Riverview Terrace Cafe

History of the Riverview Terrace
With his 1953 design for Riverview Terrace, Frank Lloyd Wright sought to create a structure that worked in harmony with the landscape, preserving cherished childhood memories of the Wisconsin River. Construction began in 1954 and took place intermittently over the next four years, with Wright supervising the work of his apprentices and incorporating an existing rural diner called the Bridge Lunch. Despite incorporating an existing structure in its design, the building harmoniously integrates with the surrounding environment. Outside, its low, horizontal profile blends into the landscape below, while expansive windows celebrate picturesque river views. The interior takes inspiration from nature’s colors, with deep orange and green hues reflecting off the dark surfaces of the bar and tables. Throughout the space, visitors are embraced by the warmth of red oak.

The Riverview Terrace was intended to serve as a place for Taliesin Fellowship members to meet with clients and neighbors, and for apprentices to grow and prepare food. In 1966, the Wisconsin River Development Corporation established the project as a resort complex and the restaurant became its centerpiece. Although Wright passed away in 1959  before the building’s completion, his apprentices finished the construction in 1967, and the building opened as The Spring Green restaurant. In a momentous occasion in 1967, The Spring Green restaurant received an added touch of prestige when the First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, visited as a guest of honor.

The Spring Green operated independently as a restaurant for 25 years until Taliesin Preservation acquired it in 1993. Renovations ensued to transform it into a visitor center, marking the realization of Wright’s original vision of the space as a “gateway to Taliesin.” Over the years, the restaurant underwent modifications to meet evolving needs while preserving its authentic design.

Architectural Digest highlights our recent listing on the National Register of Historic Places!  Click here to read the article about the Riverview Terrace’s role in harmonizing history, architecture, and agriculture at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin