Sitting down at a homey café at 9th and 9th, my date and I did what any pair on a low-stakes Thursday night outing might do: we tucked ourselves into a small table, exchanged a grin over flickering candlelight, and started scanning the menu. Should we split something? Go for something comfortable? Or try something new? The categories looked promising—flights, entrées, desserts—but the descriptions felt…unusual: “Dry Clay Soufflé,” “Charcoal Sampler,” “Watercolor Medley.”

Art Café, which opened in November in this hip Salt Lake City’s neighborhood, is not your usual café, with coffee, pastries, and specialty dishes. Rather, it offers a mirrored café experience, swapping food for art and crafts. Just like at a regular café, everyone gets to choose their own “entrée,” with a spread of different art mediums laid out across the table. It has already drawn in people craving both creativity and the shared human act of making art.

Madison Nilsson, the owner and visionary behind Art Café, is a casual art enthusiast, always dabbling with different art mediums. Recently, with more free time, she wanted to expand her creative horizons without the pressure of structured classes or pricey workshops. “I just want to grab some arts and crafts and just play,” she says.

Madison Nilsson of Art Cafe SLC.

A few years prior, on a trip to London, Nilsson stumbled into an art-focused café with a similar concept and became enthralled with the idea. The concept lingered in the back of her mind until her own growing list of art endeavors pushed her to bring the café to life.. The space itself exudes a homey ambiance, drawing inspiration from Nilsson’s parents’ home. “Home is where the heart is, so I wanted to make it like home,” she says. The soft lighting and collage of cozy, whimsical decor invite customers to tap into their creative side.

Whether it’s the “Ink flight,” as in a flight of beer, or a watercolor medley in salt and pepper shakers, Nilsson’s café leans into the restaurant motif. Four days a week, you can make a reservation and indulge in a variety of art mediums. Art Café also offers pottery glazing, using locally handmade pieces from Nilsson’s other business, Salt Lake Pottery Studio, just up the street. On Wednesdays, the café hosts a live figure drawing class, bringing a casual, fun, and accessible opportunity to dip your toes into the realm of quick sketches.

If you’re an artist wishing to get in the zone and focus on work, Art Café may not be the ideal place: there’s too much going on. And if you’re living on an artist’s wages, the cost is worth considering: a night out for two runs $70. That said, Art Café is an excellent social experience, perfect for a date night, a fun outing with friends, or a chance to make art alongside your kids.

Make sure you come with a creative and adventurous appetite.

Art Cafe SLC, 870 E 900 South Salt Lake City, is reserving tables Thursday thru Sunday.

Chiana Rossiter

In addition to having studied Environmentalism and Sustainability at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City native Chiana Rossiter is interested in art and outdoor activities.