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At Cafe Leonelli, the rich traditions of Italian focacceria and pasticcerie shops come alive, and the timeless art of Italian baking melds seamlessly with modern culinary artistry. Led by The Bastion Collection’s Michelin-starred team and Executive Pastry Chef, Salvatore Martone hailing from Naples, Cafe Leonelli at the Museum of Fine Arts draws inspiration from bakeries and pastry shops of Italy. Cafe Leonelli has a deep respect for Italian culinary tradition while being inspired to bring something new to the table—something that reflects the nearby community with authentic Italian food made from local ingredients.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 5500 Main St, Houston, TX 77004
Phone: (713) 714-3014
Website: https://www.cafeleonelli.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Order: Order online
Photo Gallery
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Reviews
Two Peas
We go here all the time for lunch .. The must have done alittle hiring.. The new guy was such a breathe of fresh air.. so nice made us feel right at home thank you.. I hope I get his name right ” Roger” or Rodrick
… moreKevin Wang
Poor quality coffee and service in a nice environment
Visited a weekend afternoon and tried their coffee, which is served in paper cups…. They charge specialty coffee prices and while the art museum decor matches, the service and coffee is poor and mediocre.
It’s a convenient place to grab coffee and food if you’re visiting the museum though.
… moreVisited a weekend afternoon and tried their coffee, which is served in paper cups…. They charge specialty coffee prices and while the art museum decor matches, the service and coffee is poor and mediocre.
It’s a convenient place to grab coffee and food if you’re visiting the museum though.
Sarah Lee
The food here is simply microwaved when you order and the pizza is $4-$7 a slice but all of the staff is super helpful. Don’t eat here and think you’ll be able to see the rest of the gallery with leftovers. They are super strict about it in the beck building specifically.
… moreMelba Yankovich
I really dislike this place. My SO and I like to spend a rainy day at museums. Since we live in Houston, this is really our only option for spending all day at a museum, including lunch. This place is so very over priced. The menu is very limited. The service has improved since it first opened. At first it was rude, now it is merely indifferent. I always feel that the staff is annoyed that I’m interrupting their day.
But my real complaint about Cafe Leonelli is the menu. The menu is limited to pizza at $7.50 a slice, hot entrees which never look appetizing and sandwiches which are 4 inches of bread and 1/4 inch of filling. I would much rather have a grab and go sandwich from the airport. They are tastier and a better value.
I have been here over a dozen times and will probably go again in the next few weeks, since we planning another museum day. I miss having Cafe Express as the museum cafe. The menu and prices were so much better. Cafe Leonelli was obviously selected by the rich out-of-touch museum board. Why else would the museum food options include a Michelin star restaurant, but not a place where you can get a decent sandwich.
… moreBut my real complaint about Cafe Leonelli is the menu. The menu is limited to pizza at $7.50 a slice, hot entrees which never look appetizing and sandwiches which are 4 inches of bread and 1/4 inch of filling. I would much rather have a grab and go sandwich from the airport. They are tastier and a better value.
I have been here over a dozen times and will probably go again in the next few weeks, since we planning another museum day. I miss having Cafe Express as the museum cafe. The menu and prices were so much better. Cafe Leonelli was obviously selected by the rich out-of-touch museum board. Why else would the museum food options include a Michelin star restaurant, but not a place where you can get a decent sandwich.
Stan Moskowitz
As I approached the register a young woman was complaining about her cold brew. I offered to buy that so it wouldn’t be wasted. No. They threw it in the trash. I ordered a cold brew and paid. The cashier went to prepare it but no cold brew was available. I was given an Americano on ice. I wanted sugar but was told none was available! I wanted a napkin but the dispenser was empty. Hardly the service I expected from an establishment at the MFAH.
… morePadchy K.
Cafe part of Houston fine art museum with coffee, sanwiches,cake and ice-cream. Space is spacious with white color decoration and with glass window. I order americano and carrot cake. Americano tastes great. Carrot cake is good although too sweet from what I prefer. I had a good time there.
… moreJi Yeon Lee
I stopped by Cafe Leonelli this morning and noticed that a staff member named Robin was helping an elderly customer with exceptional kindness and respect. She guided him to a table and brought his food over to him. It is rare to see such warm and respectful treatment of elderly customers in the States, and I was truly impressed. She deserves to be a model for all employees.
… moreLú Monteiro
What a great addition to The Museum of Fine Arts! Had the pleasure to attend the soft opening and the food is delicious! The Salmon was delicious and flaky interior, as a side dish I had the Roasted Lone Star Mushrooms and it was cooked to perfection! Let’s talk about desserts: there are many exquisite pastries to explore there. The quality is outstanding and I can’t wait to go back to try the homemade ice cream as well. The team is very friendly and attentive. Strongly recommend!
… moreCitlahli Villegas
Café Leonelli is a family favorite of ours!
Been here more times than I can count…
My personal favorite item of theirs is the lemon tart
My mom and I have had lots of great conversations here.
This place is a good area to work if you use a laptop/ work remotely. (As she does, usually when it’s quieter, or before a crowd)
I recommend their Salmon Platter for dinner.
If you want something lighter, they have delicious butternut squash soup.
Obviously they have a great dessert selection. Ranging from fruit tarts to gelato
If you have a child attending the Glassell, and need to find a place to relax while waiting for them to get out of class, Leonelli is the place for you!
… moreBeen here more times than I can count…
My personal favorite item of theirs is the lemon tart
My mom and I have had lots of great conversations here.
This place is a good area to work if you use a laptop/ work remotely. (As she does, usually when it’s quieter, or before a crowd)
I recommend their Salmon Platter for dinner.
If you want something lighter, they have delicious butternut squash soup.
Obviously they have a great dessert selection. Ranging from fruit tarts to gelato
If you have a child attending the Glassell, and need to find a place to relax while waiting for them to get out of class, Leonelli is the place for you!
JH Kim
After enjoying the museum’s beautiful exhibitions, I stopped by Café Leonelli in a great mood and ordered the Lasagna Bolognese with an iced Americano. Unfortunately, everything changed the moment I received my food.
The lasagna I was given was shockingly small, especially when compared to the plates I saw other customers receive.
The portion looked to be about half the size of what others were served.
I’m not someone who eats a lot, but even after finishing the entire dish, I was still hungry that’s how little it was.
Honestly, it didn’t even seem like a proper, intentional dish from a café.
It looked more like scraps thrown together, not something that should be sold as a main.
To make matters worse, the plating was incredibly sloppy.
It genuinely looked like someone just scooped whatever was left in the pan and dropped it on the plate with no care whatsoever.
I’ve never received something so carelessly presented at a restaurant before.
It felt rushed, lazy, and frankly, disrespectful to me as a customer.
What made the situation worse was that the person who took my order and the person who scooped and handed me the lasagna were different, yet neither of them seemed to notice — or care — how unacceptably small and poorly presented it was.
When the staff member gave me the plate and we briefly made eye contact, I felt an uncomfortable, unsettling vibe that hasn’t left me since.
As an Asian woman dining alone, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was being dismissed or treated differently.
I sincerely hope that wasn’t the case, but the experience left me deeply disappointed and honestly, offended.
I paid $12 for this, and receiving something so incomplete and thoughtlessly prepared was completely unacceptable.
This restaurant clearly needs to retrain its staff.
Every customer whether dining alone, a minority, or otherwise deserves to be treated with fairness and respect.
This wasn’t just a disappointing meal it left me feeling angry and disrespected,
and I truly hope no one else has to go through the same experience.
… moreThe lasagna I was given was shockingly small, especially when compared to the plates I saw other customers receive.
The portion looked to be about half the size of what others were served.
I’m not someone who eats a lot, but even after finishing the entire dish, I was still hungry that’s how little it was.
Honestly, it didn’t even seem like a proper, intentional dish from a café.
It looked more like scraps thrown together, not something that should be sold as a main.
To make matters worse, the plating was incredibly sloppy.
It genuinely looked like someone just scooped whatever was left in the pan and dropped it on the plate with no care whatsoever.
I’ve never received something so carelessly presented at a restaurant before.
It felt rushed, lazy, and frankly, disrespectful to me as a customer.
What made the situation worse was that the person who took my order and the person who scooped and handed me the lasagna were different, yet neither of them seemed to notice — or care — how unacceptably small and poorly presented it was.
When the staff member gave me the plate and we briefly made eye contact, I felt an uncomfortable, unsettling vibe that hasn’t left me since.
As an Asian woman dining alone, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was being dismissed or treated differently.
I sincerely hope that wasn’t the case, but the experience left me deeply disappointed and honestly, offended.
I paid $12 for this, and receiving something so incomplete and thoughtlessly prepared was completely unacceptable.
This restaurant clearly needs to retrain its staff.
Every customer whether dining alone, a minority, or otherwise deserves to be treated with fairness and respect.
This wasn’t just a disappointing meal it left me feeling angry and disrespected,
and I truly hope no one else has to go through the same experience.