Fare: International
Price: Moderate
Food Quality: Serves a well-executed seasonal menu with some vegetarian dishes.
Service: Friendly, attentive, though service can be slow during busy periods.
Ambiance/Decor: The decor is simple, with a small bistrro vibe, tables spaced close together.
Overall Rating: 2 Stars
Note: Four star Rating System from 1/2 star = poor to Four stars = Best in Class
Noise Level: High during peak times
Dress: Casual
Recommended For: Diners who enjoy well prepared food at a reasonable price.
Not Recommended For: Diners who prefer a larger venue with less crowded seating, and families looking for a more casual menu.
Recommended dishes: When available, Shrimp and Scallop Pesto; Chilean Sea Bass; and Crab Cakes with a mango sauce over mashed potatoes.
Alcohol: BYOB
Freda's Cafe is a small, 12 table, eclectic restaurant with a traditional bistro vibe offering a cosmopolitan alternative to the Victorian surroundings of Cape May.
Chef Steve Howard and his wife, pastry chef Carol Howard, both with prior stints at the Plaza Hotel in New York, present artfully prepared food that tastes as wonderful as it looks. They serve a well-prepared seasonal menu.
Fresh seafood is always popular choice with gourmet sides that include a delicious portobello rice pilaf or garlic mashed potatoes.
The decor is simple, with a small cafe ambiance, soft lighting, and tables spaced close together. Rest room access is inconvenient. You need to get a key, and walk outside the building to a side door,
The cafe also has a takeout deli on Carpenter's Lane where you can grab a salad, wrap or sandwich to go.
Freda's Cafe is open year-round with seasonal hours.
Outdoor dining is pet friendly.
(Updated: May 2023)
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