Today was a special day and I wanted to commemorate it with a special place---Marisol didn't disappoint! I enjoyed a nice meal by myself---definitely recommend for a solo adventure. read more

Stylish cafe inside the museum of contemporary art. We stopped by for lunch and had the salmon tartine and the beet panzanella. Presentation and flavors were great, and service was attentive. read more

Marisol - Salmon tartine - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Metric coffee and spirit teas Hot chocolate: 3.5 (not as rich as expected) Chocolate gnauche is made in-house, and is a dark chocolate/dairy free. Chocolate chip and sea salt cookies: 4 Lox bagel: 3.5 Ham and cheese: 3.5 Chocolate Malt Ice cream Sandwich: 4 Ambiance: 5 Service (hosts, servers,runners): 5 The restaurant is nicely set up with plenty of natural light, an open floor plan and uplifting energy. Beautiful experience altogether! read more

Marisol - Old restaurant area, near the outdoor terrace. New exhibits will fill this space in May 2018. - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had been wanting to check out this new restaurant located in the Museum of Contemporary Art as I'd heard raves following its opening in Fall 2017. I decided to time my visit to coincide with free Tuesdays and during restaurant week, to avail myself of the prix fixe lunch menu. The restaurant is open from 11:30 am - 2:00 pm for lunch. I came in around noon and had no difficulty nabbing a seat at the bar. I'm glad I came in when I did, as the space (including bar seating) was filling up by the time I was wrapping up my meal. I started off with a glass of bubbles, which added a festive note. The seafood bisque was absolutely delicious, and the actual pieces of seafood were generous. The risotto was good, although admittedly the soup was a tough act to follow. I wasn't as big a fan of the pomegranate seeds in this dish, but appreciated the thought as they did enliven an otherwise white and green palette. Marisol does serve espresso drinks, so I opted for a single espresso to pair with my seasonal ice cream sandwich dessert. The crumble on this dish was reminiscent of a malted milk ball, although I wish I would have known that the dessert had walnuts. One of the diners seated nearby ordered the butterscotch pudding, which I probably would have liked. Overall, the meal was a satisfying experience, and fortified me to take on four floors of contemporary art exhibits. read more

Marisol - Seafood bisque from 2018 restaurant week - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Marisol is located right smack in the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Chicago. It is as beautiful visually as the food is delicious. The servers are attentive and knowledgeable. In general my opinion of brunch is that it is overrated. I mean that in the nicest way. Everyone can search for a good recipe of a fluffy pancake or a crispy waffle. But here at Marisol, you will experience brunch in an entirely different way. The options are so abundant and different than the overdone brunch menu. We had the house made doughnuts which is in the style of drop doughnuts made with yeast. It had the nice airy chew factor inside. Most fancy doughnut places focus on the topping. These had an equal attention inside and out. The dough had bits of fruits inside and a coat of pink fruity topping with actual apple crumbles. The crumbles are just like the ones you love about eating a fresh apple crumble - crunchy with brown sugar melt in your mouth quality. Our other doughnut was the pistachio tahini. Yes I said tahini as the coating and you know what? It was nutty and refreshing. The pistachios are candy coated to give it that satisfying sweet crunch. These two doughnuts are good to share among 4 people and still have their breakfast dish. I ordered the frittata which was a little thinner than what I expected but it was done very nicely with a soft interior. The topping was sautéed chanterelle with what appeared to be preserved kale. It had an unexpected nice tang and worked well with the shaved Parmesan on top. My husband had the gravlax platter. The bagels are made in house. It was soft and chewy and covered with seeds of all sorts for good health. My son had the breakfast burrito. That was rather large and can feed a hungry man! The portions are big so you may consider sharing so you can sample different dishes. My food rating : 4.5 My lone traveler rating: 5 (I was here with family but there is a nice bar to sit and people watch). read more

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Upon first impression, I love the atmosphere at Marisol. It's inside the MCA. Our friend got there early and put our name in, so by the time we got there it was time to be seated. The atmosphere was nice and our server was friendly. We put in orders for drinks (3 kombuchas, a Bloody Mary, and a cocktail). We had planned to come for the restaurant week lunch menu, but they had a special brunch menu on the weekends (a little disappointing). Food wise, we ended up all ordering Steak and Eggs ($22 per dish) and Pozole Verde ($17 per dish). I can't speak personally on behalf of the Pozole Verde, but both of our friends who ordered it said it had too many chickpeas. The Steak and Eggs were good in my opinion, but you literally get 4 bites of steak (4oz steak), 4 small potatoes, and 2 sunny side up eggs. For $22. In my opinion, that's too much money for so little food. I'm notorious for having leftovers and being unable to finish my food. Here I left still hungry...for a guy I'd imagine it'd be a snack. For that price I had asked my boyfriend to share with my because I assumed it would be big. At least everything was cooked well. They lost our drink ticket for the Bloody Mary and the cocktail, so they ended up coming out later with the food. They did not charge us for those, which I appreciated. My friend also complained to an employee about how small the steak and eggs was and the chickpeas so one of each of those was also removed. I appreciated how gracious the server and other employee were. Overall I was disappointed with my experience here. I feel like the prices are based more on the atmosphere than the food itself. While the food was good, the portion size was unreasonable in my opinion and the delay with the drink and the 40+ minute wait for the food was also a miss for me. I'm not sure I'll be back. read more

I can't believe i never tried this place until today since it's basically 2 mins away from my place!! Food: solid 5 stars! My friends and i all got breakfast burrito since we want something eggy for our brunch and it's one of the only two items on the brunch menu that have eggs. It'a the BEST BF burrito i've ever had! There are Scrambled eggs, avocado, potato wedges wrapped in a pan roasted tortilla (a little bit crunchy in the middle and i love it). We ordered peppermint while chocolate ice cream for dessert! One scoop on top of some chocolaty waffle pieces. sooooooo goood!! Service: solid 5 stars!! They are really attentive! Atmosphere: 5 stars!!! Modern and artsy just like the rest of MCA! There's Plenty of natural light from the huge windows in the dining area. Def will come back again to at least try their avocado toast and french toast for brunch. read more

Great food in awesome location as part of the Modern Contemporary Art museum. Definitely will be back.

Up until my final dish, I was pretty sure Marisol was the biggest pleasant surprise of 2017. And it's easily the best restaurant inside of a museum in America. But that $55 whole fish killed the dream a bit. Let's start with the positives. Although the restaurant's space is fine--it's basically a cafe inside of the museum lobby, with a room off to the side with a beautiful drawing on the wall that has cooler-looking seats and tables than the plain space in the main cafe--this menu has some incredible small plates with flavors that are blowout. Our server, Simon, was a good fit for the high-energy people at the table, in part because Simon's style was more downtempo and his knowledge of the flavors on this menu was excellent. And he didn't push more food on our group than was needed, which I certainly appreciated since that is my most common complaint with tapas/small plates restaurants. We tried the chilled octopus, the burrata, the Marisol salad, the winter squash, the rye bucatini pasta dish, and the whole fish. I don't know what's happening with squash around town, but the squash was probably the best dish I had at Marisol. In addition, the bucatini, burrata and octopus were all excellent. Wow, that burrata was incredible; I wish I had ordered that for a dinner, since that way I wouldn't have had to share the burrata and the perfectly-cooked, slightly-charred bread served with it. All of those five dishes built up to the market-priced whole fish...and for $55, we got a 1.5-pound fish that, well, completely laid an egg. The fish was just very plain, not much flavor, with a bowl of vegetables and beans served warm in a separate bowl. These were also not very interesting, and for the price, it just felt like a bit of a ripoff. Price is a bit tricky here at Marisol because with our group of five, I had a "pre-dinner" so that small plates would finish filling me up. But if my wife and I had come here for dinner, like a full meal, I think we would have dropped $125-$150 and I can't say for sure that I would leave full. Drink prices are high here, but that's to be expected given the venue. All five of us agreed that if we came back here and ordered smartly, this could quickly turn into a five-star experience. But as-is, I'd be wary of spending for the entrees here and I don't think you want to come here starving or even hoping for a big meal. read more

Since its inception in September 2017 Marisol has been on my list of top restaurants to check out in Chicagoland. Given close proximity to my condominium, when my sister-in-law visited recently, we decided to try out Marisol for brunch given its strong reviews and eclectic aesthetic. Each one of us was impressed with the ambience, decor, and overall taste of each item ordered. We ordered the steak and eggs, and crispy potatoes to accompany the steak and eggs, and a salmon or lox platter. In the steak and eggs, the chimichurri sauce was exceptional and when mixed with the aioii, the flavor profile was distinct and perfectly complemented the medium rare hanger steak and fried sunchokes. The lox platter was also delicious as it included English muffin, nova lox, dill cream cheese and pickles/capers with a six minute egg (soft). We three topped off the meal with an iced mocha, chai tea, and nitro coffee. I would definitely recommend the food for not only the taste, but the artistic design elements infused into the meal. In addition the venue is striking and memorable given its attachment to the Museum of Contemporary Art. Moreover the service and detail oriented staff should be commended despite the busy brunch schedule. Looking forward to future meals at Marisol! read more

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First time here, Wow! We were here during lunch time and started with Bloody Mary's- Delicious! Our server Jill suggested the daily doughnuts which we did- very tasty! Went with the Steak& Salad with potatoes and sourdough bread on the side. The portions might look small but it was very filling and delicious! The Manager Lauren stopped by a few times to check on our meal & service- everything was perfect! We will be coming back! read more

We've been planning to make a trip to MCA to visit the Murakami exhibit for a long time, and were excited to hear about Marisol opening up inside the museum. I didn't see a menu on their website so I had no idea what to expect. We were able to walk in and find a table on a Thursday evening without any difficulty, but I recommend making a reservation because I think this place will pick up really soon. The service was wonderful. We loved our friendly and attentive waiter, and he played a big part in how enjoyable the dinner was. We were hoping to try some of the beers on draft but they didn't have them available when we went. We went with a canned beer, and it was still really good. As for the actual meal, we ordered the following: **Chilled Octopus -- beautiful presentation, perfectly cooked... SO tender and flavorful. Some of the best octopus I've ever had, and my favorite dish of the night. **Crispy Eggplant -- I didn't really like this one. All the flavors were really subtle, but I didn't think it went well together. **Stuffed Prawns -- cooked to perfection, but it was a little salty in my opinion. **Mafalde -- we added this pasta on last minute because we saw some other tables enjoying it. It was really delicious and had the perfect texture. I would definitely recommend this. **Steamed Swordfish -- The swordfish comes on a bed of mashed cauliflower with a uni hollandaise and tomatoes. The tangy hollandaise really made this dish. I was really impressed by how each dish was cooked to perfection. Definitely recommend sharing the plates amongst your group. read more

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Good food, service & very accommodating. Unique venue in the MCA. We had a reservation for Sunday brunch, by the time we left it was quite busy. read more

Incredible customer service to accompany the elegant interior and tasty brunch. Ian made our experience great with their welcoming energy, knowledge on the menu, and provided helpful recommendations. Pastries were amazing with a warm latte and great ambiance overall. read more

Yeah this place rocks ...come for the incredible decor/ambience, stay for the unique dishes and pleasant cocktail menu. Have been to Marisol twice, once for date night, another to host family visiting. Both time Marisol delivered, it has an incredibly flexible menu that can accommodate whatever ~~vibe~~ you're looking to curate. Perfectly tucked away off Gold Coast, it is hands-down one of the stronger options in the area. Look forward to my next trip to Marisol! read more

If you're looking for non-chain or chef-driven places to eat in Streeterville, it can be tough. So I was shocked to find Marisol (in the MCA museum?!) has a fantastic café, bar and lunch/dinner menu. Space is beautiful, with high ceilings, lots of light and plenty of room for a private conversation. Food is deliciously inventive, never so strange that your friends feel they ate an art exhibit. read more

Hubby ordered a latte, I had the smoked date horchata and a couple pastries to share... Nice posh area, but i suppose everything at a museum cost a few bucks more...nothing to write home about on the latte other than it's $$....the horchata is good, but not sure if it's $8 good....the pastries...I would just walk a few blocks to Hendrickx... read more

Not the best place to dine. Staff and manager lack courtesy and unwilling to take responsibility. Much better places. read more

I was beyond satisfied coming here. Its situated in a nice part given its inside the museum and the meals are quite affordable. The interior softly blends with the pristine white setting of the museum with its modern and soft colors. A brunch here includes its unique art, seating, and its positive ambiance. The customer service was great. Our server was well informed on the menu and gave us great suggestions. Anything she didnt know she would find out and quickly get back to us. I ordered the late summer frittata and its flavors were unforgettable. Truly an experience for my caucasian taste buds! I made sure to really enjoy my 14 dollar plate and savor the egg and olive mix. Definitely coming back! read more

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Came here for Saturday brunch, and honestly felt sad when I saw the menu that looked nothing special. Nothing against typical brunch menus, but I was hoping to see a creative menu that resembles their dinner menu. Thankfully they had marisol salad and sunflower hummus available for brunch (two of my favorites from last time). In addition, we got carrot cake donut and veggie cheese burger - which were both delicious! Even my husband who will never choose to order veggie burger admitted that it was great. We still craved their Garganelli pasta, but that means we have to come back soon for dinner. We saw at least three strollers in the restaurant. It seemed pretty baby-friendly at least for brunch although I have to admit that some of those kids were incredibly well-behaved! Sitting in their high chairs, patiently waiting for food to arrive, and finishing their meals with the parents. I had to stop myself from asking the parents what their secrets were... read more

Stopped in for lunch, we split the salmon marisol salad and the burger, both were outstanding. Usually salmon added to a salad is over-cooked, but mine could not have been more perfectly prepared, it was buttery and delicious. The burger was incredible as well. Would definitely recommend! read more

Fantastic! We went for Sunday brunch, which was great. We started with 2 doughnuts, one with peanuts and the other with fruit. Both were flawless, and perfectly balanced. The fruit one was probably the best doughnut I've ever had. We shared the Marisol salad which was simple and satisfying. As we have no self control, we then had Pistachio Gelato with some sort of crumble, and a cardamom, orange, and chocolate ice cream sandwich. Out of this world! We shared the shrimp & grits & croque madame after that. The shrimp & grits are made with an asian twist which keeps them light. The madame was made with a few stalk of asparagus which have a similar effect. The Bloody Mary was a great partner to the entrees. I would highly recommend stopping in for brunch! read more

Fabulous snack at Museum Contemporary Art. Sunflower hummus with artichoke oregano. They made homemade flaxseed crackers that were artistic and delicious!! The full meals looked terrific as well. And our servers, Josh and Claire, were lovely. Knowledgeable about the food and friendly. read more

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I have had the most wonderful food there and when I heard that they finally reopened, I was very excited. firstly, the sunflower seed hummus was as wonderful as I remember. sadly, the rest of our lunch did not measure up. my favorite Mirasol salad was completely changed. different lettuce & dressing was not as good. my husband and I both had sandwiches. I didn't care for mine (salmon) and his was just mediocre (turkey) and the toast was burnt. I was so disappointed and hope that they will return to the Marisol they once were as it was an all time favorite of ours. read more

My wife and I ate here with friends and it was a delight for a gourmand, like myself, as well as gourmets like my companions. I found the table to be perfect even before the food arrived. The ambiance is cool but comfortable and the servers are there for your every whim. We had a variety of dishes but I have to admit that my favorite was the trout. I never even knew I liked trout. Thanks so much Yvonne B for introducing us to this superb restaurant. read more

We dined here with our friends Yvonne and M and had the meal of a lifetime, literally. We tried various appetizers and salads and all of them were divine. I loved the beet salad beyond reason. Each course outdid the other, I was in heaven. I had never even heard of this restaurant and I am ashamed to admit it. Not only was the food out of this world, the service and attention were even better. I felt like royalty, very well fed royalty. I can't wait to go back! read more

Great spot for after the museum. Food was very unique and portions were filling. The Marisol salad was the better of the two we ordered - fresh crisp Bibb lettuce with layers of apples and cheese. The shaved brussel sprout salad was good but it tried too hard. It had so many ingredients that it felt like an inventive take on a mid western seven layer salad. The pastas on the other hand blew us away! The rye bucatini with clams and pancetta was dressed with a divine butter sauce. The mafalde pasta with sweet pepper, lobster mushrooms, kale, and ricotta was so rich that I needed an extra glass of wine to cut it! That is not a complaint!!!! Great place to wrap up and end the MCA visit. read more

Marisol - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

LOVE the new menu - 8 oz trout topped with rice, blood orange, and carrot. The creativity and the sum taste of all these ingredients make it special and delicious. Goes well with the while wine. A big plus is definitely their service ! read more

Marisol - Trout - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I have read numerous blogs and reviews highlighting this place and recently had a chance to visit Marisol with a friend for brunch. The location is perfect situated off Michigan avenue in the Museum of Contemporary Arts. First thing I noticed that even though there were better tables available, they seated us in the middle where several tables were occupied and we were in the way of servers. Even though we requested to change the table, we were told they were reserved. However, these tables didnt get occupied until we left. My friend and I got the sunflower hummus and beignets to share. We loved the sunflower hummus and the crispy wafer with pumpkin seeds - a very healthy and tasty combination. The beignets were more dense and not as light and fluffy as they ought to have been though the expresso sauce that it came with was very flavorful. We also got the Rosella herbal and Saigon herbal tea on the recommendation of our server and both the teas were awesome! For entree, I got the Lomo scramble and my friend got a tofu scramble. The Lomo scramble was a good portion and came with a side of crispy potatoes. It was decent but nothing memorable. Throughout our time there, our waitress kept checking on us to rush us out even though all the tables weren't occupied and no one was waiting. Overall I liked the food and service but didn't feel it was a premium experience as reflected by the prices. read more

Really enjoyed this museum restaurant downstairs. I made reservations beforehand. We loved the museum tour before we headed in. The staff was nice and quick anc the interior was clean classy and artsy. We ordered salad, code brangade, and frittata. The ingredients we're fresh and meticulously presented. Overall great experience! read more

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My experience here was completely unmemorable. Not sure if this is a good or a bad thing though. I think I ordered fish (not sure though), it was just as exciting as that depressing interior along with depressing looking wait staff. I wish we could dine in that room with a colorful wall but if was reserved for a private event. I honestly can't remember anything about the place even though I was there a couple of weeks ago. Neutral review I guess. I will not be back. read more

If I could give this 0 stars I would. Ever since Rinkavage left this has turned into a dumbed down museum/hotel mess. I couldn't be more disappointed in a meal after the great food I had from Rinkavage. The menu is totally unappealing as its basically now a vegetarian mess with nothing sounding remotely interesting with a few pescatarian items. Started with a couple donuts, really out on the ledge there with the chocolate and vanilla. What happened to the original flavors? They were good but basic. Gravlax platter was ok, the bagel was solid, good dill spread. The Marisol salad was the worst more expensive salad ever. Basically a huge pile or butter lettuce with barely any salad dressing. The apples consisted of maybe 5 paper thin slices, and macademia might have been one full nut grated on. What a joke for the price. Service was terrible with no personality and they brought the wrong dishes. What a full from grace for this garbage spot now. read more

One of the best meals I've had in Chicago in many moons. Rolled in with Pearl at a moderately geriatric 6:30p, fitting as one of us is 90y, space warmly modern - vibe ranged from crop topped hipsters perched at the bar, parched after hitting the MCA late night to those of us whose nights will start and end while it hours remain in the single digits. Struggled to decide on what we should nosh - started with sunflower hummus/flax cracker, a decadent paste accompanied by spicy paper-thin crackers so tasty they might as well just be listed as "flax crack" - then dabbled in the melon salad (creme fraiche, berries) and marisol salad (butter lettuce, apple, dill, macadamia) - the melon salad was light, a bit sweet for me, but Pearl wanted in - the marisol salad was perfection - creamy and herbaceous, if I still lived on the North Shore, I'd drive downtown just for this greenery. Was also tempted by the chilled octopus and roasted beets, but alas, we were limited by our tum size. Didn't dip into the pastas, though I'm sure the bucatini with farm butter/salmon roe/herbs is aces I went for the trout, nestled in the last of summer's figs, it was a crisp revelation. Grandma P wouldn't stop raving abt her roasted chicken with heirloom green beans and pate toast. Another table's sirloin and seared scallops/white yam/salsify situations also looked v. tasty. For dessert, I seriously pondered the white tea pudding, but went with this absolutely luscious ice cream instead. No regrets. Service was super lovely and accommodating of not only Pearl's walker...but also her demand for a wine glass full of Kettle One with a side of tonic and exactly three bleu cheese olives. Bar snacks $6-13, starters $9-18, mains $30-40. Oh, and the wine list! Had this "fermented" rose that was honestly dangerously drinkable. Interesting sip menu, which they are happy to walk any and all drinkers through. I feel like din for two is $200, but could be less or more, depending on the hunger level. Overall, will return over TG with the rest of the Newman clan. Love. read more

Fantastic place for breakfast or brunch. We came with friends and easily found a table on Sunday morning. The place is also family friendly. Aside from that, their menu had all sorts of deliciousness and I'd totally recommend their breakfast burrito, salmon bagel, and potatoes as a side. Our servers were great - attentive, quick, friendly. Everything was reasonably priced. Lastly, the restaurant is simply beautiful and nicely decorated inside which makes it a great place to eat out and enjoy your time. Finding parking was also easy thanks to a valet garage right across the street. read more

This place it's absolutely amazing. The service is always great and the food it's outstanding. Highly recommend this restaurant. I much enjoy the candles, on the table. read more

Lovely work lunch here today! I got the Roasted Chicken Breast because it came with heirloom green beans which I'd never had. The star of the dish turned out to be these champagne-grape sized tomatoes that sprinkled my palate with bursts of flavor! The heirloom green beans were smaller than the average green beans, and a white-asparagus color - cute & delicious! The chicken was perfectly tender and juicy. The whole dish sat on a generous bed of perfectly charred cabbage, which made my veggie-loving Asian stomach very giddy. Others got the Summer Shrimp Roll which was like a lobster roll but with shrimp, and the Marisol Salad with layers of crispy butter lettuce. Wish I could've taken photos of the food, but probably wouldn't have been kosher in front of my new boss... so until next time! read more

Marisol has a coffee shop and a restaurant - I've been to both now. The coffee shop has tables for a quick coffee chat. The restaurant has booths and great to order food and converse longer. The F&B is surprisingly good at both, given it's inside a museum. I love their avocado salad as well as the veggie burger. read more

For a picture perfect Saturday in Chicago to capture some culture and culinary finds Marisol is the place to go. The place is bustling with girlfriends catching up, couples enjoying a delightful meal and families ready to keep their little ones busy at the MCMA. A great date option or just a way to rediscover the city you live in. I had the veggie cheeseburger with cashews, melted onions, special sauce, and lettuce plus an egg because why not?! The burger was made in house and exactly what I needed to start the day. We each had a latte and a house made donut special to top things off. I definitely recommend taking in the scene and having a bite here. read more

What a lovely evening at Marisol. Great portions, and they are very upfront about what is bigger/smaller. I got the steak and it was perfectly cooked, and had the right amount of sauce. Also, I am GF, so they cooked it with that in mind, taking off any breading. Make sure you get dessert- I got this strawberry shortcake concoction that i will treasure like my own child. My dinner mates got one of the pasta dishes and it was "eh" but everything else was celebratory. Fits right in an art museum. read more

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Who'd a thunk a light repast of almonds, olives, hummus, and the ubiquitous beet salad could be so exquisite? The sunflower hummus, served with delicate flax seed crackers, was metaphysically delicious. It was creamy with a hint of sweet, and the texture with the crackers was fantastic. The beet salad with crispy red rice was another delectable textural play. Marisol is beautifully designed (of course, you're at the MCA) and the hosts, server and runners were delightful. Sheer perfection to start off an evening, followed by a lovely performance by the Joffrey Academy at the Neeson theatre literally across the hall. Get your nosh and your arts on in one amazing spot. read more