Ginkgo Restaurant and CaféGinkgo Restaurant and Café
The Ginkgo Restaurant and Café at The Morton Arboretum offer visitors freshly prepared food created with a commitment to sustainable practices, local resources, and flavors from around the world.
Located in the Visitor Center, the Ginkgo Restaurant and Café offers indoor dining, as well as outdoor seating and picnic lunches to go.
Enjoy a healthy assortment of beverages and locally sourced food, freshly created with a commitment to sustainable practices. Take in sweeping views of the Arboretum’s Meadow Lake from the dining room.
The Ginkgo Restaurant and Café is the perfect choice for a picnic, lunch with friends, or weekend brunch after a walk through the woods. The menu of internationally inspired meals includes vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, as well as craft beer and wines, baked goods, and coffee. The widely acclaimed menu and venue are also available for private events and catering.
The Ginkgo Restaurant is open Wednesday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The restaurant accepts both cash and credit cards as payment. Please plan accordingly.
Closed during normal business hours on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Easter, and Mother’s Day.
Weekend Brunch Service
On Saturdays and Sundays only, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., enjoy brunch favorites such as brioche French toast, biscuits and gravy, or oatmeal, paired with a mimosa or bloody mary.
Brunch will be served on Saturdays and Sundays along with the rest of our regular menu offerings.
A modified assortment of freshly made food and beverages is currently available at the Ginkgo Café, ranging from bakery items to salads and sandwiches. Espresso beverages, hot tea, and drip coffee are also available.
There are a limited number of tables and seating near the Café in the Visitor Center. Guest tables inside the Ginkgo Room are reserved for restaurant guests only. Guests are welcome to picnic on the Arboretum grounds. Please plan accordingly.
The Café is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily; closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Arboretum Beers
Arbor Oak Amber Ale
The Morton Arboretum introduced Arbor Oak Amber Ale, the first beer created specifically for the Arboretum, in 2015. The ale, brewed with oak chips from the grounds and special-roast malts from Wisconsin, is a perfect blend of seasonal flavors. Arbor Oak Amber Ale balances malt complexity with just enough hops for a citrus-spice finish. The slightly oaked character delivers a hint of warm vanilla.
Arbor Oak Amber Ale will be available at select local liquor stores, so take home a six-pack! We are honored that the Arboretum’s first craft beer has been popular enough to make it available to you for home entertaining.
Bottled by Lake Effect Brewing Company LLC-Chicago, Illinois.
Joy Path Juniper Saison Ale
The Morton Arboretum introduces the second beer, Joy Path Juniper Saison Ale, spiced with juniper berries from The Morton Arboretum. This warm-weather brew updates a traditional farmhouse ale. Like gin—another juniper-flavored classic for summer—it is refreshingly finished with a twist of lime. Pure joy inside!
Bottled by Lake Effect Brewing Company LLC-Chicago, Illinois.
