Current Menus:

Lunch Menu (PDF)

Dessert Menu (PDF)

Sample Thematic Menus

Edible Nasturtiums Menu (PDF)

Come for the visual arts, indulge in the culinary…

The Gardner Café offers an inspired lunch menu and award-winning desserts – including a seasonal bread pudding named “Boston’s Best Indulgence” by the Improper Bostonian – Tuesday through Sunday in an intimate indoor and (seasonal) outdoor garden setting.

The Café is also open on the third Thursday evening of every month, serving up a small plates menu, delectable signature cocktails, and more at the museum’s monthly Gardner After Hours events.

The Café’s menu changes regularly, revolving around seasonal ingredients and creative inspiration – ranging from edible nasturtium blossoms in honor of April’s Hanging Nasturtiums garden display to thematic offerings tied to the latest exhibition or aspects of the historic collection.

Chef Peter Crowley has been serving up the culinary arts at the museum since March 2002. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Crowley has earned accolades from the media and patrons alike for his innovative and elegant culinary delights. 

The Gardner Café accepts reservations. Please note that, on Sundays, reservations are accepted for the 11:00am and 11:30am seatings only.

The Gardner Café accepts cash and all major credit cards.

Café Hours
Tuesday-Friday, 11:30 am to 4 pm
Saturday and Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm
Third Thursday Evenings (during Gardner After Hours), 5:30 to 8:30pm
Closed Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day

Telephone: 617 566 1088

Praise for The Gardner Café

“The menu is exceptional.” – The Boston Globe

“If you’re going to ingest unnecessary calories, you might as well make it a completely sensory experience and do it in a truly sybaritic setting. The courtyard café at the Gardner Museum offers delicious food in general, but the gorgeous surrounds seem especially appropriate for the decadence of dessert. The bread pudding earns audible moans of ecstasy, with flavors that change seasonally.” – Improper Bostonian, “Boston’s Best” issue

“The exhibitions at the museum change frequently…and Gardner Café chef/owner Peter Crowley does his best to keep pace, changing the menu just as frequently, and often in thematic connection.” – Arrive Magazine