I allowed myself only half a day around the Carnegie-Mellon campus in Oakland. That encompassed walking through the mammoth Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History and over to the endless greenhouses of the Phipps Conservatory. I had a long road trip to Connellsville ahead of me, so I needed something to tie me over. Lacking time to explore the neighborhood, I stopped here. There's a formal dining area, but I had no intention of a sit-down experience because I spontaneously decided to add a stop at the Duquesne Incline before Connellsville. Ambitious, ain't I? I went as far as the front lounge already crowded with Sondheim's Ladies Who Lunch. I picked out a $5 slice of Banana Bread and ordered the $4.25 Latte (Photo 3). Both met my immediate needs. Gotta go! FOOD / COFFEE - 3 stars...serviceable nourishment AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...very much part of the museum SERVICE - 3 stars...reasonably reasonable TOTAL - 3 stars...convenient cafe stop RELATED - Exploring Pittsburgh? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/z7zBJHi1MD read more

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I've been to the cafe many times, first review. This is a very nice spot for lunch in Oakland. You don't have to enter the museum. The food is excellent. Today I had the salmon salad. It was excellent. The salmon was perfectly cooked with a nice crispy crust. The salad included olives, tomatoes, green beans, and thinly sliced potatoes. And it was perfectly dressed. This is one of my go to spots for a nice sit down lunch in Oakland! read more

The Café Carnegie - Salmon salad - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A sweet little cafe with a restaurant attached. Comfortable chairs, nice atmosphere, good tea and hot chocolate. The rice crisps are one of the best I ate. Do recommend, even if you aren't visiting the museum. read more

The Café Carnegie - Outside - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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We had a wonderful experience at Carnegie Café inside the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh. The natural light in the café is beautiful and makes it such a relaxing place to take a break during your visit. The food was absolutely delicious -- fresh, well-prepared, and thoughtfully done. What really made the experience exceptional was our server, Caden. He was attentive, friendly, and genuinely made us feel like family. Between the atmosphere, the food, and the service, it was a fantastic stop and one we'll definitely return to. read more

Nice space to sit for a meal in the museum and right inside from the fountain plaza. Lots of natural light. They do have some outdoor seating though on the day I came it was 90 degrees so we basked in the air conditioning instead. I came here for lunch with a friend during the work day but it would also be convenient for lunch during a long day at the museum. They do take reservations but they also had plenty of space on a Friday during lunch hour. We both got the club sandwich, which I'd say was very satisfying. It had some avocado and light mayo spread which kept things nice and moist going down. Plenty of bacon for lots of flavor. It came with a very generous portion of fries (I could not eat them all and even if I could they were quite salty). Plenty of food for lunch. The menu is on the small side; just a few sandwiches and other lunch sized plates. I would say everything is $2-3 more than I would expect (my club sandwich was $17). Let's call it a convenience markup for having lunch at the museum. I think they do offer a small discount for museum members. read more

The Café Carnegie - Club Sandwich - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Cafe Carnegie is located inside the Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History. It has a coffee and wine bar as well as a restaurant dining area. Please see my attached photos for the lunch menu in April 2024. The seating hostess promptly seated me at a small table that overlooked outdoor water fountains. My waitress provided very timely and courteous service. I ordered the butternut-squash soup, the wild-mushroom focaccia (not many mushrooms), and the London lemonade (more sour and bitter than regular lemonade), each of which tasted good and I rate as 4 stars. Tips: The dress code appears to be casual. (I was wearing jeans, a sweatshirt, and sneakers.) Some previous Yelp reviews had recommended making reservations, so I made a reservation through OpenTable. For my lunch at 11 AM, which is the restaurant's opening time, most tables were empty. Perhaps the restaurant is busier later in the day. read more

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Two friends and I stopped by yesterday at 1:30pm for lunch before going to the museums. The place was hopping for a Monday and I was glad I made reservations! The ambiance is quite nice but not stuffy or formal. Our serve Jamie was lovely and encouraged us to get drinks stating it was "Monday Funday" which I thought was hilarious. I really enjoyed croque madame and had no complaints. My friend wished his gnocchi was bigger and my other friend enjoyed his schnitzel but noted the chicken was closer to fried chicken versus an actual schnitzel. I got 10% off the bill as a museum member which is a nice perk. Overall, would go again! read more

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I enjoyed this little cafe tucked into the side of the Museum entrance. It's a beautiful little cafe with a decent selection. The service was great and I ordered a hot chocolate with oat milk and banana bread. Everything was good and served quickly but I wish the hot chocolate was more chocolate. Overall a solid cafe option! read more

The Café Carnegie - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I enjoy the aesthetics of the seating area and dinner with a group. I have been there before for breakfast. You. I had help from multiple servers. My order came out pretty quick. I enjoyed a cider drink and turkey club sandwich. read more

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Not very busy. Ordered an oat milk cappuccino and latte. Good service, came out quick. Prices were fair, especially for a museum cafe. Cute decorations and lighting. The foam on the cappuccino was solid!! read more

The Café Carnegie - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Wish there would be a no star option. horrible food, misleading menu. If you expect baked egg meal, you'll get a tomato soup with floating marinated tomatoes, literally three beans of lentil and undercooked egg that will eventually break into a cold tomato soup. Brrrr... A bad joke for $18 bucks read more

Nice place to work, have a meeting, people watch, and oh yeah, grab a bite to eat. The menu offers many tempting small and large plates. I had the watermelon salad (gone too quickly to snap a pic), which was delicious and gluten free but not enough for lunch, so I got a scone for dessert. There is indoor and outdoor dining, and indoors there is cafe and restaurant seating (the latter takes reservations and has table service). Free wifi and gender-segregated restrooms in the museum lobby, but parking is steep in the museum lot/garage (a flat $10--I think it used to be $3). read more

The Café Carnegie - Scone - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I ordered a "hot chocolate". The hot chocolate was cold. I asked the lady who was wearing a cat ear headband if she can warm it up a bit more. She immediately turned red and started shouting at me. All the customers even looked. Not sure what made her out of control but anyways her behavior was unacceptable. It was a cold day today and I wanted to warm up. She couldn't even give me the new drink for me, her coworker had to remake it. Please stay calm in the future when dealing with problems. read more

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I went here on a Thursday night to try out their dinner menu. I believe they only have the dinner menu available on Thursdays. The food was very good! I like the quality of the ingredients that were used. Also I found it interesting that they gave me a metal straw instead of a plastic one for environmental reasons. Overall the cafe was an enjoyable experience! read more

Had the salad with field greens, apples, cranberries, and nuts, and it was outstanding. Excellent food and service!

We arrived about 10 minutes before closing and they allowed to seat us - which was so nice! My mom and I both got a glass of Riesling and the club sandwich to make it easy on the kitchen. It was simple, but tasty! It was NOT dry and often club sandwiches can be. Pleasant surprise! Would come back next time visiting the museum. read more

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Aa soon as you enter the museum this place will be to your left! Ok first of all come here for the coffeeee only! It is strong and delicious! Im a big coffee person and this coffee was amazing!! read more

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It was fine. The best part was the environment- the seating area was spacious, the lighting choices were cool, and it was calming to be seated inside while watching the rain outside. That being said, I came for the croque madame and got the saddest looking thing. It all tasted fine (you can't mess up an egg, bread, ham, and cheese) but wasn't worth the price. Definitely an experience I'm glad I checked off my Pittsburgh list but I may just come coffee next time. read more

The Café Carnegie - Croque madame with side salad - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

First time visiting. I don't usually write review. But this time. I have to. I don't know how they manage this a beautiful restaurant inside of a beautiful museum. The food is terrible. I ordered Rigatoni with lamb and it made with Penne. Didn't complain. I don't think the chef knows the differences. No taste at all. Ravioli dish is 2 out of 5. Turkey sandwich is better at the deli NYC. Hope they improve some point. read more

Mayra and Lillian are THE BEST baristas around. My cappuccino was IMPECCABLE, the fresh muffin was outstanding, and the burger was perfection. The customer service, atmosphere, ease of access, and overall location make this a spot you want to stop by. Could not recommend this cafe more, you will not be disappointed(especially if Mayra and Lillian are here). read more

The Café Carnegie - White chocolate macadamia nut muffin(made fresh in house) and an oat-milk cappuccino with an extra shot of espresso and lavender. - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This place is soooo pretty and has a very modern/contemporary feel to it. There's plenty of seating that is super comfortable and the cafe has an overall fancier ambiance than you'd expect from a cafe (great for casual meetings, but also business meetings or more formal meetings). They also give you your coffee in a glass cup which enhances the experience! I got the iced mocha and it was really good. Tasted great and also looked beautiful! Highly recommend stopping by! read more

The Café Carnegie - Iced mocha latte with oat milk - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Excellent, friendly service. The deviled eggs were wonderful. The bean and kale soup very bland, not so good. But I'll definitely go back for the eggs and try some other things. read more

This is only getting 2 stars because of the service and the attitude of the bartender/barista. The bar area was open and a three top was available. We got in line to order a coffee and a meal and the barista huffed and said "if you're going to eat go into the dining area." And I said "is this three top not available?" To which she rudely said "look if you're going to eat just go sit in there because they make $2 and I make $9." I was floored. So we went to the hostess stand and waited 10 min. Once we finally were sat it was at least another 5-10 before our server came. After that whole debacle, the meal ran relatively smoothly. I had the bocadilla and it was so amazing! A quiche on homemade bread essentially. I want to give them a redemption round so I'll be back. read more

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Cafe Carnegie is an elegant restaurant in the lobby of the Carnegie Museum of Art. The seating is comfortable and inviting and the staff is professional. 10/10 for ambiance. The food, however, was mediocre and overpriced. I ordered the tomato and fennel soup, which was comparable to Campbell's. The soup was acidic and unbalanced. My main course, the lamb ragu, wasn't much better. The lamb was under seasoned and the polenta was over cooked and soggy. The chocolate moose dessert was firm, stale and laughably small. On my final bill, I was also overcharged. read more

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Go for the atmosphere! The food is hit or miss... I stick to the salads, which are great. The service is slowish BUT they are attentive. Definitely better than most museum food! read more

Located at far end of the ground floor of CMOA, this cafe is an extension of the talent of art to be experienced. The culinary arts. I have of course seen the cafe many times as you can see it from the ticket counter of CMOA but I never had the pleasure to sample its delights on any of my museum visits. Note, you don't need an admission ticket to eat at the cafe but currently you do need to wear a mask as you have to enter the cafe from the museum. A friend and I decided to make a special trip to the cafe only for brunch on a Autumn Sunday. The weather had just turned cool for the season so we opted for an inside table. But we were sat by a table near the doors used by serving staff to wait on the outdoor tables so we'd unfortunately get a gust of the cold air a few times during our visit. Next time, I make a reservation I'll request a different area of the restaurant. The tables were socially distanced which I appreciated. Our reservation was for 12:15 and I'd say the restaurant was half full with an older crowd probably because of the price point. The elevated food offerings were worth every penny. While not the most filling meal, every bite was savored. I ordered the smoked salmon tartine. The flavors were spot on. The soft scrambled eggs with herbs prepared perfectly were divine. My dining companion ordered my second choice, Croque Madame. The mornay is a béchamel sauce. Ham and cheese that melts in your mouth delicious. We knew portions would likely be small even if listed under Large plate section of the menu, so we ordered the seasonal cinnamon rolls drizzled with maple cream cheese sauce as a shared two mini rolls each. Kudos to the pastry chef for her/his biscuit-like take on these sweet treats. We also ordered from the coffee bar menu who partner with local Commonplace Coffee. My friend enjoyed the almond mocha from the seasonal specialty drink offerings. And I was excited for my first hot chocolate of the season so my expectations were too high. If I had a do-over, I'd have gone with my usual hot tea beverage choice. We had a very friendly server and a shoutout to the hostess who was attentive to us while we waited for our server to greet us. There are two other places in Oakland that I hold in high regard for elevated brunches and somehow Cafe Carnegie even topped both of them. read more

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We had a good meal at Cafe Carnegie, but I feel there is room for improvement. The cheese plate was a bit puzzling, although the Pirate Blue is outstanding, I'm not sure why the Feta cheese was included. The Eggplant Parmesan was really excellent, I would definitely order this again. The Burrata with heirloom tomatoes was excellent. The service could be improved, for example, our server did not know much of anything about the cheese plate. I'm a huge fan of Sonja Finn, and she has brought things to a much higher level, perhaps she will bring more changes for the better. read more

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We were starving after exploring the natural history museum and seeing all of the fascinating exhibits that they had to offer, so we decided to stop at the Cafe Carnegie for a quick bite to eat. The menu was a little pricey for a cafe, but it was right about lunch time so we opted to go for the gnocchi that was served with mushrooms, pancetta, and peas. For a $16 dish, the portion was really small which was a little disappointing. Even though some of the ingredients were of higher quality, my girlfriend and I both felt as if there could've been more substance. We had also ordered a coffee on our way out from the museum. We got an iced caramel latte and it was the grainiest tasting coffee I have ever had and wasn't mixed, so the first sip was straight syrup! I would be definitely interested in coming back here to give it another shot though, but unfortunately we did not have the best first experience. read more

The Café Carnegie - Gnocchi - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I have mixed feelings about The Café Carnegie. It is an absolutely beautiful place to visit for breakfast or lunch and it's a refreshing alternative to the other options on S Craig Street. Pros: An incredible option for a coffee meeting with a colleague or business prospect during the week. The coffee prices are average and they have some tasty options including their nitro cold brew. This is a great alternative to the small Starbucks that is close by. It can be quiet here before lunch, so it's also a great place to have a coffee and get some work done or study. Cons: Not the best lunch casual lunch option. The prices are steep and the portions are small. The food is good, but it's not great enough to justify the high cost. If you are looking for a more formal place to meet a business prospect it can be a great option, but it's not great when you're really hungry and not looking to spend a chunk of change for lunch. Overall, I really do love the Café Carnegie as a place to meet people and have coffee. Maybe I will try it out for lunch another time, but for now I am sticking with the coffee read more

I've eaten here a few times and have seen lots of change; for the better. The quality of the food and service have progressively improved over the years. Brunch as of late has been fresh and tasty. And nothing beats a cocktail with brunch. By far the French Toast has to be my favorite. Packed with delicious fruits and toppings. I've had a couple of sandwiches here that were kinda subpar and for that the star rating is lower than I'd like to be able to give. read more

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The cafe has been upgraded since I was last in the museum! I attended an evening event there and also stopped in for a coffee meeting mid-morning one day recently. The space is beautiful and the barista was very friendly! I went with tea - they had a very good selection - and the space is perfect for a meeting with 1 or many people. The evening event allowed me to taste a few different options from the menu. My sister loved the oysters (not something I'll try) - she said everyone should experience them! With a great selection on the menu, I'm excited to stop back in and see what else is good! read more

The Café Carnegie - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

If I could rate this a zero, I would. The whole experience(minus the atmosphere) was lackadaisical. The service was slow and inattentive. We ordered drinks and some of us didn't even get them until we were nearly through with our meal. The Zucchini and Bell Pepper Torta was void of any flavor. The cafe burger was over cooked to the point that it resembled a hockey puck and the bun was twice the size of the actual patty. The aioli and cheese were nearly undetectable which had for an extremely dry bland burger. The Uccellini Scappati tasted like a watered down potato soup. The kids hotdog was in a bun that was so stale it was like styrofoam and the grilled cheese was as hard as a rock. And to finish it off one of our dishes of vanilla ice cream came out half melted and with two fruit flies nestled neatly in. read more

After a really nice morning in the museum, a trip to the cafe was just as nice. I enjoyed the lunch. Everything was tasty and fresh! Our sever was very friendly and accommodating to our granddaughter. I enjoyed the fresh salad and cheese platter. It is a little pricey for a small menu, but well worth it. Highly recommended!! read more

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Decent iced vanilla lattes and espresso cups. It was very busy at lunch when we got there but we were able to get a table fairly quickly. If you don't want a formal meal, you can order some food at the café and seat yourself which is what we ended up doing. Not completely blown away by the food, it was pretty average for the most part. I had the green pea parmesan gnocchi and my partner had the burger. The gnocchi was fairly dry and small in portion, I was pretty hungry still afterwards. The burger was average in size and in taste but the fries were pretty crispy and good. In summary, convenient for a quick bite while you are exploring the museums however your money is probably better spent at one of the surrounding food places outside the museum. read more

I have to agree with Megan Z., when she said this place has one of the worst Club Sandwiches ever. I was having trouble deciding what to order for lunch, and our server said "You can't go wrong with a Club Sandwich," so I took her advice, but YES, you CAN go wrong if you order that sandwich. Like Megan said, it wasn't toasted, and the bread was stale. I really thought it was very meh, especially for $15. Thankfully, the French Fries were decent, but still, the sandwich was not very inspiring at all. I would've given this review two stars based on the sandwich alone, but they earned one more star for my wife's dish. She had the Jamison Farm Lamb Ragu, which was listed at $18 on the menu. It was a little better than my sandwich, but still just O.K. I tasted it, and it was fairly bland and not seasoned well. Also, when we got the bill, the lamb was priced at $19 instead of $18 (Not really the biggest of deals, but it's the principle of the matter that the menu and actual price were inconsistent). This place could do a lot better . . . if I was Chef Sonja Finn, I would be embarrassed to have my name associated with that Club Sandwich. No Cheers for this visit. read more

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The Carnegie Museum is a must-do in Pittsburgh. I was pleased to discover that the museum has invested in a quality restaurant for patrons. My family and I visited last month on a Sunday afternoon for lunch. We were lucky to snag a table with very little wait. The interior is beautiful and looks out over Forbes Ave with some amazing architecture in view. We tried a good variety of dishes including: cinnamon buns and deviled eggs to start. Both apps were good, but I preferred the creamy eggs. Entrees included: seafood crepes gratin - savory and fresh; shrimp rolls; and the chicken snitzel - hearty comfort food with curried potatoes. Our server, Grace, helped to make the experience better and made some good suggestions for us to consider. Happy with our visit, and will return next time. read more

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I gave the server a tip of $3. My credit card company informed me I was put down for a generous $10, or more than 55%. So I'm giving this restaurant a generous one star, and urging you to pay cash if you must, and avoid it altogether if you can. read more

The Cafe Carnegie is a separate entity from the museum. It is laid out nicely but can be very costly when you are having lunch. They also have a coffee and full bar on site as well. It is usually best to make a reservation since the place gets fairly crowded over the lunch hour. I had one and was deciding whether I wanted to go with a salad or panini. They are now full table service. They serve brunch on the weekends. I opted for the latter and had the grilled zucchini panini with avocado, mozzarella, and other things on their homemade sourdough bread. I had read that all their sandwiches are made with homemade bread. The sandwiches with the exception of one all come with an order of French Fries. I got my order and noticed it was slightly burnt along the edges but it didn't stop me from eating it. It actually didn't seem to have much of a flavor nevertheless I found it very filling. I really on the other hand enjoyed the French fries that went with it. The waitress staff were both friendly and helpful. This is an okay business for one or two people having lunch but if you are bringing a family it can get pretty costly and there are very few items on it for kids. I believe the museums have another cafe in the basement which is supposed to be more family friendly but I have not had an opportunity to check it out. read more

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Rude slow staff and as I wanted to end my museum day with others Wendy refused to pour us a drink at exactly 429 because the alcohol cut off is 430. I had been standing there for 5m watching her talk on the phone. Not a great welcome to my first time in Pittsburgh and the museum that is trying to compete with art cities. read more

This is a very cute café setting, with an upscale twist to it. It seems very nice for a lunch date or girlfriends happy hour. The prices are a bit higher and small portions, as was described not to make you so full that you cannot stay awoke while walking around in the museum. Stay woke!!!! I tried the deviled eggs, oysters, and watermelon and olive kabob. The deviled eggs are so delicious and definitely a must try! The watermelon and olive kabob was tasty as well. Oysters, meh! The biggest gripe that I had were the drinks. I tried the Sangria and a gin that appeared herbal aromatic. Both did not have any sweetness to it. So I didn't care for that too much, especially with the Sangria. However, the gin was pretty good. I enjoyed the aromatherapy of it--very soothing and relaxing. This is probably not a place that I would frequent because it is not exactly my style. But I probably will pop in if I just so happen to be at the museum. read more

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