The Illuminarium Cafe

Name: The Illuminarium Cafe
Address: 550 Somerset Terrace NE, Atlanta, GA, United States, 30306
Telephone: (404) 341-1000
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 2.6

2.6

11 Reviews

$30 and under

American

Innovative
Great for creative cocktails
Neighborhood gem

WE ARE NO LONGER TAKING RESERVATIONS VIA OPENTABLE. ALL SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.

Join us in our indoor/outdoor cafe and patio with direct access to the Atlanta BeltLine. Located just south of Ponce City Market between New Realm Brewery and TWO Urban Licks. The Illuminarium Cafe serves authentic African street food along with more standard fare, and full bar opens at 2PM; our cafe can serve as an extension of our immersive safari attraction, or come just for the food - no admission ticket required. More info on the safari experience at https://www.illuminarium.com.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, African, Vegetarian / Vegan
Hours of operation
Thu, Fri 10:00 am–6:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–5:00 pm
Phone number
(404) 341-1000
Website
https://www.illuminarium.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Damon Cundiff
Private party facilities
Visit http://www.illuminarium.com/events for details on how to book the cafe or outdoor patio for your private event.

Location
550 Somerset Terrace NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Neighborhood
Inman Park
Parking details
Visit http://www.illuminarium.com for information on nearby public parking.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Illuminarium Garden Salad$12.00
spiced cucumber, heirloom tomatoes, shallots, avocado, black olives, arugula blend
Caesar Salad$12.00
heirloom tomatoes, house-made ciabatta croutons, shaved parmesan
Greek Salad$12.00
shallots, shredded carrots, black olives, feta cheese, heirloom tomatoes, arugula blend
Soup of the Day (Cup)$8.00

Grain & Rice Bowls

$12

Grilled Teriyaki Salmon Bowl
grilled salmon, brown rice, steamed vegetables, pickled ginger, teriyaki sauce
Avocado Chipotle Taco Bowl
sliced avocado, quinoa, chipotle sauce, blackened tofu
Tofu Eggplant Curry Bowl
baby eggplant, tandoori tofu, brown rice, coconut curry

Braai (South African BBQ)

$16. (Choice of 2) served with grilled roti and biryani

Tandoori Chicken Wings
Marinated Beef Short Ribs
Grilled Lamb or Beef Kebab

Sandwiches / Wraps / Paninis

$15

Illuminarium Burger
blend of beef & bison, escarole, heirloom tomatoes, cilantro-lime aioli, caramelized shallots
Marinated Chicken Wrap
tomato basil tortilla, arugula, heirloom tomatoes, feta cheese, roasted red pepper aioli
Paninis
choice of bbq pork, thinly sliced beef tenderloin, or marinated chicken, smoked white cheddar, house pickle chips

Main Plates

Beef Tenderloin African Stew (Tibs, Ethiopia)$19.00
beef tenderloin, mild tomato serrano sauce, naan
Awaze Chicken (Ethiopia)$19.00
marinated chicken thighs, piri piri sauce, fresh shallots, biryani, sautéed heirloom vegetables
Parmesan Tortellini$19.00
spinach & mushroom tortellini, spring peas, garlic cream sauce
Tanzanian Coconut Curry$19.00
grilled salmon with coconut curry, piri piri sauce, fresh shallots, biryani, sautéed heirloom vegetables
Braised Lamb$19.00
lamb chops, wild mushrooms, mint garlic yogurt crema, biryani, sautéed heirloom vegetables
Lamb Stew$19.00
braised lamb, roasted potatoes, white onions, cilantro, biryani

Sides

Biryani
Sautéed Kale & Spinach
Sautéed Heirloom Vegetables
Root Vegetable Fries
Hand-Cut Chips
White Cheddar Mac & Cheese
Fresh Cut French Fries

Sweets

Dessert of the Day$8.00

What 11 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

2.6

2.6 based on all time ratings

2.8Food
2.6Service
2.7Ambience
2.5Value

Noise • Moderate

11 Reviews

M
Morgan
Tampa
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on December 6, 2021
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
We were going on vacation, & made this reservation about a month in advance. We paid for an uber to a warehouse out in the middle of nowhere, & it was closed! The doors were locked, lights were off, no one in sight. Thankfully there was a brewery open right next store, because we were starving after a day of sightseeing. This place is a huge SCAM! It also appears to be a very nice menu- & the cafe is a literal cafeteria. I would’ve been upset to pay those prices for the environment anyway.
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AP
AngelaP
Atlanta Metro
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on November 18, 2021
1. Overall 1
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
While the food was very good, the service was horrible. We waited 15 minutes for our orders to be taken. Then it was over an HOUR before the food began to arrive. Some of the kids food never arrived and we had to go ask for it. Does it really take an hour to make Mac N Cheese!?!? Illuminarium was a great experience but we will skip the cafe in the future.
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K
Kizzy
Atlanta Metro
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 13, 2021
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The cafe was ok. Nothing wow about it. The bar staff was attentive and helpful. The food need some improvement. Wings were very dry with no seasoning and comes with no sauce.
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JT
015JTH
VIP
Atlanta Metro
8 reviews
2.0
8 reviews
Dined on October 22, 2021
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 2
The food prices were great, but the food was just ok.
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KM
KiemaM
Atlanta Metro
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 15, 2021
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
This was horrible. My date and I dressed nice and made a reservation thinking it would be an elegant atmosphere and it was worse then McDonalds. I showed the staff my reservation and then looked at me crazy. It was literally a high school cafeteria. Not what they said it would be. We left and went to a restaurant next door
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlanta Metro
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on October 8, 2021
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
It was low budget food experience with a high-end price tag. It wasn't terrible but something seems terribly wrong with eating a $36 plate in a cafeteria setting.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlanta Metro
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on October 4, 2021
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
The restaurant was closed for a “closed event” with no notification. We ended going to the restaurant next door instead. We were looking forward to having African food after thr the wild safari experience.
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NC
NevaC
Atlanta Metro
6 reviews
1.0
6 reviews
Dined on October 4, 2021
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
I drove 30 miles in inclement weather and my friend drove 35 miles to meet me to attend the event. I made dinner reservations on Open Table at the Illuminarium Cafe in advance of purchasing tickets for the Safari. The idea was to attend the Safari followed up by dinner for two. Highly disappointed to be told upon check in that the Cafe was CLOSED for a private event (TV Show Filming). We wanted the entire African Experience and dinner was a part of that. Open table sent me a confirmation email and a follow-up email the day before to confirm that I still planned to attend. Had we known the situation with the Cafe closure in advance of departure in inclement weather, we could have changed our experience attendance date to another date when the Cafe would be open. We were not pleased. Cannot comment on any aspect of the food, service, ambience, etc. at the restaurant since we were deprived of the experience because the restaurant was CLOSED!
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DE
DExG
Atlanta Metro
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 18, 2021
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Absolutely loved the Exhibit-themed menu! The service was great our server Ericka was Very Attentive! Will be back for sure!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlanta Metro
5 reviews
1.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 5, 2021
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
The server was ok, took forever to get a cocktail, had to go get napkins myself. The food was horrible, smelled bad and could not eat it. Could not recommend. Will never go back.
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FAQs

The Illuminarium Cafe is rated 2.6 stars by 11 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

550 Somerset Terrace NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

Additional information

Neighborhood
Inman Park
Hours of operation
Thu, Fri 10:00 am–6:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–5:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, African, Vegetarian / Vegan
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Visit http://www.illuminarium.com for information on nearby public parking.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Damon Cundiff
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://www.illuminarium.com/
Phone number
(404) 341-1000
Private party facilities
Visit http://www.illuminarium.com/events for details on how to book the cafe or outdoor patio for your private event.

The Illuminarium Cafe

Not available on OpenTable

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Sharables

Hummus$9.00

Zucchini Fries$9.00

Tuna Sliders$12.00

Nyama Choma$10.00

Salads & Soups

Illuminarium Garden Salad$12.00

Caesar Salad$12.00

Greek Salad$12.00

Soup of the Day (Cup)$8.00

Grain & Rice Bowls

Grilled Teriyaki Salmon Bowl

Avocado Chipotle Taco Bowl

Tofu Eggplant Curry Bowl

Braai (South African BBQ)

Tandoori Chicken Wings

Marinated Beef Short Ribs

Grilled Lamb or Beef Kebab

Sandwiches / Wraps / Paninis

Illuminarium Burger

Marinated Chicken Wrap

Paninis

Main Plates

Beef Tenderloin African Stew (Tibs, Ethiopia)$19.00

Awaze Chicken (Ethiopia)$19.00

Parmesan Tortellini$19.00

Tanzanian Coconut Curry$19.00

Braised Lamb$19.00

Lamb Stew$19.00

Sides

Biryani

Sautéed Kale & Spinach

Sautéed Heirloom Vegetables

Root Vegetable Fries

Hand-Cut Chips

White Cheddar Mac & Cheese

Fresh Cut French Fries

Sweets

Dessert of the Day$8.00

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

How is The Illuminarium Cafe restaurant rated?

Is The Illuminarium Cafe currently accepting reservations?

Not available on OpenTable

Additional information