One of the joys of visiting a museum is taking refuge in their cafe. At the Smithsonian, flaky treats and lattes can be found on all levels. MoMa’s Café 2 goes one step further and offers a full service restaurant. This creature comfort hasn’t been available in Little Rhody, until now with the opening of Cafe Pearl at the RISD Museum. “Visitors have come to expect this kind of amenity at museums and until now it wasn’t something we’ve been able to provide,” says RISD Museum Director John W. Smith. “We really want people to stay as long as possible during their visits, so a cafe offers a place to relax and regroup. But we also wanted to create a hub for the community – a place where visitors, students and our neighbors could come together.”
Now, visitors are able to come together over cups of coffee from Providence-based Bolt Coffee Company. Smith was introduced to Brian Gibb, one of Bolt’s owners, soon after Bolt opened in the Dean Hotel. Gibb and Smith clicked right away, both understanding the vision for Cafe Pearl.
Cafe Pearl’s atmosphere is casual, blending right into the museum aesthetic it is surrounded by. Fittingly enough, local designers and RISD alums Ben and Aja Blanc designed the cafe after doing a lot of archival research. Smith describes it as “smart and sophisticated, but very comfortable.”
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