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All looks but little substance unfortunately. At first glance this place is beautiful. It's big, it's clean, it has outdoor seating, indoor seating, and they even have food, pastries. Also, this is right across from the MFAH on Bissonnet so don't go by what google maps tells you. Customer service on the other hand is pretty bad. The person I was with was asking the kid taking the order whether some of their deserts were gluten free and the kid started acting weird and almost getting upset because it was such a hard question. It could have been as easy as "I'm sorry, I don't know, but I can ask my manager and get back with you!" but his reaction was just awkward. And then for me, on a 100 degree day, I asked for Iced Tea, after the person ahead of me got one and I was told "Sorry, that was the last one". This was around 5 PM and they close at 6 so I'd understand that if it was 15 minutes till closing and they didn't want to brew a whole new batch, but with another 50 minutes to go, they likely would have still sold a few more cups before closing and even if they didn't, at the prices they charge, even selling one cup of iced tea would have covered the cost of the big tea-bag they use for iced tea so if they had to throw a little out after closing, it'd just be a cost of doing business. I mean the place is cute so I probably will be back but they need to train their people better here.
We went looking for an Italian bakery in the area and found Café Leonelli. I did not get anything due to concerns of cross-contamination between the Hazelnut gelato and the Almond Croissant with other pastries. A very spacious, sun-lit café in the Museum of Fine Arts. Maps isn't going to help you getting here, since it's in the museum and parking is elsewhere. We parked on a Sunday afternoon on Main Street outside St. Paul's Methodist Church and walked over. There are two entrances to Café Leonelli: (1) from inside the museum itself, and (2) from the left side of the museum (facing it from Bissonnet Street) in a little walkway. The café prices are high, as anticipated by a restaurant for convenience inside of the museum. We sampled the butternut squash soup, which was a bit sweet; and the Tuscan soup, which was a bit salty. There are other sandwiches, hot foods, and pizza available for entrees. Coffee, tea, pastries, and gelato are also available. Complimentary water is available at multiple locations in the café, which is nice.
I found this cafe on TikTok after looking for a local place to "work from home" during the day. Turns out, it is connected to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFAH). I arrived at about 9:30AM and it was super quiet. I loved the lighting in this cafe, it was very bright and airy. I ordered an oat milk latte that was really good. Once lunchtime came around, the cafe became flooded with people (mostly museum visitors). Before the rush, I ended up trying the margherita pizza and the chicken Caesar salad. Both were just okay in my honest opinion, but not much is to be expected of cafe food. The menu is not very robust, it's just cafe food with an Italian style menu as there were lots of pizzas and bread, and a salad bar. It was quite limited in options. I really enjoyed working in this space before the lunch crowd rushed in, there are tall glass walls and I had a nice view of the museum statues and the street. I'd come back for a morning working session, but the lunch crowd was a bit too loud and hectic for me to work, so I left shortly thereafter.
I came back last week for desserts after eating lunch elsewhere and finally good a good desserts this time at Cafe Leonelli. The eclairs this time wasn't dried as last time.
The flavors and textures of the Slice of Sausage and Rapini and Slice of Margherita, which I shared with my sister, were pretty good. You choose from the slices that are in the display case, then it goes into the oven to be heated up. The cheese is melted, and the dough gets crispy. They hand you the slices on plates while you're in the line, and then you pay at the register. The fennel seeds's flavor was apparent, and I like how the cheese had toasted. The mozzarella on the Margherita had softened enough to be enjoyable, while the tomato had a slight blistered edge.
This is a beautiful place and convenient for hanging out after visiting the MFAH. It was about 4 p.m. and they were already out of the tomato gnocchi soup. Mind you, they close at 6 p.m. Plus at $4.50 for a small cappuccino, they should have brown sugar available. If you're a member of the museum, you get a 15 percent discount.
A great museum café is part of the experience. Cafe Leonelli makes a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston even more satisfying. The menu ranges from satisfying hot entrées (salmon, potatoes, etc.) to soups, salads, and sandwiches. They have kid-friendly foods like cheese pizza, and also pizzas with flavorful toppings. For beverages, they have coffees, teas, and Italian sodas. There are self-service water carafes. For desserts, they have chocolatey brownies, as well as several flavors of gelato. As any good museum café should, the surroundings elevate the experience. You might think the light fixture is just a light fixture, but it's actually an installation: "Moon Dust" by Spencer Finch (2014).
This cafe was conveniently located within the Kinder building and had adequate outdoor dining tables. So, if you were visiting this museum, this is a great one stop shop. We had to go to the museum across the street, though. But, we decided to get a quick bite here first. We wanted something savory for this visit and settled on their mushroom and margherita focaccia breads. They were pretty good. They both had punchy flavors, but I wished they had put more sauce and toppings on the bread since they were quite pricey. They did have beverages available, but we opted for their sparkling water. It was ok. I wished they had Topo Chico. Oh well. Overall, I'm giving them a 3.5 stars for now. But, I do plan on trying out their desserts next time. They look delicious from the pictures. I'll have to give their coffee drinks a try too.
Café leonelli is it quaint, modern bistro, perfect for a snack or a lunch. They had a variety of sandwiches and salads and hot plates, as well as a European pastry case and gelato and sorbet. I ended up getting the mango passion sorbet and it was refreshing, tart, and berry smoothies. It is attached to the Kinder building, but you don't have to be visiting the museum to eat here. If you were an MFAH member you do get a discount, I think 10%.
Review #2 We have a Michelin star chef in the house Houston! Chef Jonathan Benno has an impressive resume. Working in San Fransisco and of course New York City. Yes he even worked along side Daniel Boulud!!! How's that Houston, Texas!! I was laughing tremendously because a Yelper compared Cafe Leonelli to Houston's Common Bond. I almost wet my pants. Y'all this is NOT EVEN remotely the same. Two totally different concepts. Isn't Common Bond French influenced? Cafe Leonelli is Italian influenced. Lord help us all with some of these Yelpers! Located directly across from the MFAH Sarfin building which actually seems if it is on Bissonnet, but the address seems to be on Main. Confusing. It is located in the MFAH Kinder building. Beautifully lit with wall to wall windows to let in natural light. Modern lights hang from the ceiling, with minimalistic decor. Remember this is a cafe, so prices are extremely reasonable. Food ranges from fresh pasta, baked pasted, porchetta sandwiches, salads, sweet breads and deliciously eye appealing pastries. I was excited to dine the first weekend after opening. Extremely exceptional service with a wonderful atmosphere. Order at the counter and the food will be brought to you. One side of ordering is strictly for sweet treats and the r other side order anything. It will make sense you get there. Remember MFAH receive a discount so be sure to show them your membership!
This cafeteria style cafe was set up in a way that some of the offerings were just as you walked in but had to turn the corner to read the menu and see the hot offerings. The options were plentiful but my veggie sandwich was just ok. The gelato was excellent. They had a lot of staff behind the counter but none clearing the garbage or self service bus pan.
Museum Cafes are usually best kept secrets with great lunch selections and coffee/snack/dessert options. Leonelli meets this billing. Quite busy on a Thursday afternoon around 1:30. Thursday is free for general admission so possibly why?- as well their reasonable prices We mixed it up with ordering lunch (Lasagna) and Dessert (Apricot Crostata Della Nonna) with a Cortado. Tasty lasagna with spinach and mix of beef/pork filling. I asked which pastry, Crostata or Babka? The Apricot was excellent with a good balance of fruit and cookie crumble. Will try the Babka next time. They had some sandwiches, flat breads as well ice cream. You line up to place your order and they bring your food/drinks to your table. Friendly people behind the counter, making the food and delivering to the tables. Plenty of windows and light in the dining area make for a pleasant experience. Work this spot into your MoFa visit!
4 months ago
9 days ago
Beautiful little cafe attached to the Museum of Fine Arts. Open to the public, not just museum-goers. Was a cozy spot for me to wrap up some work before heading off to the airport. Staff are kind and friendly. Ordering process is cafeteria style, down to the plastic trays provided. Plenty of hot and cold options available. Very clean-- I observed staff meticulously tidying tables and sweeping floors. LATTE (iced, vanilla): Perfectly serviceable. Not too watered down and not too sweet. LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN (w/steamed squash): A little... Sad? Lol. The breading is quite soggy and bland, while the sauce imparted just a hint of a mild tanginess. And the chicken was tough, but not dry. The zucchini went almost entirely unseasoned-- at least it's healthy! For the price, I think they could improve the menu... Such a shame as the location is gorgeous and convenient. NOTE: There are outlets under the bar seating on the far wall. read more
1 year ago
The Museum of Fine Arts experience consisted of four separate buildings, and we easily spent two days looking at stuff. So nice to have a casual cafe onsite for much needed breaks! Cafe Leonelli was clean, spacious and filled with natural light. Outdoor seating was also available. An array of foods was displayed behind glass (i.e. pizza, sandwiches, desserts). We ordered their cafe Americano and carrot cake both days. Coffee was good enough, dispensed from a machine. Carrot cake was also good, although expensive for its small size. Such is the price of convenience. read more
All looks but little substance unfortunately. At first glance this place is beautiful. It's big, it's clean, it has outdoor seating, indoor seating, and they even have food, pastries. Also, this is right across from the MFAH on Bissonnet so don't go by what google maps tells you. Customer service on the other hand is pretty bad. The person I was with was asking the kid taking the order whether some of their deserts were gluten free and the kid started acting weird and almost getting upset because it was such a hard question. It could have been as easy as "I'm sorry, I don't know, but I can ask my manager and get back with you!" but his reaction was just awkward. And then for me, on a 100 degree day, I asked for Iced Tea, after the person ahead of me got one and I was told "Sorry, that was the last one". This was around 5 PM and they close at 6 so I'd understand that if it was 15 minutes till closing and they didn't want to brew a whole new batch, but with another 50 minutes to go, they likely would have still sold a few more cups before closing and even if they didn't, at the prices they charge, even selling one cup of iced tea would have covered the cost of the big tea-bag they use for iced tea so if they had to throw a little out after closing, it'd just be a cost of doing business. I mean the place is cute so I probably will be back but they need to train their people better here. read more
We went looking for an Italian bakery in the area and found Café Leonelli. I did not get anything due to concerns of cross-contamination between the Hazelnut gelato and the Almond Croissant with other pastries. A very spacious, sun-lit café in the Museum of Fine Arts. Maps isn't going to help you getting here, since it's in the museum and parking is elsewhere. We parked on a Sunday afternoon on Main Street outside St. Paul's Methodist Church and walked over. There are two entrances to Café Leonelli: (1) from inside the museum itself, and (2) from the left side of the museum (facing it from Bissonnet Street) in a little walkway. The café prices are high, as anticipated by a restaurant for convenience inside of the museum. We sampled the butternut squash soup, which was a bit sweet; and the Tuscan soup, which was a bit salty. There are other sandwiches, hot foods, and pizza available for entrees. Coffee, tea, pastries, and gelato are also available. Complimentary water is available at multiple locations in the café, which is nice. read more
I found this cafe on TikTok after looking for a local place to "work from home" during the day. Turns out, it is connected to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFAH). I arrived at about 9:30AM and it was super quiet. I loved the lighting in this cafe, it was very bright and airy. I ordered an oat milk latte that was really good. Once lunchtime came around, the cafe became flooded with people (mostly museum visitors). Before the rush, I ended up trying the margherita pizza and the chicken Caesar salad. Both were just okay in my honest opinion, but not much is to be expected of cafe food. The menu is not very robust, it's just cafe food with an Italian style menu as there were lots of pizzas and bread, and a salad bar. It was quite limited in options. I really enjoyed working in this space before the lunch crowd rushed in, there are tall glass walls and I had a nice view of the museum statues and the street. I'd come back for a morning working session, but the lunch crowd was a bit too loud and hectic for me to work, so I left shortly thereafter. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
The flavors and textures of the Slice of Sausage and Rapini and Slice of Margherita, which I shared with my sister, were pretty good. You choose from the slices that are in the display case, then it goes into the oven to be heated up. The cheese is melted, and the dough gets crispy. They hand you the slices on plates while you're in the line, and then you pay at the register. The fennel seeds's flavor was apparent, and I like how the cheese had toasted. The mozzarella on the Margherita had softened enough to be enjoyable, while the tomato had a slight blistered edge. read more
This is a beautiful place and convenient for hanging out after visiting the MFAH. It was about 4 p.m. and they were already out of the tomato gnocchi soup. Mind you, they close at 6 p.m. Plus at $4.50 for a small cappuccino, they should have brown sugar available. If you're a member of the museum, you get a 15 percent discount. read more
A great museum café is part of the experience. Cafe Leonelli makes a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston even more satisfying. The menu ranges from satisfying hot entrées (salmon, potatoes, etc.) to soups, salads, and sandwiches. They have kid-friendly foods like cheese pizza, and also pizzas with flavorful toppings. For beverages, they have coffees, teas, and Italian sodas. There are self-service water carafes. For desserts, they have chocolatey brownies, as well as several flavors of gelato. As any good museum café should, the surroundings elevate the experience. You might think the light fixture is just a light fixture, but it's actually an installation: "Moon Dust" by Spencer Finch (2014). read more
This cafe was conveniently located within the Kinder building and had adequate outdoor dining tables. So, if you were visiting this museum, this is a great one stop shop. We had to go to the museum across the street, though. But, we decided to get a quick bite here first. We wanted something savory for this visit and settled on their mushroom and margherita focaccia breads. They were pretty good. They both had punchy flavors, but I wished they had put more sauce and toppings on the bread since they were quite pricey. They did have beverages available, but we opted for their sparkling water. It was ok. I wished they had Topo Chico. Oh well. Overall, I'm giving them a 3.5 stars for now. But, I do plan on trying out their desserts next time. They look delicious from the pictures. I'll have to give their coffee drinks a try too. read more
5 years ago
Café leonelli is it quaint, modern bistro, perfect for a snack or a lunch. They had a variety of sandwiches and salads and hot plates, as well as a European pastry case and gelato and sorbet. I ended up getting the mango passion sorbet and it was refreshing, tart, and berry smoothies. It is attached to the Kinder building, but you don't have to be visiting the museum to eat here. If you were an MFAH member you do get a discount, I think 10%. read more
Review #2 We have a Michelin star chef in the house Houston! Chef Jonathan Benno has an impressive resume. Working in San Fransisco and of course New York City. Yes he even worked along side Daniel Boulud!!! How's that Houston, Texas!! I was laughing tremendously because a Yelper compared Cafe Leonelli to Houston's Common Bond. I almost wet my pants. Y'all this is NOT EVEN remotely the same. Two totally different concepts. Isn't Common Bond French influenced? Cafe Leonelli is Italian influenced. Lord help us all with some of these Yelpers! Located directly across from the MFAH Sarfin building which actually seems if it is on Bissonnet, but the address seems to be on Main. Confusing. It is located in the MFAH Kinder building. Beautifully lit with wall to wall windows to let in natural light. Modern lights hang from the ceiling, with minimalistic decor. Remember this is a cafe, so prices are extremely reasonable. Food ranges from fresh pasta, baked pasted, porchetta sandwiches, salads, sweet breads and deliciously eye appealing pastries. I was excited to dine the first weekend after opening. Extremely exceptional service with a wonderful atmosphere. Order at the counter and the food will be brought to you. One side of ordering is strictly for sweet treats and the r other side order anything. It will make sense you get there. Remember MFAH receive a discount so be sure to show them your membership! read more
2 years ago
This cafeteria style cafe was set up in a way that some of the offerings were just as you walked in but had to turn the corner to read the menu and see the hot offerings. The options were plentiful but my veggie sandwich was just ok. The gelato was excellent. They had a lot of staff behind the counter but none clearing the garbage or self service bus pan. read more
Museum Cafes are usually best kept secrets with great lunch selections and coffee/snack/dessert options. Leonelli meets this billing. Quite busy on a Thursday afternoon around 1:30. Thursday is free for general admission so possibly why?- as well their reasonable prices We mixed it up with ordering lunch (Lasagna) and Dessert (Apricot Crostata Della Nonna) with a Cortado. Tasty lasagna with spinach and mix of beef/pork filling. I asked which pastry, Crostata or Babka? The Apricot was excellent with a good balance of fruit and cookie crumble. Will try the Babka next time. They had some sandwiches, flat breads as well ice cream. You line up to place your order and they bring your food/drinks to your table. Friendly people behind the counter, making the food and delivering to the tables. Plenty of windows and light in the dining area make for a pleasant experience. Work this spot into your MoFa visit! read more
Open, and minimalist decor makes this cafe feel clean, and welcoming. They have gelato, sorbets, pastries, desserts, breakfast options, as well as lunch. Breakfast is from 8-11 am, and lunch starts after 11am. I ordered the lemon meringue , and strawberry mascarpone pate choux. Loved the lightness of the pastry and the creams were just right and not too sweet. The cornetto (Italian croissant )breakfast sandwich was delicious. So flaky that I wanted to have more. I also got the dark chocolate babka. IT is my favourite from this place now. So many brioche layers with generous dark chocolate oozing with every fork stabs. Their flat breads are delicious too because they are made fresh daily. The ricotta and meatball, and margherita were just yum! So if you haven't had the chance, I'd recommend trying this place out before or after a museum visit, or just go for the food! read more
2 years ago
More on the pricey side of things, more than I would like. However, food is great! It's cafeteria style servings, meaning you go through a line, tell the staff what you want, and they hand it to you. The restaurant also has a super nice view of the street around it and is very well lit! I would suggest it if you're visiting the MFA. read more
4 years ago
This bistro is worth your time even if you're not going riders exhibit small bites done right .coolam dance great food. In the tunnel contacting the various buildings that comprise MFAH. It would be a first choice anywhere. Vegan choices are limited but they are there. Counter service with a menu as self-service is prompt and friendly the prices are what you except from this level of bistro read more
Cafe Leonelli is MFA's casual dining option (they offer a more expensive sit-down experience at nearby Jardiner). The cafe is bright and airy, with a variety of upscale lunch options, coffee drinks and ice cream. Before checking out the museum, I tried a cappuccino and chocolate croissant and they were both great. The croissant was truly the flakiest one I've ever had. After enjoying MFA's brilliant collection, I stopped by again for a slice of margarita flatbread and the tomato basil soup. They were both delicious as well! I finished my meal with a gelato and was content. Service is fast and friendly! read more
Well this is a cute new place in the MFAH. Prices are a little steep but the food was decent. My soup was way too salty and not enough basil to balance out the acidity of the soup. My nephew got a pizza which was on focaccia and delicious sun dried tomatoes. Might come back. Might not. read more
3 years ago
The food was good; light but still filling. I didn't get an authentic Italian taste but decent for sure, and I'm not a pastry gahl so I can't speak on the sweets here. It's in the museum (and the only food in the immediate/walkable area) so I feel like they have more than your avg rush hour depending on who's at the museum so be mindful of that. Service was service; you tell them what you want, they put it on the plate, and you slide with your dish. Clean for the most part, mainly parties leaving their tables sooner than staff and get to them and wipe down so get someone to snag somewhere for y'all to sit/have wiped off by time y'all check out. read more
3 years ago
Love the food here ! The gelato was very good once it has changed the quality is not the same sadly. Otherwise Great variety always fresh ingredients good quality on all other menu items.. read more
5 years ago
Thanks to the recommendation of our trusted friend Allen, we went to Cafe Leonelli today to have a marvelous cheat day from low-carb and sugar diet. The Cornetto is up there with the top-tier bakeries that Houston could offer. Everything else is excellent considering it's cafe-style dining. It's so nice that we ran into our beloved friends Jay, Irene, Abby, and Gregory at the cafe. After our brunch, we proceeded to visit all 3 MFAH buildings. I'm more impressed the architecture of the buildings and the surrounding sceneries than the exhibits itself. The European Arts in the Beck building is worth checking out, containing a few master's artwork. The general admission exhibition has not changed much since my last visit years ago. After the few hours of walking, we're back to Cafe Leonelli for Gelato and Popsicles. The day feels like a vacation to us, which we greatly appreciate. We will try Le Jardinier for my birthday at end of the year. read more
2 years ago
What a lovely and elegant place! We loved the sleek and modern interior design, the top notch service and friendly staff, and of course the scrumptious hot foods and delicate desserts. Hot Foods: -VEGETARIAN: it has roasted Lone Star Mushrooms, Homestead Gristmill polenta, braised broccoli rabe, Swiss chard & kale. All the ingredients are locally sourced, and it taste very very fresh and delicate. The polenta is just magnificent. It is creamy with perfect thickness, and has a very refreshing lemony taste to it, and it pairs so well with the roasted mushrooms. The mushrooms are out of the world good, it offers a delicious meaty flavor, paired with fresh vegetables, wow, you will love this dish even if you are not vegetarian. -PIZZA BIANCA and MARGHERITA Focaccia. It is chewy yet soft, crunchy and crusty on the edges. You can taste the fresh ingredients of the herbs and quality olive oil. I can eat this all day if I could. Dessert: -Brioche (strawberry and whipped cream): it not only looks adorable, but also taste delightful. -Bomboloni (raspberry): if you love tart dessert, then you will love this one. It offers a perfect combination of the tartness from the raspberry and sweetness from the dough. It has a generous amount of filling inside. -Croissant: buttery, flaky, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! I can't wait to come back to try the gelato and other hot foods. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
Decided to take a nice lunch break in museum district park for the day. Something different to get away from galleria for once. Modern decor inside and beautiful garden outdoor scenery whether you choose to dine inside or outside. Order the braised chicken leg with mushroom. Meat is super soft and juicy. Will fall off the bone. However feel like wine sauce lack some flavor. 3.5/5 Pepperoni focaccia was ok. 3/5 Other guest said sausage sweet pepper focaccia is better. Maybe try it next time. For dessert, we ordered strawberry and lemon pate a Choux. Reminds me of tiny cream puff pastry. Not to sweet or heavy. Just perfect. Strawberry flavor taste better fyi. 5/5 read more
2 years ago
I was so excited to try this new cafe at the MFAH that opened in mid April 2021! They have a pretty large menu, offering slices of focaccia with different toppings, sandwiches, pastas, and other hot food items on top of coffees, pastries, and ice cream. The space is beautiful with floor to ceiling windows and a massive light installation hanging from above. The margherita focaccia was so soft and pillowy, the eggplant Parmesan was very flavorful, and the desserts were light and not too heavy. The strawberry whipped cream brioche had a surprise strawberry cream center that was so yummy! You order and at the counter, and your food is brought to your table when ready. We easily found street parking on Montrose close by. I will say - it was quite busy during lunchtime, and that was on a weekday, so there may be more of a line on weekends- regardless, the line moved quickly and there wasn't a long wait for the food to come out. Can't wait to come back and sample more of their menu. read more
5 years ago
Cafe Leonelli or Commonbond? I choose Commonbond. This is a beautiful location and the staff is super friendly and helpful. There is a great variety of hot food, sandwiches, focaccia, soup and salad. Not to mention about gelato, pastries and cakes. I had the salmon and my son had the eggplant lasagna. I suspect the food was prepared ahead of time and being kept warm for a while rather than prepared at the time of ordering. The dishes were a bit dry. The dishes are on the expensive side. I think I will go back to Commonbond. read more
My new favorite cafe type of place, it reminds me a bit of cafeteria but fancy version. I've been for their lunch menu and breakfast pastries so far.Overall the food was great and pastries were delicious! It's a great spot for casual hang out and for a good food. read more
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