Art Meets Cuisine at Louise, the Restaurant at the Everson Museum of Art

Last updated on August 4, 2024.

I always say that I’m lucky to live in Syracuse. Our city has a sense of pride and is brimming with culture. We have an impressive food scene, notable architecture, world-class museums. Pretty great for a smaller city. And our culture just leveled up again with the introduction of Louise, the new restaurant at the Everson Museum of Art. This one-of-a-kind dining experience is like no other in the world. Why? Patrons get to dine on the actual pieces of art.

The café is a collaboration with the Everson Museum of Art, local restauranteur Danielle Mercuri Campolito, and artist/collector Louise Rosenfield.

About the Everson Museum of Art

The Everson Museum of Art is a true gem in the world of art museums, and one we are incredibly lucky to have in Syracuse. You may be surprised to learn that the Everson was the FIRST museum to…

… be dedicated to American art.

… have a permanent ceramics collection.

… collect video art.

… create a docent program.

Designed by world-renowned architect I. M. Pei, the Everson Museum of Art first opened in 1968. Today it remains a cornerstone of Syracuse, and the epicenter of both art and culture. And now cuisine as well.

Learn about the Festival of Trees, Everson’s annual holiday event.

Where did the idea for a restaurant at the Everson come from?

Meet Louise Rosenfield & The Rosenfield Collection

Louise was one of the people spearheading the concept for a new café at the Everson. As both an artist and a trustee of the museum, she is the perfect person to kickstart this project.

For years, Louise Rosenfield has been making and collecting pottery. And since she focuses on pieces that are functional, she’s even been using the pottery in her every day life. Yes, that includes eating and drinking with it.

Louise’s collection consists of over 4,000 pieces of pottery by over 1,000 different artists. It is all meticulously documented on a website for the Rosenfield Collection. Thus allowing anyone to learn more about each piece and the artist who made it.

But she can’t use all of the pieces on her own. So instead of allowing most of them to sit on shelves, she has donated over 3,000 pieces to the Everson for use in the new café named in her honor. Designed by architecture firm Milliøns, the café was featured in Architectural Digest as one of the “Discoveries of the Month” in July. Pieces from the collection that aren’t used for diners are on display in two beautiful, two-story glass display cases that flank the dining area.

About Danielle Mercuri Campolito

There are a handful of people, particularly women, whom I look up to in Syracuse. And one of those women is undoubtedly Danielle Mercuri Campolito. I’ve been in awe of Danielle’s contribution to the Syracuse food scene from the start. Back when Rise ‘N Shine Diner was a tiny breakfast spot on Thompson Road. And now? Now she oversees a handful of restaurants across the city: Rise ‘N Shine Diner, LaLa Lu, LODED, and Louise.

All of her restaurants fall under the Drēmer Group, every restaurant excels in aesthetics. Not only are the dishes both creative and photogenic, they are truly delicious. So it comes as no surprise that she was the perfect person to join the creation of the new restaurant at the Everson. Her experience of making food that is artistic both visually and tastefully deserves to be showcased.

Dining at Louise

Since its opening on July 24, visitors to the Everson now have the opportunity to dine at Louise. Located on the main floor of the museum, the space feels grander in size than it actually is. A handful of pastel-colored tables fill the dining area. These tables have been custom designed for the space and are able to be moved around to adjust for both individual and communal diners.

Guests order at the counter, choosing items from a quaint menu that is packed with flavor. When creating the menu for Louise, Danielle was up for a challenge. She knew she needed to highlight dishes that were approachable for the typical art museum crowd. But also dishes that were unique and creative. And of course, dishes she could make worthy of any magazine cover.

Louise’s menu contains 4 entrees, 4 tea cup sandwiches, and 3 salads. And the prices are affordable! My favorites? The Art Deco – a puff pastry filled with taco meat, beans, and cheese served with a side street corn pico de gallo and a cilantro crema. The Chicken Waldorf – a chicken salad sandwich made with grapes, apples, pecans, and celery with a chipotle aioli. And the Rose Dumplings – colorful, rose-shaped pork dumplings served in miso broth and topped with Thai basil.

While you’re at Louise, be sure to order a cup of hot tea. The tea cups and teapots are some of the best pieces of the Rosenfield collection! The café also serves coffee and soda.

Learn about your dishes

One of the best parts of dining at Louise is what makes it unlike any other restaurant in the world. Each piece of pottery has an NFC chip adhered to the bottom of it. So when you’re served your food, lift the plate, bowl, or cup to scan the chip with your phone. When you do so, it’ll pull up a website with information about that particular piece. You’ll also be able to learn more about the artist and their other pieces within the Rosenfield collection.