I’ve never met a museum cafe I didn’t like, and the Art Museum Cafe, run by Giuseppe Restaurants at La Jolla’s lustrous Museum of Contemporary Art, is no exception. Housed in a corner wing of the Robert Venturi-revamped, seaside mansion, the Cafe offers glamorous al fresco dining under the wisteria-draped pergola, or in the frescoed dining room. So completely Italian is this setting, watched over by the drop-dead handsome Giuseppe himself, that it includes a marble-topped buffet spread with fresh cakes, bottles of wine and floral arrangements fit for a caesar. A native of Rome, our host likes to spread himself around the lunch hour crowd, delighting La Jolla matrons, European visitors and even – gasp! – art-lovers, with his tanned presence and attention to detail. But the food is just as seductive. Fresh breads slathered with designer jams and housemade granola keep company with expert espresso drinks. Yes, this museum cafe does breakfast on weekends. Lunches are almost too, too beautiful. Beet and blood orange salads are topped with almonds and Laura Chenel goat cheese. We had the grilled salmon burger, finished with a spread of Meyer lemon dill aioli. Amazing sandwiches, and ah yes, the cakes. All gorgeous – for the eye, and for the mouth. Check it out at: http://www.mcasdcafe.com.Having sampled this tiny museum cafe, I can hardly wait to go back to San Diego next month and try the food at the new, downtown San Diego Art Museum, housed in a transformed train station.Next week, I’ll tell you about the food at Manhattan’s Cafe Sabarsky at the Neue Galerie and at two of MOMA’s amazing cafes.
Museum Cafes: La Jolla
