Camellia Court Cafe

1080 SW 11th St
(inside the Harn Museum on the bottom floor)
The Camellia Court Café is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Café is open until 9 p.m. for Museum Nights and until 7:30 p.m. before select performances on the Phillips Center mainstage. Call 352.392.2735 for more information.

2 Thumbs up (pretty decent meal with enough menu variety in a hip, modern setting. Perfect for making a full day event of the two museums).

Price Range: a single dish ranges from 6-12 bucks.

Two of this town's wonderful treasures are the Harn Museum of Art and the Florida Museum of Natural History/Butterfly Rainforest. Especially during those hot summer months, nothing is better than spending a whole afternoon in the cool halls of both institutions. But what if we get hungry, you ask? Look no further than the downstairs floor of the newest wing of the Harn for the Camellia Court Cafe.

The food isn't the best in the world, but it's pretty decent and has just enough variety on their relatively small menu to satisfy everyone in your party. I particularly like their salads, which are very ample and chock full of good stuff.

On this particular visit, I had the Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with wild berries (craisins), nuts (peanuts), and goat cheese, served on fresh field greens. It was actually pretty darn good. The roasted butternut squash was served cold and in chunks. The dressing was a nice light vinaigrette, different than the standard one served in most other restaurants in town.

Sticking with the serene theme of the museums, eating here can be quite peaceful. It's always quiet, and even though it's pretty close to 34th street, the outdoor seating is just as peaceful. For you students, they do accept meal plan cards, which is a nice plus.

I honestly think that the museum area of campus is taking Gainesville forward in its aesthetic and style. If the restaurant and immediate surrounding area weren't as cool as they are, maybe I'd really hate this place. But for now, I can totally eat a meal here every now and then.