The Exploratorium and Constellation Culinary Group, a national leader in experiential dining, have partnered to bring Constellation’s award-winning approach to culinary operations and hospitality services to the iconic San Francisco museum. This collaboration provides visitors and guests with reimagined restaurant and cafe experiences, enhanced grab-and-go options, and unparalleled private event catering.
Founded in 2008, Constellation Culinary Group has built its reputation on delivering “best-in-class” dining at prestigious venues, including the California Academy of Sciences, Carnegie Hall, the Philadelphia Art Museum, and the Perez Art Museum, among many others. The company is known for combining operational excellence, inventive menus, and thoughtful service with a commitment to locally sourced ingredients and sustainable practices. This expertise will guide the Exploratorium’s dining spaces, creating experiences that are both memorable and integrated with the museum’s mission of curiosity-based science learning and exploration.
“Constellation Culinary Group brings a rare combination of creativity, sophistication, and guest-focused service to the institutions where they operate,” said Laura Zander, Chief Growth and Operating Officer at the Exploratorium. “Their approach to culinary experiences will engage visitors of all ages in hands-on learning, making every pause to eat or drink another moment of discovery.”
Following several months of thoughtful development and on-the-ground refinement, the culinary program now introduces two distinct concepts designed to enhance how guests gather, recharge, and explore, extending their time at the Exploratorium.
The new Catalyst Coffee Lab, an open-to-the-public coffee bar at Pier 15 on the Embarcadero, offers a refined grab-and-go experience featuring thoughtfully sourced coffee from Thanksgiving Coffee, handcrafted coffee drinks, and fresh pastries. Here, bold espresso meets fizzy beverages and brain-boosting bites, creating a menu designed to fuel curious minds. Museum visitors, neighbors, and passersby can enjoy hearty breakfast options such as breakfast burritos and bacon, egg, and cheese croissants, alongside rotating seasonal baked goods.
The Tinkering Table restaurant brings a fast-casual, family-friendly dining adventure to the museum in a vibrant setting where every bite is custom-built. Part fast-casual restaurant, part test kitchen, the offerings, like seasonal flatbreads, soups, or chef-curated grab-and-go sandwiches, let every guest invent a plate that’s completely their own. Menu favorites include a Salmon Grain Bowl, the Golden Gate Griddle Burger, Tofu Banh Mi Toastie, and a made-to-order Turkey Sandwich. For little tinkerers (and the young at heart), the grill turns out kid combos and sides, including mac & cheese, burgers, and the popular All the Way Fries.
The Exploratorium, rated the No. 1 Museum in San Francisco on Tripadvisor, continues to be a beacon of innovation and learning with more than 650 exhibits available year-round at its 220,000-square-foot headquarters. In 2025 and 2022, the Exploratorium received Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Awards from the Association of Science and Technology Centers for extraordinary achievements in advancing informal science learning and community engagement. Looking ahead, the Exploratorium is set to unveil Life in Space, a new summer exhibition that investigates the science of how life—human or extraterrestrial—can survive in the extreme conditions beyond Earth.
“Our work with the Exploratorium is about crafting dining experiences that resonate with the museum’s spirit, where taste and presentation become part of the exploration,” said Morgan Bedore, President of Dining & Events at Elior North America. “Over the past several months, we’ve worked closely with the Exploratorium team to test and continuously refine the experience- ensuring that what guests encounter today feels intuitive and inspired.”
For more information about the Exploratorium and to purchase tickets, visit exploratorium.edu.
