Tangerine at the Art Center

I've lived in the DSM area for over 20 years and never think to go to the Art Center. My husband and I ventured there on a Friday to see what we were missing. After walking through the exhibits, we decided to try Tangerine for lunch and I am SO glad we did.

The space is small and cozy and full of natural light. I loved being surrounded by windows overlooking the courtyard and outdoor art. I would love to visit again in the warmer weather and eat at one of the outdoor tables. The indoor tables were simple and modern with orange accents. Our server was prompt, and gave us great tips on ordering choices. I could see that they do a good take-out business as well.

The menu is small but has something for everyone; including for me as a vegetarian. Everything we ordered was fantastic - my caramelized onion and gruyere quiche was creamy and decadent, and the Tangerine salad had the perfect combination of crunchy, tart and sweet. My husband's soup du jour was Creamy Rueben and he really liked it.

We tried the strawberry rhubarb cake for dessert. Holy wow- I've never had that cake flavor before. The strawberry butter cream tasted like fresh strawberries and the rhubarb fruit filling was subtle, fresh and was a perfect complement to the yellow cake layers.

We had a great meal and would 110% return again.

Tangerine Cafe at the Art Center is a great place to stop for lunch. There is inside and outside seating, both are well designed and comfortable. The food is eclectic with many interesting flavors. The service is great. I highly recommend the cafe whether you are visiting the museum or just looking for a pleasant place to have a delicious lunch. Great value.

This little museum restaurant is an absolute gem. I visited with my wife and kids and we were HIGHLY impressed. The menu isn't extensive but it has a nice variety of options, from salads and sandwiches to entrees. The staff were extremely pleasant, too. But what impressed us most was the kids' menu: our kids got a cheese quesedilla, some chips, and a variety of fruit, berries, and vegatables that were very nicely presented for $8. Where else can you get a nice offering like that for only $8? Most restaurants offer kids nothing more than hot dogs and some fried foods, so this was really refreshing to see.

10/10 recommend checking out this restaurant within the Art Center in Des Moines! The atmosphere is refreshing because of the way the light shines in and the accent of “tangerine” is such a cheerful color to add to the surround bright white interior design. The food is absolutely wonderful and at a reasonable price. I recommend the lemon salmon. However, I believe the menu rotated so it may not always be available. I also tried the chicken shawarma and salad which were also delicious. I will definitely go back (even if I don’t have time to look at the Art)!

Wonderful place to just enjoy your friends and the tranquility. Excellent food and Service. Asparagus soup and chicken salad were excellent

My husband and I came here on 6/23/23 to have dessert. Unfortunately, the waitress was rude enough to us that we got up and left our table before even ordering.

So I can't speak to the food quality at Tangerine. The setting on the patio overlooking the sculpture & pool is pleasant, as is the Art Center atmosphere.

I know it's hard these days to find good employees, but servers' attitude still matters. We gave our business to another establishment in the neighborhood instead.