Cafe Leonelli

Citlahli Villegas

Café Leonelli is a family favorite of ours! Been here more times than I can count… My personal favorite item of theirs is the lemon tart 🍋 My mom and I have had lots of great conversations here. This place is a good area to work if you use a laptop/ work remotely. (As she does, usually when it’s quieter, or before a crowd) I recommend their Salmon Platter for dinner. If you want something lighter, they have delicious butternut squash soup. Obviously they have a great dessert selection. Ranging from fruit tarts to gelato If you have a child attending the Glassell, and need to find a place to relax while waiting for them to get out of class, Leonelli is the place for you!

Anna Glasgow

One of the best museum cafe’s. Cafe had many options including lunch and desserts . I had this chicken salad sandwich made fresh - it was a light enough meal to give me energy to see more of the museum. The cafe had many other options such as salads, pasta, and many other sandwich items. Recommend: I would recommend a table be left open/ have a wheelchair symbol on it reserved for people who use them.

Robert Cavazos

Delicious, fresh plates for a quick lunch before exploring the MFAH! Try their amazing caesar salad, with amazing dressing, and any of their incredible focaccia sandwiches.

JETS

Wonderful way to end your day at the MFA. Don’t let the fan ones of this place fool you: it’s affordable and welcoming to people of all ages. Grab a hot slice of pizza and finish it with a ball of gelato. Watch the people go by on the street and look up and the beautiful ceiling. Well worth the visit!

I stopped by Cafe Leonelli this morning and noticed that a staff member named Robin was helping an elderly customer with exceptional kindness and respect. She guided him to a table and brought his food over to him. It is rare to see such warm and respectful treatment of elderly customers in the States, and I was truly impressed. She deserves to be a model for all employees.

Ji Yeon Lee

I stopped by Cafe Leonelli this morning and noticed that a staff member named Robin was helping an elderly customer with exceptional kindness and respect. She guided him to a table and brought his food over to him. It is rare to see such warm and respectful treatment of elderly customers in the States, and I was truly impressed. She deserves to be a model for all employees.

Paula H

Based on another reviewer’s recommendation, I went to try and get some work done on a Saturday. My Verizon phone was getting 4G and 2 bars and could not hot spot, which is a problem if you’re not allowed to go on public wifi for security reasons. Several people had laptops out. There are plugs under the counter. The space is competitive because most people working there need at least two seats to make it work, and it was very busy at lunchtime and 1 hr before closing. I was there for 3 hrs. I ate the whole time. They make their caesar salad with chicken salad instead of chicken strips, which I think is brilliant. I also had a margherita focaccia which was very good. The sorbet did not impress me, which made it feel expensive - almost $5 for a scoop of syrupy coconut water. The soup looked good. I should have gone with that instead.

The food here is simply microwaved when you order and the pizza is $4-$7 a slice😬 but all of the staff is super helpful. Don’t eat here and think you’ll be able to see the rest of the gallery with leftovers. They are super strict about it in the beck building specifically.

Leonelli at MFAH is located inside one of the buildings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, making it a convenient spot for a break during your museum visit. I only had tea and a brownie, so I didn’t get to try their food, but the menu looked great, featuring sandwiches, salads, hot dishes, pizzas, soups, and a variety of baked goods like croissants and other sweets. They also offer coffee, hot tea, and even ice cream. While the prices are a bit higher than some local spots, the atmosphere is spacious, clean, and comfortable, with plenty of seating. It’s also kid-friendly, making it a great option for families. If you're looking for a snack or a light meal while exploring the museum, this café is a solid choice!

I think the cafe service should be reimagined to take into consideration the volume of guests. Perhaps ordering stations or at least two lines could help. The display menu did not exactly match offerings. Food quality was good and there was just enough seating for our party. Overall a nice option for a museum visit. Prices are like theme park attraction level. I wish it were a bit more affordable for students to make museum going more accessible.

Nestled amongst stimulating and amazing art in the new wing of Museum of Fine Arts Houston is the Leonelli Café, a bastion for pastries, coffee, and café style food to satiate the hungry masses coming to the museum. The café is a gargantuan upgrade from the previous café located in the basement. The café’s theme is Italian, however, the food shelves contain scrumptious pastries including tarts, cookies, and other finger food delicacies. The café also contains certain main course meals including salads, pizzas, soups, and seafood options. Coffee options also abound. Finally, after you’ve had your fill with the savory, you can finish your meal with gelato, with the likes of unique stracciatella, guava, or the traditional chocolate, cookies and cream, and vanilla. The café has indoor seating with ceiling length windows on one side which overlook the street and the two original buildings across the street. The café is a much welcome addition to the museum and gives visitors options for both quick yet savory options.

3.5-4/5 stars. Place is decent and you can get a quick bite to eat or a coffee or some ice cream/gelato or pastries if at the museum. The pizza isn’t fresh is was sitting out for a while - they quickly heat it up when you order. The orzo pasta was quite bland. Mushroom sandwich was ok - was a cold sandwich and was also dry and somewhat bland. Butternut squash soup was by far the best out of what we tried. This is plenty of space to sit.

This cafe and bakery is located inside the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. First the positives: It’s a gorgeous space, well thought out and modern. We ordered some sweets: chocolate cake, summer eclair and snickerdoodle cookie. The chocolate cake was good: moist and rich. The cookie was not my favorite. The ciabatta sandwiches and pizzas looked delicious - looking forward to trying them next time.

Sarah Lee

The food here is simply microwaved when you order and the pizza is $4-$7 a slice😬 but all of the staff is super helpful. Don’t eat here and think you’ll be able to see the rest of the gallery with leftovers. They are super strict about it in the beck building specifically.

Cihan Akdere

Leonelli at MFAH is located inside one of the buildings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, making it a convenient spot for a break during your museum visit. I only had tea and a brownie, so I didn’t get to try their food, but the menu looked great, featuring sandwiches, salads, hot dishes, pizzas, soups, and a variety of baked goods like croissants and other sweets. They also offer coffee, hot tea, and even ice cream. While the prices are a bit higher than some local spots, the atmosphere is spacious, clean, and comfortable, with plenty of seating. It’s also kid-friendly, making it a great option for families. If you're looking for a snack or a light meal while exploring the museum, this café is a solid choice!

Matt R

I think the cafe service should be reimagined to take into consideration the volume of guests. Perhaps ordering stations or at least two lines could help. The display menu did not exactly match offerings. Food quality was good and there was just enough seating for our party. Overall a nice option for a museum visit. Prices are like theme park attraction level. I wish it were a bit more affordable for students to make museum going more accessible.

Syed Abbas

Nestled amongst stimulating and amazing art in the new wing of Museum of Fine Arts Houston is the Leonelli Café, a bastion for pastries, coffee, and café style food to satiate the hungry masses coming to the museum. The café is a gargantuan upgrade from the previous café located in the basement. The café’s theme is Italian, however, the food shelves contain scrumptious pastries including tarts, cookies, and other finger food delicacies. The café also contains certain main course meals including salads, pizzas, soups, and seafood options. Coffee options also abound. Finally, after you’ve had your fill with the savory, you can finish your meal with gelato, with the likes of unique stracciatella, guava, or the traditional chocolate, cookies and cream, and vanilla. The café has indoor seating with ceiling length windows on one side which overlook the street and the two original buildings across the street. The café is a much welcome addition to the museum and gives visitors options for both quick yet savory options.

Mohit Mehtaji

3.5-4/5 stars. Place is decent and you can get a quick bite to eat or a coffee or some ice cream/gelato or pastries if at the museum. The pizza isn’t fresh is was sitting out for a while - they quickly heat it up when you order. The orzo pasta was quite bland. Mushroom sandwich was ok - was a cold sandwich and was also dry and somewhat bland. Butternut squash soup was by far the best out of what we tried. This is plenty of space to sit.

Erion Shehaj

This cafe and bakery is located inside the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. First the positives: It’s a gorgeous space, well thought out and modern. We ordered some sweets: chocolate cake, summer eclair and snickerdoodle cookie. The chocolate cake was good: moist and rich. The cookie was not my favorite. The ciabatta sandwiches and pizzas looked delicious - looking forward to trying them next time.

Poor quality coffee and service in a nice environment Visited a weekend afternoon and tried their coffee, which is served in paper cups…. They charge specialty coffee prices and while the art museum decor matches, the service and coffee is poor and mediocre. It’s a convenient place to grab coffee and food if you’re visiting the museum though.

Horrible service, mediocre coffee/gelato and awesome atmosphere (cool design and nice location) - is the best way to describe this place. The barista had super strong attitude and zero motivation to do her job

Kevin Wang

Poor quality coffee and service in a nice environment Visited a weekend afternoon and tried their coffee, which is served in paper cups…. They charge specialty coffee prices and while the art museum decor matches, the service and coffee is poor and mediocre. It’s a convenient place to grab coffee and food if you’re visiting the museum though.

Anton S.

Horrible service, mediocre coffee/gelato and awesome atmosphere (cool design and nice location) - is the best way to describe this place. The barista had super strong attitude and zero motivation to do her job

As I approached the register a young woman was complaining about her cold brew. I offered to buy that so it wouldn’t be wasted. No. They threw it in the trash. I ordered a cold brew and paid. The cashier went to prepare it but no cold brew was available. I was given an Americano on ice. I wanted sugar but was told none was available! I wanted a napkin but the dispenser was empty. Hardly the service I expected from an establishment at the MFAH.

After enjoying the museum’s beautiful exhibitions, I stopped by Café Leonelli in a great mood and ordered the Lasagna Bolognese with an iced Americano. Unfortunately, everything changed the moment I received my food. The lasagna I was given was shockingly small, especially when compared to the plates I saw other customers receive. The portion looked to be about half the size of what others were served. I’m not someone who eats a lot, but even after finishing the entire dish, I was still hungry that’s how little it was. Honestly, it didn’t even seem like a proper, intentional dish from a café. It looked more like scraps thrown together, not something that should be sold as a main. To make matters worse, the plating was incredibly sloppy. It genuinely looked like someone just scooped whatever was left in the pan and dropped it on the plate with no care whatsoever. I’ve never received something so carelessly presented at a restaurant before. It felt rushed, lazy, and frankly, disrespectful to me as a customer. What made the situation worse was that the person who took my order and the person who scooped and handed me the lasagna were different, yet neither of them seemed to notice — or care — how unacceptably small and poorly presented it was. When the staff member gave me the plate and we briefly made eye contact, I felt an uncomfortable, unsettling vibe that hasn’t left me since. As an Asian woman dining alone, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was being dismissed or treated differently. I sincerely hope that wasn’t the case, but the experience left me deeply disappointed and honestly, offended. I paid $12 for this, and receiving something so incomplete and thoughtlessly prepared was completely unacceptable. This restaurant clearly needs to retrain its staff. Every customer whether dining alone, a minority, or otherwise deserves to be treated with fairness and respect. This wasn’t just a disappointing meal it left me feeling angry and disrespected, and I truly hope no one else has to go through the same experience.

Dropped in to the cafe before a visit to the museum because we read so many amazing things about this place and we we're very disappointed. We ordered the tomato soup, chicken sandwich, cesar salad, and lemon tart for approx $50. The tomato soup was forgettable but edible. The chicken sandwich was sparce on the chicken, flavorless, and it tasted like it had been sitting out for hours. The cesar salad came without dressing and when we asked for dressing they gave us some weird ranch concoction. The lemon tart was not great. For us, this place did not have a single "pro".

JH Kim

After enjoying the museum’s beautiful exhibitions, I stopped by Café Leonelli in a great mood and ordered the Lasagna Bolognese with an iced Americano. Unfortunately, everything changed the moment I received my food. The lasagna I was given was shockingly small, especially when compared to the plates I saw other customers receive. The portion looked to be about half the size of what others were served. I’m not someone who eats a lot, but even after finishing the entire dish, I was still hungry that’s how little it was. Honestly, it didn’t even seem like a proper, intentional dish from a café. It looked more like scraps thrown together, not something that should be sold as a main. To make matters worse, the plating was incredibly sloppy. It genuinely looked like someone just scooped whatever was left in the pan and dropped it on the plate with no care whatsoever. I’ve never received something so carelessly presented at a restaurant before. It felt rushed, lazy, and frankly, disrespectful to me as a customer. What made the situation worse was that the person who took my order and the person who scooped and handed me the lasagna were different, yet neither of them seemed to notice — or care — how unacceptably small and poorly presented it was. When the staff member gave me the plate and we briefly made eye contact, I felt an uncomfortable, unsettling vibe that hasn’t left me since. As an Asian woman dining alone, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was being dismissed or treated differently. I sincerely hope that wasn’t the case, but the experience left me deeply disappointed and honestly, offended. I paid $12 for this, and receiving something so incomplete and thoughtlessly prepared was completely unacceptable. This restaurant clearly needs to retrain its staff. Every customer whether dining alone, a minority, or otherwise deserves to be treated with fairness and respect. This wasn’t just a disappointing meal it left me feeling angry and disrespected, and I truly hope no one else has to go through the same experience.

D Samuel

Dropped in to the cafe before a visit to the museum because we read so many amazing things about this place and we we're very disappointed. We ordered the tomato soup, chicken sandwich, cesar salad, and lemon tart for approx $50. The tomato soup was forgettable but edible. The chicken sandwich was sparce on the chicken, flavorless, and it tasted like it had been sitting out for hours. The cesar salad came without dressing and when we asked for dressing they gave us some weird ranch concoction. The lemon tart was not great. For us, this place did not have a single "pro".

I really dislike this place. My SO and I like to spend a rainy day at museums. Since we live in Houston, this is really our only option for spending all day at a museum, including lunch. This place is so very over priced. The menu is very limited. The service has improved since it first opened. At first it was rude, now it is merely indifferent. I always feel that the staff is annoyed that I'm interrupting their day. But my real complaint about Cafe Leonelli is the menu. The menu is limited to pizza at $7.50 a slice, hot entrees which never look appetizing and sandwiches which are 4 inches of bread and 1/4 inch of filling. I would much rather have a grab and go sandwich from the airport. They are tastier and a better value. I have been here over a dozen times and will probably go again in the next few weeks, since we planning another museum day. I miss having Cafe Express as the museum cafe. The menu and prices were so much better. Cafe Leonelli was obviously selected by the rich out-of-touch museum board. Why else would the museum food options include a Michelin star restaurant, but not a place where you can get a decent sandwich.

Melba Yankovich

I really dislike this place. My SO and I like to spend a rainy day at museums. Since we live in Houston, this is really our only option for spending all day at a museum, including lunch. This place is so very over priced. The menu is very limited. The service has improved since it first opened. At first it was rude, now it is merely indifferent. I always feel that the staff is annoyed that I'm interrupting their day. But my real complaint about Cafe Leonelli is the menu. The menu is limited to pizza at $7.50 a slice, hot entrees which never look appetizing and sandwiches which are 4 inches of bread and 1/4 inch of filling. I would much rather have a grab and go sandwich from the airport. They are tastier and a better value. I have been here over a dozen times and will probably go again in the next few weeks, since we planning another museum day. I miss having Cafe Express as the museum cafe. The menu and prices were so much better. Cafe Leonelli was obviously selected by the rich out-of-touch museum board. Why else would the museum food options include a Michelin star restaurant, but not a place where you can get a decent sandwich.