Museum Restaurants in the United States

1. Gertrude's

Gertrude's is an iconic destination on the Baltimore culinary scene, acclaimed by international publications such as Food and Wine, Travel + Leisure, and The Washington Post as one of the city's best restaurants. The restaurant, which was founded in 1998 by John Gilligan and John Shields, is located within the beautiful Baltimore Museum of Art and is considered to be one of the pioneers on the nation's farm-to-table dining scene. Excellent Chesapeake Bay culinary traditions are showcased throughout the week as part of dishes crafted by Shields, a renowned PBS culinary star and cookbook author. Diners can enjoy excellent fare such as all-lump Baltimore-style crab cakes, Chincoteague single-fry cornmeal-encrusted oysters, and Chesapeake rockfish Imperial with toasted pecan butter. The restaurant's main dining room overlooks a gorgeous sculpture garden at the museum, which showcases works by Auguste Rdin, Isamu Noguchi, and Alexander Calder.

Address: Gertrude's, 10 Art Museum Dr, Baltimore, MD 21218, Phone: 410-889-3399

2. Provenance, Cleveland Museum of Art

With its permanent collection of over 45,000 works of art from all over the world and free admittance, the Cleveland Museum of Art is one of the most visited art museums in the world. With Provenance, the museum's elegant and serene restaurant overlooking the bright, light atrium and featuring an international delectable menu, people have even more reason to frequent this exceptional museum.

Provenance is organized around stations: The Garden Station offers fresh seasonal salads and hot soups; the Heart Oven produces pastas, pizzas, and hot sandwiches; the Tandoor Oven and Grill offers international dishes, burgers, grains, legumes, and claybread; and Fresh Baked Pastries Station has a range of delicious sweets. There is something for everyone, whether you come for a quick meal after exploring the museum or are attending a lavish wedding on the restaurant's premises.

Address: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, Phone: 216-707-2600

3. Cafe Phipps, Phipps Conservatory and Gardens, Pittsburgh

For more than 120 years, the Phipps Conservatory and Gardens has been the city's most beloved green oasis, a place where Pittsburgh residents and visitors come to connect with nature and remind themselves of her timeless beauty and importance.

One of the newer additions is the neo-Victorian visitors' center, where visitors can take a break in Cafe Phipps, a comfortable and bright place with light yet imaginative dishes such as salads, panini, pizzas, sandwiches, and soups. The conservatory's strong environmental stewardship philosophy spills into the menu - the focus is on local and organic produce and during the season many veggies and herbs come from their own green rooftop.

Address: Cafe Phipps, 1 Schenley Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Phone: 412-622-6914

4. Academy Cafe, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco

Academy Cafe, located in the California Academy of Sciences in the heart of Golden Gate Park, is sleek and contemporary, offering a buffet-style international menu with delectable goodies prepared by renowned chef Dani Volpi.

Depending on your fancy, you can stand in line at the sushi station From the Pacific, mix your own rice bowl at Street Foods, or choose one of the many fresh, delicious sandwiches or salads at The Deli. You can also get something hot at The Pizza Oven or The Grill. Chef Volpi uses local ingredients and follows sustainability guidelines according to the mission of the Academy of Sciences, so his meals are sustainable, locally sourced, and seasonal, taking advantage of California's rich regional bounty.

Address: Academy Cafe, 55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118, Phone: 415-876-6121

5. Cafe a la C'Art, Tucson Museum of Art

If you're in Tucson, you cannot miss visiting its historic Presidio District with its magnificent Tucson Museum of Art. Located in the beautiful 1865 Stevens House, the museum has more than 8,000 objects in its permanent collection, and some of them are hanging in the museum's celebrated Cafe à la C'Art.

After you stroll through the eight or nine exhibitions normally showing at the museum, treat yourself to a gourmet meal at this beautiful, serene place, whether you sit inside in the warm-colored dining room or in the magical courtyard Monet would be proud of. The menu at Cafe a la C'Art has been created by Executive Chef Miciah Beard and one of the examples of his artistry is the pan-seared red drum bass with garlic sautéed spinach, exotic mushroom risotto, beurre rouge, crispy prosciutto, and balsamic reduction. Their mixed berry cake is legendary, so don't miss it.

Address: Cafe a la C'Art, 150 N Main Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701, Phone: 520-628-8533

6. Cafe Modern, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Everything about the Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth is a celebration of modern art, from the spectacular Tadao Ando architecture to the more than 3,000 art pieces in the permanent collection to the superb seasonal meals in their classy Café Modern.

Overlooking the museum's pond and courtyard and enclosed in walls of glass, this beautiful restaurant will surprise you with seasonal, inventive meals made with fresh, local ingredients. Lunch is served at Cafe Modern on weekdays and if you try their venison pierogies, filled with ground venison, rutabagas, parsnips, pickled mustard seeds, and sour cream, you will get an idea of the artistry that Executive Chef Denise Shavandy and her team put into every meal. Dinner is only available on Fridays.

Address: Cafe Modern, 3200 Darnell St, Modern Museum of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2872(University), Phone: 817-840-2157

7. Collections Cafe, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle

Chihuly Garden and Glass, located in Seattle's cultural center and mere steps away from the Space Needle and the EMP Museum, is a magical place. Chihuly translates his dreams into spectacular glass objects that are exploding with colors and light. The art on display in the museum does not stop there but continues in the Collections Café, a quirky eatery with glass walls that open onto the greenhouse terrace.

The food at Collections Cafe is surprisingly good, with delights such as pork belly char siu with fried polenta, apple jam, hazelnuts, butternut purée, and aged balsamic, and there are some really inventive and original burgers. With a glass of local wine, coming for lunch is worthwhile even if you have been to the museum before and don't want to splash out on another ticket - the café's entrance is just next to the entrance to the museum.

Address: Collections Cafe, Chihuly Garden and Glass, 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109, Phone: 206-753-4935