The River Rock Inn & Garden Deli Cafe is located in the heart of Gold Country in Mariposa, California right on the doorstep of Yosemite National Park. I ran across it quite by accident on my way to Yosemite this month to shoot some of the fall foliage and the Merced River.
The inn is small and intimate with only seven rooms and suites, but with a ton of personal flavor and style. There are unique gates on the side that lead you into the back garden where there’s a pool and tables and chairs. You can eat breakfast out here as well, which includes fresh baked pastries, fresh fruit, granola, and Mariposa Coffee.
Female owned and run, Vickie Lorenzi greeted me when I walked into their adjacent Garden Deli Cafe to order a sandwich before heading into the park. Not only did she go above and beyond by giving me a grilled salmon sandwich at no additional cost when they ran out of chicken, but she did it with a smile and that level of graciousness that few hotel owners dish out anymore.
Outside, there’s a ton of character and since its November, pumpkins, straw, autumn flora decorated its exterior.
Inside the cafe is equally charming.
The food in the cafe is delicious! Bear in mind that if you just stop in Mariposa to grab food before you enter the park, you might be persuaded to go for the easiest and most visible option – a Subway on the corner. Rather than eat a sandwich (which doesn’t use organic ingredients) from a chain, why not support a local business and walk the half block and order from Vickie’s cafe instead?
They have sandwiches which include prosciutto, provolone, artichoke hearts and pepperoncinis, a Grove, which is chicken, provolone, artichoke hearts, balsamic vinegar and mayo, the Sherwood, which is a Black Forest Ham, served with Jarlsberg Swiss and honey bacon mustard and 6-8 others. The Nutty Crantastic which I didn’t get sounded fabulous – pecans, cranberries, cream cheese and turkey.
They also have great salads for only $9 at the time of writing this. The Beetnik is greens, ginger beet kraut, cranberries, pecans and goat cheese while you can also get a grilled chicken salad or the Mediterrannean, which includes feta and olive tapenade in the mix. Yum! You can get vegan and vegetarian options as well for $7 – try their sun dried tomato and cilantro pesto!
Their rooms are quaint and very personal and rates differ depending on whether you want a suite or a standard room.
Rates are below:
Suites
November: $89-$109
December-February : $79 – $99
March-April: $89 – $ 109
May-October: $ 129 – $ 159
Standard Room
November: $65 – $75
December-February: $ 55 – $65
March-April: $75 – $ 105
May-October: $99 – $109
All Pricing is based on a two person occupancy and again, the prices as of November 2013. There is an additional $15 fee for each person over 11 years of age.
Details:
4993 Seventh Street
Mariposa California, 95338
209-966-5793
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
