “harbor view”. Dining at sunset is completely amazing!

It offers a pleasant and homey atmosphere – you can’t beat the magnificent views of the Mississippi River and sense of fun and community in the air.

Dating back to1980 its casual atmosphere and seafood has been the draw for us. It’s nice to know that they support local growers and farmers when possible; surely the reason behind why their salads and soups taste so fresh. Pepin has been a fun stop during COVID-19; we’ve traveled there with our pop-up teak table and chairs for two. We order our food, say hi, thank them for their award-winning hospitality and enjoy the outdoors. It’s fabulous to walk along the pier, take in live music, and chat with a few sailors.

The Atlantic Salmon is well basted and has a nice crust. We can also recommend the Alaskan Halibut, Onion Soup and Carrot Cake. The accompanying rice has always been served cooked just right. The menu seems to be kept more up to date on their Facebook page.

It’s really close to the train track – and we love trains. Our orders have ready within a reasonable time. Weekends are certainly more popular times and it can become challenging to find outdoor seating if you don’t bring your own. Parking is no problem.

We visited the Harbor View Cafe today for Dinner!!!! Delicious!!! Amazing food & service!! Such a wonderful evening!!! Very cozy & quaint cafe. Clean fabric table cloths put on tables for each guest. Salads with homemade dressings. We ordered the Salmon 🍣! So fantastic!!! We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Homemade bread 🥖 was served. We tried the Walnut Pie & the Chocolate ButterCream pies. They were both amazing!! Our Server was so courteous & wonderful!! Their Chef was amazing!!! If you are in Pepin, Wisconsin you have to visit them!!! The lake is across the small road. Lovely views & lovely walk after dinner along the road.

I really like this place. The view of the lake from this cafe is so beautiful that you would not want to leave. The menu is written on a chalkboard and is a little pricey. The food was delicious. I recommend carrying some cash as they charge 3% fee for the credit card payment.

Always a great time here. The Halibut is to die for. Everything on the menu is delicious. Wait times can be long in the summer but while you wait, you can grab a glass of wine next door and enjoy the gorgeous scenery!

It has been a while since I went, and I was happy to know it still is as cozy with great food as always. Right on Lake Pepin. Nice spot.

Our meal at the Harbor View was like a little piece of heaven on earth. The food was downright amazing! One could tell that everything on the plate was made with love and care. The staff was attentive and friendly an educated on the menu and the wine. The entertainment on the sidewalk wrapped up our perfect evening. Kudos to you Harborview Café, we will be taking that short drive up the Great River Road to see you again soon!

We have eaten here a handful of times over the last 20+ years and it never fails to impress us with their amazing dishes. Last night I had their Atlantic salmon that just melted in my mouth. The views of Lake Pepin are fantastic a d are only outdone by their friendly & attentive staff. Well worth a daytrip drive from the Twin Cities!

A late anniversary celebration brought us to the Harbor View. A place we try to visit a number of times a year. The driver from our home in a convertible is so nice on Wisconsin highway 35.
Then to have wonderful service taking care of our needs for drinks and a great meal is something to be grateful for.
If you can make the trip, you will be happy you did.

I have been coming here for possibly 30 years and it never disappoints. Food is so good, actually, exceptional. Staff are lovely, location? Perfect and quaint
Worth the drive

A must experience on the last weekend of July for the Pioneer Days. Go back in time with a home-grown experience...exploring the culture of yesteryear with friendly people, food and fun.

The food was fantastic as usual. They always have unique entrees and this was no exception. The ride from Circle Pines to Maiden rock, to Pepin was beautiful this time of year. A wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Our server (cute little blonde) was amazing! We were a little high maintenance and she was very accommodating and knew the menu well. The food was delicious and wholesome. I got the pork which was tender and the sauce was perfect. The side a mashed roots were also excellent. I definitely did not wait until the next day to eat my leftovers! We were surprised that the bread pudding was not served warm but it was still delicious!

Upon the recommendation of a business colleague in Winona, MN, I took my best friend and son to Harbor View Cafe for dinner. My friend and I both had the Alaskan Halibut with Black Butter Caper Sauce, which was good. The sauce really defined the meal, overwhelming any nuances of the fish. We both tasted my son's order of the Chicken Breasts with Roasted Garlic Chipotle Sauce over Linguine, which was amazing! It is what I would order if I were to return.

I also had the chilled carrot ginger soup which I greatly enjoyed and then I stole my son's (cold) Vichyssoise soup.

On the return to Winona, we drove up to the scenic lookout at Buena Vista Park in Alma, WI for some magnificent views of the Mississippi River.

Excellent, fresh and local food. Cozy restaurant, menu is written on the chalkboard daily and changes as items become unavailable. Good wine list, full bar, delicious desserts and top notch service. A must stop in Pepin!

Food was really good! The name of the place certainly doesnt scream that they have amazing seafood! Will be back!

An absolutely wonderful meal. Had the salmon and my girlfriend had the linguine. Dessert was a phenomenal Georgia walnut cake with ice cream. Everything and everyone was just great! Capped off an incredible day for us. Can’t wait to go again!

Exceptional food and friendly service on beautiful Lake Pepin. The restaurant features regional cuisine and locally sourced ingredients. The attention to quality is apparent here. I used to boat here and recently returned after 5-6 years, and the food is still excellent.

Always a great meal! Enjoyed the food, service, atmosphere. Looking forward to our next visit!

Great service and food. Nice to finally get back to the place my parents owned 61 years ago when I was 1 year old.