Restaurants in museums: PHX Stories
Posted on 12-04-2023 10:51 PM
Restaurants in museums: PHX Stories
PHX Stories: Museum Dining
Taking the dining experience to the next level with these Phoenix cultural attractions, inspired by a meal and a moment of reflection at the Louvre in Paris.
My Paris trip included dining at many different types of restaurants. In spite of traveling in sophisticated French cuisine circles, my most memorable meal was at Le Cafe Richelieu / Angelina while at the Louvre Museum, near Napoleon III's private apartments.
My trip through the world's largest museum was exhausting, but educational as I nibbled on Quiche Lorraine and sipped sparkling rose from the Cotes de Provence. At a major tourist attraction, I usually wouldn't want to spend too much time dining or lingering. But at the Louvre, I was invited to savor the museums monumental details over an above-average meal in a setting that transported me to the Age of Enlightenment when the great intellectuals of the world gathered in public spaces and salons to discuss art and culture over a sumptuous meal.
My return made me realize Greater Phoenix has some defining similarities with the City of Light. The food at many notable museums here makes for an equally elevated social experience, where food isn't just an afterthought, but an event as special as the collections and artifacts on display.
Gertrudes
At the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix
As a tribute to the gardens' founder, Gertrude Divine Webster, and her mission to conserve the desert environment, the garden's upscale restaurant and bar (below, photo by Adam Rodriguez) takes its design cues from a traditional Italian restaurant. Gertrudes patio garden and DBG's community garden supply many of the ingredients.
Recipes from the seasonal American menu feature ingredients from Arizona and the Southwest, including Niman Ranch ham steak with Anson Mills grits, red eye gray and watermelon pickles. There is a wide selection of organic wines and beers, as well as botanically-infused cocktails including agave sunrise reposado, a concoction with cranberry juice, elderflower, Brut bubble and lime and grapefruit juices. Gertrudes' outdoor patio area is, however, the pièce de résistance - a coveted dining spot where diners can enjoy award-winning cuisine surrounded by nature.
1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix
Cafe Allegro
This museum is located at the Musical Instrument Museum
Symbolizing MIM's mission to promote music worldwide, their casual, self-serve dining spot features a diverse menu that changes weekly, encompassing global, local and regional dishes, grilled specialties, soups and salads, and made-to-order desserts.
There are views of the museum's courtyard entrance from the dining room, but the station-style food setup does not diminish the delicious flavor profiles or nutritious content of Cafe Allegro's thoughtfully designed menu that includes vegan, vegetarian, bio and minimally processed items like as well as Jamaican jerk spiced pork ribs and lemon tahini falafel.
The cafe also offers a selection of local, regional, and international wines, including Pillsburys Wild Child White from Cochise County, Arizona.
4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix
The Courtyard Cafe
Located at Heard Museum
In addition to the Heard Museum's prominent collection of American Indian art, the museum's restaurant offers the very best of regional cuisine, including salads, sandwiches, entrees, and desserts made from indigenous ingredients.
In spite of the menu changes with the seasons, Southwestern art fans have long enjoyed Courtyard Cafe's permanent favorites like the Heard signature meatloaf with bison, beef, applewood-smoked bacon, grilled onions, house-made smoky tomato jam, and country white bread. In addition to the tepary bean salad, posole, and fry bread, another long-standing culinary fixture is the warm salad of tepary beans.
Heard's cozy feel makes its quaint restaurant and its lush courtyard patio a perfect midday spot for refueling and reflecting on the museum's contribution to cultural preservation.
2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
Palette
On display at the Phoenix Art Museum
This casual-American restaurant features its own swathe of color and artistic integrity. Featuring rotating seasonal menus and a sculpture garden outdoors, Palette is a true museum retreat.
There is an extensive menu of organic vegetables, handcrafted sauces, local meats, and Arizona boutique beer and wine infused with international flavors. On the main menu, customers can choose from numerous appetizers and bites, such as McClendon roasted butternut squash bisque, slow-roasted pork tacos, and Cuban press sandwiches.
In addition to spectacular omelettes and crab cakes Benedicts, Palettes weekend brunch also touts the museums dedication to creativity and culinary pursuits with $10 mimosas.
Strobe Sport
2737 E Arizona Biltmore Cir UNIT 28, Phoenix, AZ 85016
Phone: (707) 878-7623
https://www.strobesport.com/