Ivy's Cafe

I was looking for someplace small, quiet and with a wood burning fireplace for our anniversary\r somthing nice for a quiet dinner. As I serched the net I camse across Ivy,s Cafe. Having not\r been there I decided to give them a call. I knew somthing was special about this place almost\r immeadiatly this place was unique. I simply wanted a table for two in front of the fire and\r a bottle of wine waiting for us. What I recieved was so much more. A wonderful and pleasant greeting\r at the door. Taken straight to our table (set just as I ask for) and wonderful service. We could not have\r been treated any better. \r The meals were first class, the service was perhaps the best we ever had, they made our evening\r special! But it wasn't just us, the group of six next to us were recieving the same great service. These\r people are the real deal.\r Try this place you'll be glad you did.\r Ray and Bev Pros: amazingly friendly, small intamate,comfortable. more

ivy's cafe rocks! who would have known that little old ligonier had such a cool place to eat... my wife and i , in our thirties, decided to have a ""date night"" and were eager to try the new restaurant in town. from the outside the restaurant looks empty or closed or something, but once inside you enter a nicely lit, warm and somewhat busy restaurant. you're then greeted by lisa, the owner.. later we found out that lisa's husband, anthony, was the chef. i 've always had good meals in family run places...seems like they just care about your experience a little more. so, there are about nine tables in the dining room and i think another nine or ten upstairs next to the bar. its like an old house inside with soft music playing and a fireplace too. its cozy enough for a romantic night out but not overdone. there were a couple of tables with businessmen there too. our meal started with warm and gooey bread that was nice and garlicky/salty. yum! i had stuffed prawns and my wife had the poached pear salad. the appetizer was served nice and hot and with a good amount of sauce. im a sauce guy. my wife then had the duck cassoulet and i had a filet mignon. duck cassoulet in ligonier? YES!! big creamy beans, duck confit....delicious. my steak satisfied my craving for a big dinner and it went well with the bottle of wine. .. sangiovese/merlot blend by banfi. they had a short but fun wine list that i was exited about. dinner ended nicely with a chocolate souffle cake and scoop of vanilla ice cream. homemade warm chocolate yum....the staff was attentive and friendly. surprisingly polished and proper service i might add. :) i will definitely be going back again when i dont feel like driving all the way into greensburg or pittsburgh to get a great meal. thanks to lisa and anthony for bringing a big city dining spot to our little town. we needed it desperately! Pros: fresh fish from florida, mouth watering filet mignon, wine, service, ambience, close to shops, Cons: cant eat here everyday darnit more

We held my rehearsal dinner at Ivy's in June and the service and food were outstanding! My (now) husband and I have had increadible meals at Ivy's in the past so we were confident that having a dinner here for 35 would be excellent and we were right. Not only did the staff work with us to provide a specialized menu (based on the food we had liked from several past menus and the budget), but they also provided the best service imaginable. The upstairs was transformed for all of our needs (a slide show, present tables, and a ""bar"" area. Tracy was our sever for the evening and she did a fabulous job of making sure everyone was taken care of throughout the night. If you are thinking of having a special dinner to celebrate a birthday, rehearsal dinner, anniversary, or retirement - I would highly recommend Ivy's in Ligonier. more

Ivy's is the best kept secret in Westmoreland County. The food is very creative, the atmosphere is extremely comfortable and the staff (and owners) are amazingly friendly. They make you feel very welcome the minute you step into the door. My partner and I are both vegetarians. While there is always at least one veggie choice on the menu, the chef is very willing to create something special (often times using seasonal items from the local farmers market)!!! What more could a vegetarian ask for?!?! more

We love Ivys. Have celebrated several birthdays and anniversaries there and have always had first class treatment. Great food, atmosphere and special promotional deals. Very relaxed casual dining that we would recomment to anyone. Menu changes frequenty to the different taste of the customers. Not recommended for young children. Pros: Great menu, customer service, and promotions Cons: Not recommended for young children. more

We just discovered Ivy's a year or so ago and I can't get enough of it. The food is amazing. The menu is always so creative. My favorites are the Chicken Crepes and the Won-Ton Chicken. Heaven in your mouth!! The service is just as good. Everyone is so friendly. But it's the atmosphere that really adds that ""something special"" to the whole experience. The warmth and romance created there makes Ivy's stand out from so many other places. What can I say...if you haven't tried it...you should. The only regret I have is that we hadn't discovered it sooner! Pros: Romantic atmosphere. Creative menu. Excellent service. The owners take such an interest in their customers. (give-aways, coupons, specials for anniversaries and birthdays) Cons: none yet more

My husband, John, and I went on our first Valentine's Day date at Ivy's (upon STRONG recommendation from SEVERAL friends). We have been going back almost monthly and have made it a tradition to make sure we are there each Valentine's Day. Each year we reminisce about all that has changed in our lives since our last Valentine's Day (got engaged, got married, bought a home, got pregnant, had a baby...). We always take the opportunity to discuss our ""life in review"" since the last Valentine's Day at Ivy's. Not only is the food THE BEST I have ever had, my husband has worked in many restaurants (Florida, California...) and Ivy's has THE BEST steak he has EVER eaten (and he is not one to give out compliments like that very easily). We return often for the food (the chocolate dessert with the raspberry sauce is to die for), the ambiance, and the fact that we always feel like we are treated like good friends there, it is like we feel like part of the ""Doug and ReNae Family"", even though we don't know them, we feel so comfortable dining at Ivy's. We are comfortable reminiscing and planning what we'll be doing by the time the next Valentine's Day at Ivy's arrives....It is hard to describe what an absolutely fabulous experience Ivy's is....I guess you'll have to try it for yourself. Just get ready to start raving about it to ALL of your friends and insisting that they go there (and take you with them). You will NEVER be disappointed! Make it a tradition- you will truly feel like you have become part of a new family!\r ~Nicole Kuzmiak more

The only thing better than the consistently delicious cuisine, the charmingly nostalgic atmosphere and the perfectly cordial staff is the owners of Ivy's Café.\r \r Often unnoticed, it is the owners...these 'behind-the-scenes' people...who ultimately make a restaurant what it is. The restaurant can't help but take on the flavor of those who create it.\r \r ReNae and Doug Morse put their hearts into Ivy's Café, and this can be felt instantly upon entering. Step into this world for a couple of hours and you'll leave thinking, 'now this is what dining out should be like.'\r \r Soon you'll find yourself comparing every restaurant to the Ivy's experience.\r more

Ivy's sent a Happy Anniversary letter and gave us a discount to celebrate - we were taken to candlelit table with rose petals and the dinner was out of this world - not to mention the creme brulee made for everyone in our party was awesome! Pros: very quaint more

It's not 'just another place to eat' .... it's a very special place to eat where you want to return to time and time again. A place where you want to take special people to, so that they too can enjoy ""the experience"" of Ivy's nestled right in the heart of Ligoneer. It's elegant... it's cozy ... it's romantic ... it's delightful! You are treated royally and the food is absolutely unforgetable! The menu is a book (literally) which adds to the uniqueness of Ivy's Cafe, as well as the delicious food offered in such a manner that makes the choice a difficult one. But, whatever choice you make, you won't be disappointed. So, set the date, relish the experience and make this one of your 'special get away places'! ~~ EP of Levelgreen more

Ivy's Cafe is the best kept secret in the Laurel Highlands. It has superb food-menus that change occasionally-and unique and delicious food offerings. The atmosphere at Ivy's is one of comfort and casual dining. It is my absolute favorite place to eat for a special occasion or just anytime. I enjoy taking out-of-town guests to Ivy's because I am so proud to have such an excellent restaurant near home!! My Mom and I enjoy going to Ivy's for a relaxing and elegant meal. Friends that have gone there at my recommendation have agreed that Ivy's is a favorite of theirs as well. Thanks Ivy's!!!!!! Ginny Amalong more

We love dining at Ivy's Cafe. The food is delicious, the service is excellent and the atmosphere is quiet and relaxing. Pros: Everything more

We recently experienced our first Ivy's dinner and were pleasantly surprised! We were promptly seated, and the staff, especially the wait staff was excellent. Our server was very friendly and had a great personality! She fully described the menu items and the specials and was never ""far away."" The food was excellent and the entire evening was thoroughly enjoyable!! \r The promotions and advertising efforts are fun and imaginative!! Pros: Food was excellent. Service was superb! Cons: Not for children. more

The atmosphere created by the owners which trickles down through the staff makes one want to return to ""Ivy's"" not only for the ambience but the supurb meals ceated by the Chef.\r Meals are outstanding in their creation and high quality and rank up there with the best 4Star\r facilities. Great communications with their customers. Truly in tune with the Customer who is made to feel special at Ivy's. Pros: Great location(Ligonier) Great location(Main Street) and easy to get to. Cons: Can't think of any. more

My mother and I met some relatives at Ivy's Cafe on a Sunday in the fall. We loved it and plan to visit them in the near future. Ivy's Cafe is a unique and enjoyable experience. Pros: quaint and great food more

Some friends and I were visiting Ligonier and stumbled on this resturant. What a great discovery. The chicken cranberry crepes are so good! Since then I have been there three other times. I took my mom and two of my best girl friends. They all loved it too. I know whe I will be eating at when I visit Ligonier in the future. Yum!!! more

If you are looking for an off the beaten path dining experience, Ivy's Cafe is the place to go. Snuggled in the quaint town of Ligonier (there are no fast food chains or Wal Mart Superstores here) you will experience a quiet gourmet meal served in a cheerful atmosphere. The numerous marketing promotions keep customers having fun and coming back for more. After your meal you can browse the streets, window shop in the unique shops, or just sit on the street benches and enjoy the Purple Martins or a Sunday band concert. Definitely a ""worth it"" dining experience. Pros: Great food. Great atmosphere. Cheerful service. Cons: Parking. Don't always like the change of menu every 4 months. more

We took our daughter and her 2 children ages 2 and a half and 5 months to Ivys for dinner. Upon entering the restaurant our daughter looked and said ""you have to be kidding. This is a quiet place."" We were assured by the waitress that children were welcome, and she immediately took our grandson's order of chicken and fries. He was promply served. We ordered our dinners and thoroughly enjoyed our evening. As always the atmosphere, service, and our dinners were wonderful. Not only is Ivys a great place for couples we discovered that it is and excellent place for the family. Pros: A great place to spend an evening more

Ivy's is a treasured spot to go for any occasion. What makes this place so special is their casual elegance coupled with fine food. We often go to Ivy's to celebrate a special occasion, but we also go just to enjoy the atmosphere and great meals. We have never been disappointed with the food or service. It always hits the mark. And the menu, which maintains the tried and true with new ventures, is exciting. Simply put, the food is wonderful. This is definitely a restaurant to visit. It's worth it. Pros: Atmosphere, Menu Cons: Parking more

Since I visited Ivy's for the first time this past February, I've been recommending it to everyone I know, even though it's roughly a five-hour round trip. I had been to Ligonier a couple of times and enjoyed Ligonier Tavern, Joe's Bar (for the museum-quality animal displays), Ligonier Country Inn and the pie shop across the road (if you want to torture yourself, walk around at night when the cinnamon roll ""snails"" are being baked) but it wasn't until I ventured into the Celtic Culture store that I heard of Ivy's. Gracious owner Andrew recommended it as well as a couple of other places, depending on cuisine, and we thought Ivy's sounded just right. When we got to the charming ivy-covered brick building shortly after 5 p.m. (on a Saturday), the girls at the desk asked what the reservation was under. Oooops! Regardless, one grabbed a couple of the old book menus and ushered us upstairs. It was gorgeous: fire crackling, white lights glowing. The menu choices were inventive and everything turned out to be scrumptious, especially the mid-course lemon sorbet. All around us regulars' corks were popping and though Ivy's is definitely a gourmet dining experience, it's anything but pretentious. I had the chicken cranberry crepes with a sherry sauce and Richard had one of the specials: center cut pork roast with apple chutney. Two pieces, each about three inches thick and succulent as could be. They serve warm rolls with herb butter piped onto a bay leaf and though we were way too stuffed for dessert (the salads are A++), they sounded otherworldly. We drove back in May to celebrate my birthday (thanks RaNae and Doug for all of your promotions) and again everything was rave-worthy. The Ceasar salad was a work of edible art and after our main courses of vegetable puffed pastry strata and seafood, we shared a dessert: chocolate terrine with raspberry sorbet, drizzled with raspberry sauce. Kudos to everyone at Ivy's. I wished I lived closer.... much closer!\r \r Pros: Atmosphere Cons: Distance away more