Came here to get a bite to eat before exploring the museum. The museum is amazing. The cafe is as good as you would expect for a museum cafe. It has mostly American food but I like that there are some more unique options as well (I got the pork bahn mi sandwich). They do have a great selection of drinks, including beer and wine and some from local places and some delicious made in house deserts. The food was pretty good except the onion rings which were amazing! Some of the best I've ever had. The prices were a little steep but I guess that's what you pay for convenience. My favorite part of the restaurant is the patio. It's large and surrounded by native plants. So many places around here had carpets of fake plastic grass and a couple shriveled up non-native trees. The big native trees and wildflowers made it a great place to sit and enjoy the birds and butterflies! read more

Café Allegro - Patio area - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Classy cafe inside the Musical Instrument Museum (must have a museum entry ticket, not open to public). One side is a walk up counter and the other is like a lunch line. My kids enjoyed their hot dog and mac and cheese. The Mac and cheese was not basic kids Mac and cheese... it was very good. My chicken sandwich was a good quality chicken breast, very tasty. There is lots of seating but it does fill up fast. The wall decor is so cool, with quotes from different famous musicians. My only complaint is that it wasn't the most relaxing because it was very crowded so we felt that we needed to hurry along to let others sit (but it was a rare rainy day, so there were lots of visitors and the outside patio was wet) Instagram: @msbusyblonde read more

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Stopped here before leaving the musical instrument museum to get a coffee at beats. I think they use royal coffee bar coffee if I remember right? I got a cold brew with oat milk and cinnamon. It was ready fast and the lady working the counter was nice! The patio is awesome, would be perfect in cooler months for sure. My cold brew was pretty good but I did expect it to be a cinnamon syrup not powdered cinnamon on top, I should have asked! read more

Café Allegro - Cold brew - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

While visiting the Musical Instrument Museum we stopped in the Cafe Allegro for lunch. I'm so glad we did. Great selection, fast friendly service and wonderful food. I had a veggie burger and onion rings. The veggie burger was more like a huge sandwich! Toasted multi-grain bread, black bean veggie paddy, lettuce, tomato & pickle. It was delicious! Onion rings were fried crispy and great! Others had the spaghetti squash with lemon & feta, sweet potato fries, cabbage soup & salad. It was all superb! It's a reason to come to the Museum all by itself! We loved it! read more

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Of the many, many Museums my wife and I have enjoyed visiting over many years across the country, no institution visited has what I call the best in-house bistro than the Musical Instrument Museum of Arizona. I was amazed at the offerings, not only in the diversity of their menu, but how they change seasonally, the quality and enjoyment of eating here enhancing the visit to this magnificent museum. Their menu encompasses global cuisine, grills, entrées, salads and more! My recommendation is, start your perusing of the galleries first, stop off to grab a bite, and continue your visit to walk off the fab meal or snack you've consumed. Take it from me, it's excellent. read more

Cafe Allegro and Beats Coffee Bar Phoenix, AZ are conveniently located within MIM Musical Instrument Museum. I visited in April 2022. There is ample cafe patio seating nestled next to the museum entrance. The cafe boasts floor to ceiling windows along an entire wall with views of the patio seating. There are a variety of entrees, salads, soups, and grill items. When Cafe Allegro is closed, there is an adjacent Beats Coffee bar that sells coffee, sandwiches, pizza, snacks, and soups with a smaller table seating area. So you're covered during your visit. Both are reasonably priced. I purchased Beef Bulgogi, rice with kimchi, braised greens, and SunChips. Empty plate trays are placed on a conveyer belt. I'm so glad these restaurants were on site to enjoy a meal during my visit. read more

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Tried the egg salad on focaccia bread today while visiting on a school Fieldtrip. It was very tasty. Bread was soft and fresh. Egg salad had good seasoning. I liked it. It was $9.00 read more

I spent a whole day at the Musical Instrument Museum. I took a lunch break and had a Meatball Flatbread ($14) at the cafe. The food wasn't bad. The cafe is organized cafeteria-style. Service was fairly fast. read more

Great place inside the MIM museum for a quick meal. Lots of options and reasonable prices. The oatmeal cookies are outstanding!

There is a grab n go counter as well as a cafeteria line. Nice variety of dishes that accommodate vegetarian and vegan preferences. The falafel plate was too little on its own, but a cup of soup helps round it out. The quesadilla platter was sufficient for the price. The courtyard is a very enjoyable place to eat (complete with piped-in music), if the weather is nice. Staff slightly harried, but food tasted good. read more

Café Allegro - Falafel, tomato soup, and orange cream soda - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Great food. Very impressed with the diversity of the menu and quality of the food. Ample seating and lots of drink options. We were able to watch one of the exhibitions that was going on at the patio. read more

This is a cute little coffee shop and cafe on the first floor of the Musical Instrument Museum. We stopped by for some caffeine in between browsing the exhibits, as the museum is a much larger and more exhausting place than we'd originally imagined. Service is friendly (seems to be younger college aged people working there), the coffee was good quality, everything seemed reasonably priced for such a venue, and the place is very clean. Just one note-- they don't want you taking your food and drink out of the cafe, as it's (understandably) not allowed in the exhibit areas. read more

It has a cute name. It was a clean space and the servers at the counter were very pleasant. What I liked about this cafe was that it had food and coffee options, for whatever your museum needs were. At that time we definitely needed a lot of caffeine and it fulfilled that purpose. I think the prices were overall decent, considering it was in a museum and cafes and restaurants in museums usually suffer from jacked up prices. I appreciated just how practical this place was. Kid's food. Adult food. Coffee. Anything you need is probably here and inside was pretty quiet and peaceful when we went on a Friday. I'm not sure what it's like on the weekends, though. The only real important note is that the museum is strict about water and food. They won't let you walk around with a water bottle, which I brought in, that I ended up chugging like a frat pro. So, if you're intending to just get a drink and walk around, buyer beware. Otherwise, this is a decent stop if you need a break from MIM. read more

Ever since MIM opened in 2010, I come to their cafeteria for lunch a few times a year. I am always pleased with lunch I get from here. Limited menu. Local, Global or some sandwiches. I always get "local". Menu changes not sure how often and I won't know what is served until I get there. Local menu is made from ingredients they source within 150 miles of MIM. All fresh and some organic. I like the food when I can actually taste the ingredients. Today's local dish was chicken salad. Chicken was so juicy and tender, chicken and blue cheese was a perfect combination, Brussels Sprouts was cooked to perfection, salad was fresh, beets tasted like beets should taste. I also had a side of tomato soup today. Again, I really like the food when I can actually taste the ingredients and the soup was no exception. While the salad looks small on the picture, they are actually large. Some beans on the salad, I became full before I finished a half of the salad. It's cafeteria style but serves very fresh food. Cost more than average cafeteria. You have to carry your own tray to the table. Staff here is always friendly and efficient. Did I mention I really like the food when I can actually taste the ingredients? read more

Café Allegro - Today's local menu, chicken salad. All ingredients are from within 150 miles of MIM. Organic and locally produced ingredients only - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Open again, but new contract. Some of the food is very nice, but the place has a few issues. Wednesday lunch, long line and slow service. You don't order where the 'Order Here' sign is, not a great setup. No kids menu, so got 2 adult burgers for our boys with nothing on them, not cheep. No tables for more than four people, can't move the tables together. Order and wait, but food still not real hot. Disappointing. read more

I visited the Musical Instrument Museum a couple weeks ago with my sister and we had lunch at Cafe Allegro. I'm back home in California now and there's something I can't get out of my mind...The Veggie Burger! I am telling you, this was the best sandwich I've ever had in my life, and I've eaten a lot of sandwiches over my lifetime. It should win some kind of award or something. If I was a millionaire, I would fly to Scottsdale once a month just to eat this sandwich. I know this might sound funny and all, but I am not kidding you when I say this was one heck of a delicious sandwich! On a side note, I do want to mention the great service provided by the restaurant staff. Very cordial, professional, friendly, accommodating. Not like the staff at Gertrude's Restaurant at the Phoenix Botanical Garden. Kind of an uppity place and they sure weren't friendly. I highly recommend Cafe Allegro. It was fabulous! read more

I've eaten here couple of times and every time I think to myself I need to come here more often. Unfortunately museum is not the first place you think of when deciding where to eat. But I'm so glad we stopped by here today. Their fresh ingredients and many organic options are what I love about this place. I had a delicious organic salad today along with vegetarian soup. Their ham and cheese panini was delicious as well. It's awesome they change up their menu all the time. It's always a nice surprise. read more

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Cafe Allegro is the restaurant inside the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) It's cafeteria style, but the food is much more upscale than your traditional cafeteria. I ordered the trip tip - it came with au jus and horseradish sauce, and was served to order (I like mine rare and it was). I found it a little on the sweet side (I prefer tri tip more savory), but it was still good. The roasted yukon gold potatoes were very nice, and everything was seasoned with a sprinkle of black Hawaiian salt. My wife got the peach pancakes, and they were very nice (I only got a small bite ;-)). Good selection of bottled sodas (our son, who also got the tri tip, got a prickly pear soda - fairly tart but pretty nice). They had a pink lemonade called Leninade - the bottle had a soviet sort of theme - I guess that's for people who want 'pinko lemonade'? ;-) Our daughter ordered the mac-n-cheese, and it was good - came with a fruit bowl, also. Not cheap, but pretty darned good, as museum food goes! read more

Café Allegro - Peach Pancakes with Turkey Sausage - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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This might be one of my top museum cafes I can remember. We stopped by and ordered some fresh arroz con pollo, mac n cheese and chicken fingers with tots. Each were made fresh and were made with thigh quality ingredients. Service was exceedingly friendly and helpful too. Don't pass on this place when you are at the MIM. read more

We had a very decent burger special. The curried vegetable soup was flavorful and the fresh fruit tasty. The setting is pleasant if you eat outside on the very spacious patio. The staff are friendly and helpful. Of course the big attraction for most patrons is the Musical Instrument Museum, which is special. The negatives are price, which we found high, $35 for two people, and the smell in the indoor space. At any rate, I'd come back if we were going to something at the museum. read more

Café Allegro - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Something in-between a 3 and a 4 but since it's a 3/4 served in a museum and not in a fancier place, I won't be as harsh. Was here with 2 others, obviously after walking in the museum for a good while. Two of us, myself included, had the global lunch special which was Indian lentil cakes. One person had a salad from the cafe area next door which was fine and inexpensive. I also got a German chocolate chip/coconut cookie and someone had a cup of sweet potato/coconut soup. There was a mix of drinks. They have a nice selection of sodas including a very good brand of cream soda/root beer as well as a pretty varied beer selection (bierre de guarde in a museum, you don't say.) The coffee from the next door area was pretty good as well and the woman there was nice. Salad was fine, I won't review as well it's a normal salad. I tried some of the sweet potato soup. It was frankly delicious with a good amount of spice and coconut. I can see why it's offered pretty often. Around a 4.1 or so. In terms of our main dishes, they were served rather elegantly, especially for a cafe found in a museum. Lentil cakes were served with raita, tomatoes, creamed corn (what,) a lil' glass of masala chai tea, and some mint/cucumber sorbet. It was 13 dollars, like all of the global specials. Lentil cakes: A bit hard but otherwise nicely spiced. There were 2 large ones. I wouldn't exactly call them Indian style lentil cakes (they were more like lentil fritters) but they were fine. 3.2 The cucumber raita was a bit watery but otherwise, it had a nice cooling effect for the spices in the lentil. 2.9 The tomatoes were fresh and quite delicious. I remember one of the lentils having 2 tomatoes while the other had 1 which was a bit odd in terms of consumption as they went quite well together. The creamed corn was good and it somewhat went with the rest of the food. 3.3. The masala chai was good, a bit watery, but the spices were there. It went well with the rest of the dishes. The sorbet was very refreshing and quite solid. 3.7. The chocolate chip cookie was pretty solid. Pretty soft and a whole lot of coconut/walnut. Not bad. The food overall was not bad. It's something between a 3 and a 4. read more

I really want to love this place more because they source so many local ingredients including grass fed beef for hamburgers. The staff is mostly wonderful, especially the sous chef turned executive chef. He's so sweet. The reason I hesitate to give this place more stars is because I recently learned they make their salad dressing from a mixture of olive oil and canola oil. Sorry, but canola oil is not OK or healthful. I was told a long time ago that they used olive oil only so either that wasn't true or they've changed the recipe. Sadly. The other reason I can't go higher than 3 stars is that darn near every time I'm there for the burger, the thing isn't cooked right. The people working the grill need some lessons. When I order medium rare, it comes out rare. When I order it medium, it comes out tough and well done. I think the prices are decent and the decor nice. I really enjoy the place but have gone there so much less over the months due to the above complaints. I wasn't going to write a review because I just don't like leaving reviews unless they're great, but I'm hoping that someone there is reading these and taking the reviews into consideration. There are so few places with grass fed meat options which endears me to MIM but if it can't be cooked properly, I lose the desire to go. read more

Café Allegro - Local #Grassfed patty with side salad. Yum. - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Right at the heart of the MIM (Musical Instrument Museum Museum), delicious pastries, coffee and such. read more

Café Allegro - Delicious bananas loaf - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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After spending two hours looking at (and listening to) some wonderful instruments, Violeta and I decided to meet up at the cafe. The place was hoppin'! It was 1pm, and there were actually two sections in this room. While they had the same furniture, one area felt like a coffee shop, with the rounded counter adorned with cookies and deli cases filled with bottles of water and juices, and I don't know what else, since we decided to sit in the other section, which had a more "open" feel to it. Large glass windows that allowed nature to envelope you, at least a little bit, and, I would have to say, it felt like a bustling bistro. A bustling tree-hugging green bistro (and I type this in a loving, respectful way). Wished there was more than just one busser, though. If there were more, it certainly looked like there was only the one. Waited for awhile for tables to be cleared. Finally, I had to walk up to him to ask if he'd clean up ours. If I hadn't felt rushed to sit and relax while waiting for the food to arrive before leaving for school, I wouldn't have minded the wait so much. I liked the organic, high-end feel to the place, and the busyness of the line cooks, who looked more like they should be cooking at a fancy steakhouse, and the presentations of the menus and food make you feel like you're really paying for quality here. The menus allude to the usage of local produce and the occasional organic item, but I'd like to see higher-quality oils being used-- say no to GM soybean, canola, cottonseed, and corn oils! I enjoyed my 6 oz. grass-fed burger and perfectly-crisped and seasoned sweet potato fries. Next time, I'm going to have to check out the desserts. Some looked absolutely devilish! p.s. Didn't like having to retrieve my own cutlery or napkins. The atmosphere calls for cutlery enfolded in cloth, and on the table, not sitting in metal holders, like you're at a buffet or at the cafeteria at work. The paper napkins were of high-quality super-absorbent material, though, I must say. read more

Café Allegro - Burger with cheddar and sweet potato fries. - New American Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

The food alone deserves 5 stars; add an always welcoming staff, fresh ingredients, and an ever changing menu that compliments the regional museum exhibitions - where is the 6 star button? We eat here at least 3x a week, you cannot beat this restaurant for price, quality and service in Scottsdale. This is a well run kitchen serving great food at an affordable price - in fact after eating here and tasting the freshness for yourself, you'll start to feel conned by so many other restaurants that charge more and for little nutritional value in their dishes. This restaurant is an example to all restaurants. read more

Stopped in here for lunch with my mom after visiting the Museum. I was curious to try this place since it received a good review from Howard Seftel in the AZ Republic. It's basically cafeteria style and you can order several interesting choices. I noticed that a lot of their produce is organic and grown locally. I had the Global which if memory serves me correctly, was a braised beef shank. It was served with a salad of super fresh ingredients including purple beets. Definitely try to stop in for lunch. They are only open 11AM to 2 PM. read more

Our second visit to the MIM. Both times we had lunch at the Café. The experience both times was great. The food was fresh and very tasty. The lunch special was Chix street tacos . My sister thought the avocado cream topping was delicious. I'd give them five stars. The tuna sandwich was so large you could have split it. Great lunch spot read more

I know...this place gets great reviews. I think I even saw the word gourmet. Not in my book. We've eaten here twice, both times in the cafeteria section in the back. The part that some reviewers love. Food was just OK. Well, no, as a matter of fact - out of the eight meals I'm rating, two were almost unacceptable. And the service was......what service? Forgotten order - once. Delivered to wrong table - twice. 4-5 stars for the museum. You bet! 2-3 stars for the gourmet restaurant. read more

I went to the MIM with my wife and daughters at the July. We enjoyed our tour of the museum, and really thought it was amazing and unique. I have to make a comment about the food that is served at the MIM. We ordered 4 Thai style chicken salads at Cafe Allegro. The salad was mixed fresh in front of us, but was served on triangular starter - size plates and we were charged $52 for the 4 plates, including tax. The chef's are courteous and the salad was served fresh and reasonably tasty, but the portion was minuscule and, for that reason, very poor value for money - it left all four of us hungry and dissatisfied. I needed to go back and order a cup of small cup of soup and was charged a further $10. Perhaps a "museum premium" needs to be placed on the food served in, what is essentially a glorified self service canteen with little warmth or atmosphere, but in order to justify that, patrons should be treated to a far larger portions for the prices that MIM is levying. read more

I would describe Cafe Allegro as a hybrid cafeteria because instead of wait staff you do have to walk up to a counter and select/order your meal. It is later delivered to your table. At the entrance to the line is a large selection of interesting sodas but I resisted. I had planned on ordering a salad but they had a Grab and Go section there with what I had planned to order. The food on display in the line was presented nicely and looked appetizing. My husband ordered a cheeseburger which was cooked the way he requested and came with fries that I felt compelled to sample more than once. (So much for New Year's resolutions!). The place was busy but was clean, very utilitarian looking and the staff was busy helping families create seating. It was cold and rainy outside but there are numerous chairs and tables on a terrace surrounded by desert landscaping that would be a perfect place to eat in nice weather. Everything we had looked and tasted fresh. My salad was unique; greens, walnuts, cheese and a couple of juicy dates with a delicious raspberry poppy seed dressing that appeared to be made with sour cream or yogurt. It was really good--so delicious that I copied it at dinner a few nights later. My only complaint, which annoys me in most restaurants, was that the many of the greens required cutting. Since the Grab and Go salad came in a flimsy plastic bowl (and I am not the most coordinated) cutting required some dexterity. While the prices may have been slightly higher than a few of the restaurants down the street, the farm-to-table freshness and the convenience left us satisfied and not feeling like we had been ripped off because it was a museum. We will definitely eat there again. read more

Located at the Musical Instrument Museum Great food & beverage selection The staff is super friendly The food is healthy, locally-produced, and delicious Loved the watermelon gazpacho Chicken burger was very tasty; sweet potato friends Serve beer The prices are a little high, especially for the beverages read more

I ordered the hot dog and clam chowder. The hotdog with side of fruit was $13... It was good, but overpriced. The clam chowder was priced reasonably at 6 or 7 buck. It was good and filled with plenty of clam. I wouldn't go here unless you're really hungry and don't feel like driving to desert ridge. No real quality complaints, it's just too expensive for what it is. read more

After spending a lovely day looking at musical instruments, or enjoying one of the concerts the MIM has, what better way to finish off your experience than to get lunch at this delectable cafe? The food here has an emphasis on sustainable and locally produced food. They have a lot of unique dishes here, and the menu changes daily. Some examples include ahi tuna and caviar pizza, braised beef with potatoes, and unusual (and tasty) dessert such as chilled rhubarb soup with cake squares. The portions are very filling, and service is excellent for a cafeteria style establishment. Some of the dishes can be hit and miss, but I give them points for trying at least. For instance, the tuna on the pizza I tried was a little overcooked and a little fishy tasting for me, and a chicken sandwich I had was bordering on the dry side. The beef I have had here though has been very tender and flavorful so far though. The cafeteria itself is in an open, airy, sunny locale, which provides a good view of the outdoors while you eat your meal. read more

Color me impressed! Really much more interesting than I'd have expected. FYI coffee shop has Cafe MIM sandwiches and baked goods until 9pm thurs/fri, 5pm other days read more

The place stands on its own. Get some lunch even if you aren't planning to commit to the museum. A healthy, fresh lunch in a great location. read more

Well I would have ten starred the museum - it is a knockout! - An Out of the park home run! Then when you think your brain is full, you say lets go to the restaurant for lunch. You walk in and it is very clean, modern and looking good, but the chow line looks like a cafeteria, then you shop a bit and find it is an extremely high quality, top shelf, incredible chef, locally grown, fantastic restaurant! When the first thing we ran into was venison carpaccio and it gets better from there! The soup was incredible, just incredible. This place goes hand in glove with the museum. To attempt to describe anything would make you slobber on your keyboard, and want to go even more! As the dishes are made with what is local, fresh and seasonal, just know it will be a wonderful dining experience, even if you have to carry a tray to your table! read more

Interestingly simple menu yet elegant. Very fresh and healthy selections with a gourmet twist. Loved the service and the presentation. Had one of the daily express sandwiches. Local Herb-Garlic Roasted Turkey Breast, Provolone Cheese, Organic Lettuces, Local AZ Cucumbers, Maya's Farm Toscana Kale, on MJ Multi Grain Bread. It came with a nice serving of house pickled peppers and veggies. Great view outside the window. Don't forget a homemade cookie or one of their other tasty treats for desert. read more

. My group had lunch at the Cafe at MIM for the first time and I have to comment on the beef with radicchio and potatoes. The beef was chewy,tough and with sinewy marbling. The server brought my piece from the back kitchen dunked it once in the juice and then placed it over the vegetables. The chicken entree in cream sauce with mushrooms was tender and wonderful, as was the "poppy" wine selection and cookies. If you plan to eat at the Cafe be cautious when ordering beef selections. I wrote to the MIM on my experience but have not heard from them. MV ASU Downtown Campus read more

For a public attraction place the restaurant is definitely above average. It tries hard to carry a French influence but it overdoes it. It is cafeteria style after all with a buffet so why having linens on tables? The food was good but again how good can cafeteria food be? What I disliked entirely were the round tables which are not practical for the type public this place caters to. There are lots -- a lot -- of seniors on wheel chairs, moms with strollers, etc, trying to navigate between round tables. Very impractical and fussy. read more

"Went to the French Bastile Day celebration on Sunday. The restaurant is not able to serve for special events. Stood with a lunch tray and No tables! The quiche was HORRIBLE. A frozen quiche would have tasted better. Service was incompetent, many mistakes. Does the cook (surely not a Chef) actually knows French people?" Spent $$$ in rubber food! Besides being awful, it was a misrepresentation of French food and dining. read more