MoPOP Gets a Menu Upgrade

The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) turns 25 this year, and it’s marking the occasion the way we all would — with good food and festive drinks.

The Lounge, MoPOP’s full-service restaurant, recently opened after a $2.5 million renovation. The space feels airy and more inviting, with new seating and framed artwork pulled from the museum’s collection. But the biggest change is the food.

Chef Athan Pixler, who brings a fine dining background from New York and Colorado along with an appreciation for small farms and regional partnerships, is behind the new menu. You’ll find tempura squash blossoms, Dungeness crab in coconut cream, and a koji-aged Washington burger with bone marrow butter. There’s even a signature drink: the MOPOP25, made with vodka, prosecco, and Douglas fir jelly syrup. The new cocktail menu also celebrates local ingredients.

A close-up of a restaurant table with deviled eggs topped with garnish, sliced bread, chips, and a menu labeled "The Lounge Opening Acts.

Modern, minimalist café interior with a curved counter, beverage machines, shelves of products, digital menu screens, and neatly arranged tables and chairs. A staircase is visible in the background.

MoPOP’s café, Culture Kitchen, got a refresh too, with a full menu of new fare in a brighter, more contemporary space.

“As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we’ve made it a priority to enhance these areas to ensure they’re more accessible and better reflect the iconic Frank Gehry design,” says CEO Michele Smith.

The museum is also launching a supper club and hosting a 25th anniversary celebration later this month.

It’s part of a broader trend: museums rethinking the visitor experience beyond what’s on the walls. Seattle Art Museum pairs local chefs with art talks, and the Frye Art Museum hosts seasonal suppers tied to its exhibits.

Here’s to 25 more MoPOP!