Houston’s Museum of Fantastic Arts Scores Two Enjoyable New Places to eat With Michelin Star Cachet

This spring, the hospitality team guiding beloved Houston restaurant La Desk will debut two stylish eateries at the most recent addition to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

© Shannon O’Hara for Bastion Dining places
Pastry chef Salvatore Martone, Cafe Leonelli chef Jonathan Benno, and Le Jardinier chef Alain Verzeroli, pictured from left to right

The first, Cafe Leonelli, will be helmed by chef Jonathan Benno, who brings Michelin star pedigree and practical experience in the kitchen area together with culinary titans like Daniel Boulud, Michael Mina, and Thomas Keller. An offshoot of Leonelli Bakery in New York Town, the cafe will provide a menu of “accessible Italian cuisine” ranging from focaccia to clean pasta. Italian pastries organized by pastry chef Salvatore Martone, will also be a fixture of the menu.

Also opening at the MFAH’s new Kinder Constructing is Le Jardinier, a French cafe with chef Alain Verzeroli main the kitchen area. Vezreroli comes to Houston right after 20 decades of performing together with vaunted chef Joel Robuchon at iconic restaurants like Arpege, and will oversee a menu of “vegetable-rich” dishes made with domestically sourced natural and organic produce and meats. The restaurant’s open-air patio will offer you views of the museum’s sculpture back garden.

In addition to the two dining establishments, Bastion Places to eat will also open up an outpost of Martone’s ice cream store Frohzen inside Cafe Leonelli, slinging its famed ice cream cupcakes, macaron ice product sandwiches, and “cakesicles.”

All three assignments will be situated inside of the stunning new Kinder constructing, named for MFAH donors (and strength billionaires) Nancy and Wealthy Kinder. The areas, developed by Steven Harris Architects in New York, will consist of piece of artwork precisely commissioned for the room, alongside with overhead lights designed of Akari lanterns designed by legendary American designer Isamo Noguchi.

Cafe Leonelli is set to make its debut at MFAH in March, with Le Jardinier to adhere to in April. Keep tuned for more specifics on the menus and an official opening timeline in the coming months.