Despite museums in New York City being around for many years, extensive dining options are a recent development. From coffee stands to Michelin star restaurants, New York City’s museums now offer a wide range of dining options. I visited three of the city’s most famous art museums and tried some of their food to see if they were worth the trip.
THE WHITNEY
The Whitney has only two dining options: Frenchette Bakery and Studio Bar.
Frenchette Bakery is located on the ground floor of the Whitney. The original location opened in Tribeca in 2020, and a second one came to the Whitney in 2023. Though new, the bakery is very popular. You have the option to grab a pastry to go, or to sit in the cafe for a full-service meal.
The Studio Bar is located on the eighth floor. It offers outdoor seating on the deck, with an amazing view of New York City—including the World Trade Center, the High Line, and the Hudson River—as well as indoor seating.
I visited The Studio Bar, which has a pretty small, but (from what I tried) delicious selection. I went to order at the counter from a glass display and brought my food to a table to eat—very little interaction with the staff was required. All of the food was served on glassware, but the experience felt similar to a cafe; you aren’t meant to stay for long.
I tried a hot cross bun, chocolate croissant, and yuzu soda. Unfortunately, the pastries were not warm, but they tasted great, and the yuzu soda was one of the best sodas I have ever had.
It is very family friendly, and I would definitely recommend visiting if you want to stop for a quick bite to eat. This meal was a little expensive, not extremely, but a few dollars more than you might want to spend on a baked good or a drink.
P.S. Admission to the Whitney is free for anyone under 25 years old, so there is really no excuse not to go.
Overview: Museum admission is free, food served on glassware, great views!
THE MOMA
The MoMA’s current dining options: Cafe 2, Terrace Cafe, Terrace 5, The Modern, an espresso bar on the second floor, and a garden bar.
The MoMA has a lot of dining options that vary more than the other museums. Visitors can not only eat at one of MoMA’s cafes, but also at The Modern, a fine-dining restaurant with two Michelin stars. Danny Meyer, creator of Shake Shack, opened it in 2005. The shorter tasting menu costs $350 for two, not including drinks, so I opted for a more casual meal at Cafe 2.
The place looks like a cafeteria, but a server brings the food to you—and the service at the counter is very friendly, even to high school students.
We ordered from the counter: The display was filled with fresh pasta, produce, and cut meats. The cashier was very nice, even when we took a moment to order, and when we asked for recommendations, he gave some great ones. We tried the mac and cheese, roasted vegetables, pizza, and passionfruit tart, and I was surprised by the quality; I wasn’t expecting museum food to be any good. “I’m not usually a tart person, but I’m a tart lover now!” said Ariam Tedla (’27). Compared to other museums, this is not the nicest environment: Cafe 2 has no view of the museum, and limited access to windows. The food was by far the best tasting, but also the most expensive. I appreciated that I could order just a sandwich or a drink, but also a very filling lunch or dinner including dessert and multiple side dishes. You could definitely stop here for a real meal post–museum visit.
Overview: Museum admission is free for 16 and under; $17 for students over 16 with ID, food served on glassware, friendly service.
THE MET
The Met’s current dining options: The American Wing Cafe, The Eatery, the Petrie Court Cafe, The Great Hall Balcony Cafe, The Met Dining Room, and The Balcony Lounge.
The Met has one of the most extensive dining options of museums in the city. The Metropolitan Museum of Art opened in 1870, with its first restaurant opening in 1905, far before most other museum restaurants. Museum dining was a new concept, and the restaurant was not very popular with the public. People thought the restrooms were too far away, the room felt dark, and they wanted a smoking room for men. These changes were all implemented in a renovation in 1912.
With the exception of The Balcony Lounge, a members-only restaurant on the second floor, and The Dining Room, a public restaurant on the fourth floor with views of Central Park, most of The Met’s current dining options are very casual. They are great for a quick stop while visiting the museum, as they are not full-service.
The experience was super simple: The food is already prepared and packaged, so you just choose your meal from the refrigerated selection and pay. The location has a nice view of the American Wing statues. I went around lunchtime and tried a Caesar salad wrap and chocolate-banana muffin. The food wasn’t much better than a lunch you could buy at a deli, but it was the perfect place to stop for lunch mid-visit. I would not recommend going in with the expectation of having a filling meal.
Overview: Museum admission is pay what you wish, food served on paper/plastic, dining area surrounded by statues.
