Food by Design

How dining at local museums is elevating the cultural experience.

 

Written by: Jen Karetnick

 

Some outstanding institutions in South Florida understand how integral the culinary arts are to the visual arts. At the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach and the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) in downtown Miami, the restaurants not only feed museum-goers with gastronomic aplomb, but also contribute to the overall eye appeal by virtue of their designs. In that regard, the restaurants share some similarities.

Both The Restaurant at the Norton and Verde at PAMM are run by the Constellation Culinary Group, which also manages several other capital organizations such as Carnegie Hall, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the New York Botanical Garden. Both are adjacent to sculpture gardens. At the Norton, diners can look through dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows while enjoying views of the Pamela and Robert B. Goergen Garden. At Verde, the indoor-outdoor space leads to the entrance of the museum’s sculpture garden; it also overlooks Biscayne Bay and Maurice A. Ferré Park. Both incorporate natural light and design materials that echo the museums’ ethos, including plenty of lush greenery—particularly at Verde, where innumerable plant species drop down from the ceiling.

Regardless of the parallels, each restaurant’s fare is as singular as the museum that houses it and is worth visiting for unique reasons. At 165 seats, The Restaurant at the Norton offers a variety of coastal-influenced, contemporary American fare for lunch and on Fridays for lunch and dinner. Sophisticated dishes incorporate local and seasonal ingredients and include “Heirloom Tomato & Burrata” with an heirloom tomato conserva, balsamic reduction, and basil oil; “Summer Corn Soup” with lemongrass, ginger, cilantro, and Old Bay popcorn; and “Roasted Salmon” with aji panca, quinoa cake, fennel & citrus salad, and fennel soubise.

Weekend brunch items add “handhelds” like the “Shrimp Tacos” with fresh blue corn tortillas, marinated shrimp, roasted salsa, crisp corn, crema, cotija cheese, and cilantro, and classic preparations such as Quiche Lorraine. Pair them with bottomless mimosas or Bloody Marys or a glass of bubbly from the stellar wine and cocktail program.

At Verde, the menu features a wide variety of flavorful items, ranging from heirloom “Yellow Tomato Gazpacho” with cucumber, bell pepper, smoked feta, and basil oil to “Memories of Ceviche,” where the leche de tigre incorporates cobia, drunken onion, corn, and micro cilantro, and is topped with green apple foam. Ample salads change seasonally, as do the homemade pizzas.

Like The Restaurant at The Norton, Verde also offers brunch and it boasts a robust craft cocktail and wine program. You can inquire about booking private events in each space. Otherwise, count on both restaurants’ availability for delectable, dependable service during business hours.

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