6 Art Gallery Cafés and Restaurants that are Open for Creative Dates

Denise Fernandez

Last updated 24 Mar 2024

Photo Credit: @jeni.durwin and @allanaalain on Instagram

Hit two birds with one stone on your next date by checking out these museum cafés and restaurants!

When looking for interesting places to go to for dates, museums or art galleries are always a good idea. Being surrounded by beautiful pieces isn’t just inspiring, but it’s also a great conversation starter, especially for couples fond of creativity. You can also amp up your artsy dates even further by heading to museums and galleries with restaurants—that way, you can lessen movement and contact amid an ongoing pandemic but still have a grand time and dine within the same area!

Thankfully, there are a number of museum cafes and restaurants near or a drive's distance from Metro Manila that make for cool and aesthetically-pleasing spots to enhance any couple’s regular date night. After all, who doesn’t love good art mixed with good food?

The following museum restaurants and cafés are open to serve guests and visitors this summer:

Sulyap Gallery Café (Laguna)
Pinto Art Museum and Café Rizal (Antipolo)
BenCab Museum and Café Sabel (Baguio)
Ayala Museum and M Café (Makati)
Art Circle Café (Quezon City)
Art Sector Gallery and Cafe (Antipolo)

1. Sulyap Gallery Café

If you and your significant other are in the mood for an extra romantic getaway not too far from Metro Manila, Laguna’s Sulyap Gallery Café has it all. Not only is it a restaurant and a mini art gallery, but it’s also a cozy boutique hotel for couples looking to stay the night. The establishment is set in an old Filipino-style house with a stunning courtyard, quaint gardens, and breezy hallways decorated with paintings, artifacts, and other items—ideal for an impromptu photo shoot, too!

Sulyap stays true to its local branding by serving modern Filipino cuisine, with specialties such as their Lechon Kawali, Bistek Tagalog, and Tinolang Manok na Tagalog.

Sulyap Gallery Café

Address: Cocoland Compound, Barangay, San Pablo City, 4000 Laguna
GCQ Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10AM-7PM
Contact Details: 0495455144, 049 5455141, 09171821483, Official Sulyap Website, Official Sulyap Facebook Page

2. Pinto Art Museum and Café Rizal

Antipolo’s Pinto Art Museum has always been a favorite spot for any art aficionado in the city. Its wide-open spaces and massive art collection set in a large setting make it easy for visitors to be socially distant and enjoy Antipolo’s cool weather. Additionally, Café Rizal, found in the museum’s premises, offers some refuge and fuel for those tired of exploring the location’s expanse.

The restaurant has a wide range of food items, from Italian and Mexican cuisine to French and Spanish. It is highly recommended by the staff to try their pizza and pasta.

Pinto Art Museum and Café Rizal

Address: 1 Sierra Madre St, Grand Heights Subdivision, Antipolo, 1870 Rizal
GCQ Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10AM-6PM
Contact Details: 633-0329 (Café Rizal), Official Pinto Facebook Page

3. BenCab Museum and Café Sabel

Baguio isn’t only known for its chilly climate, good food, and sweeping views. The summer capital of the Philippines also has a rich art scene thanks to the talent of local artists and indigenous communities. BenCab Museum is one of the best places to introduce you and your partner to it, with its multiple galleries filled with various pieces of art, from contemporary paintings to native crafts and sculptures.

Café Sabel, located on the ground floor, offers visitors a charming view of the forest below while they feast. The food is made from ingredients sourced from BenCab’s organic farm, so you can guarantee that your meals are going to be fresh. Guests will be delighted with the café’s best-selling Chicken Paprika, paired with hot chocolate for warm and cozy feelings. Alternatively, the Farm Fresh Green Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette is also a crowd-favorite for anyone looking for something healthier.

BenCab Museum and Café Sabel

Address: Km. 6 Asin Rd, Tuba, 2600 Benguet
GCQ Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9AM-6PM
Contact Details: (074) 442 7165, Official BenCab Facebook Page

4. Ayala Museum and M Café

For couples in search of an easy yet equally exciting date option in the city, Ayala Museum is always a good idea. Located in the heart of Metro Manila’s Central Business District, the museum offers an unlikely escape from all the busy malls and offices surrounding the area. Ayala Museum has a variety of galleries showcasing pieces from local artists, dioramas, as well as artifacts from ancient Filipino civilizations. Afterward, you could head over to M Café for some good coffee! Dine al fresco, have a little snack, and bask in Greenbelt’s charming park.

Ayala Museum and M Café

Address: Greenbelt Park, Makati Avenue, corner Dela Rosa Street, Ayala Center, Makati, Metro Manila
GCQ Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9AM-6PM
Contact Details: (02) 7759 8288, Official Ayala Museum Facebook Page

5. ArtSector Gallery and Café

Having just opened in late 2019, ArtSector Gallery and Chimney Café 360 are fairly new establishments designed by Antonio Leaño, the same designer behind everyone’s favorite Pinto Art Museum. This 5-storey building houses a humble museum filled with work by Filipino artists such as paintings, sculptures, mixed media pieces, and more. Up on the fourth and fifth floors, you have a roof deck and a 360-degree rooftop that’ll allow visitors to have unobstructed views of Laguna Lake, Sierra Madre, the Pililia Windmills, and of course, Metro Manila. When you decide to dine at Chimney Café 360, don’t miss out on their best-selling Pizza Margherita, Kani Salad, and Pesto Pasta.

ArtSector Gallery and Chimney Café 360

Address: Lot 18 Block 178 Eastridge Executive Village, Tayuman 1940 Binangonan, Rizal
GCQ Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 1:30PM-8:30PM
Contact Details: Official Art Sector Facebook Page

6. Art Circle Café

Another gallery-restaurant option to visit within Metro Manila is Art Circle Café. Found in the premises of the University of the Philippines-Diliman (it has other branches but this one is the most well-known), the Café is an extension of Art Circle Gallery, only with family-favorite comfort food and coffee sourced from various local provinces. Diners can eat al fresco and feast on their meals while surrounded by works and pieces by the finest of Filipino artists. Pre-pandemic, the Café was also a venue for different events celebrating local art forms, covering music, dance, literature, and more.

Art Circle Café

Address: G/F Ang Bahay ng Alumni Bldg. Magsaysay Ave. UP Campus, Diliman QC 1101 Quezon City
GCQ Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8AM-6PM; Friday to Sunday, 8AM-7PM
Contact Details: 275335215, Official Art Circle Cafe Facebook Page