Published August 12, 2026 | Updated August 28, 2026

Located on the grounds of Joslyn Castle & Gardens, the Carriage House Cafe is something closer to a cafe that you’d find in Scotland than in Midtown.

Opening in May, the cafe and coffee shop is a partnership between the nonprofit that operates the castle and Munroe-Meyer Institute at UNMC and is designed to provide a workforce training program for young adults.

I finally got a chance to check it out this week. The cafe is located in the carriage house, which sits behind Joslyn Castle. Like the castle, the two-story carriage house with tower is constructed from limestone. The main entrance sits within an arched doorway. Inside, the space is bright with white-painted brick walls, high ceilings, hardwood floors, string lights, and arched windows allowing in natural light. A menu board sits behind the counter alongside a display case containing baked goods. In addition to a few tables and chairs, you’ll find some historic artifacts and photos as well as a small gift shop with t-shirts and other Joslyn Castle-branded items. The seating extends outside with black-and-white striped umbrellas over a few light green chairs, tables, and wrought iron benches.

I took a minute to get acquainted with the menu, which includes hot coffee, iced coffee, cold brew, hot and cold tea, and lemonade, in addition to scones, cookies, and brownies. The cafe shouldn’t be confused with full-service coffee shops like Scooter’s, which offers a variety of styles, milk, and syrups, while it only had creamer and a couple of syrups on hand. The coffee is brewed with beans from Amateur Coffee while the treats come from Sweet Magnolia Bake Shop, both located nearby within the Castle & Cathedral District.

I received my cold brew a few minutes after ordering. While it wasn’t the best cold brew I’ve ever had, I was satisfied, particularly given the unparalleled surroundings. With the outside tables taken during my 10:30 visit on Monday morning, I opted to take a stroll through the gardens, which are open from sunup to sundown. It’s the perfect place to step back, relax, and enjoy nature while getting your caffeine fix.

While my family has toured the castle and attended events over the years, and even played hide-and-seek with our son during the pandemic, I can see how it may not feel accessible to the general public, particularly given that the castle isn’t open to the public except for tours and events. That is actually one of the goals of the cafe. Joslyn Castle Executive Director Amy Richardson said as much: “This café has been a dream of ours for years, and Munroe-Meyer is the perfect partner to bring it to life. Our hope with the café is that our guests and neighbors will feel welcomed to spend more time on campus with us, whether it be to meet a friend to catch up over a cup of coffee, visit our rotating exhibitions, or picnic in the gardens.”

The castle itself was built in 1903 for George and Sarah Joslyn and their daughter Violet. George became the richest man in the state primarily through his Western Newspaper Union, the largest newspaper company of its kind. While the Joslyns named their 35-room Scottish Baronial residence Lynhurst, it was commonly known as Joslyn Castle, a name he apparently detested. Both the castle and the carriage house sit on a 5 1/2-acre campus.

Omaha Exploration, 2026. All rights reserved. Excerpts and links are welcome with full credit given to Omaha Exploration and a link back to the original content.