DINING
Awaken Your Palate
Iris is a sophisticated full-service restaurant featuring contemporary American cuisine with regional and international flavors in a distinctly modern setting. Specializing in seasonal fare using many locally sourced ingredients, the Museum restaurant features culinary works of art that showcase a complex culture of flavors.
ABOUT
Open, elegant, and filled with light, the restaurant is lined by floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the entry court and surrounding gardens. The opposite wall showcases a site-specific sculpture by Patrick Dougherty featuring branches and boughs from the surrounding area, further enhancing the dining experience by bringing the outdoors in.
MEMBERS
Members are entitled to a 10% discount on meals at Iris in accordance with their membership level. A membership card must be presented at the time the bill is rendered.
HOURS
Tuesday–Saturday
11:30 am–2 pm
Sunday
10:30 am–2:30 pm
Brunch served Saturdays and Sundays
Reservations: (919) 664-6838
CONTACT
Reservations for Iris are encouraged. Call (919) 664-6838.
Tips for Making a Reservation at Iris
When making a reservation, please provide all of the following information: your name, your phone number, the number of people in your party, the date, multiple times/time frame you prefer.
We cannot take reservations from parties larger than eight people at this time. If your group is larger than this, we will split the group among multiple tables. We will do our best to locate them near each other, but we cannot guarantee this.
We will start a waiting list each day at the beginning of service. You must be present to add your name to the list. Parties on the waiting list will be served as soon as a table becomes available.
Iris Restaurant
Named in honor of Museum benefactor Iris Cantor and evoking images of the exquisite flowers that bear the same name, the Museum restaurant is yet another expression of art and nature, a hallmark of the NCMA experience. Innovative cuisine served in a setting like no other—a meal at Iris is a feast for all the senses!
Iris after Dark
Welcome the weekend with Iris after Dark, an evening experience offered by the NCMA’s Iris restaurant every Friday starting at 5:30 pm. Lounge with friends to the spins and tunes of local DJs and musicians. Visit our walk-up bar in the lounge for an extended wine and beer selection as well as simple cocktails and a selection of small plates with twists on Iris favorites. It’s the perfect way to sip, satisfy, and socialize before a Friday night concert, film, or exhibition visit. Iris after Dark offers a more extensive menu and table service inside the restaurant. For reservations inside the restaurant, call (919) 664-6838. Last orders for lounge and restaurant service are at 8:30 pm.
Sip Café
Sip coffee bar is the perfect stop for coffee, espresso-based drinks, tea, and cookies. Sip is adjacent to the Museum Store. Sip hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10 am–4:30 pm
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