The Portland Art Museum (PAM) announced today a partnership with well-known Portland, Oregon, culinary marketplace Providore Fine Foods to open Coquelico (ko-KLEE-koh), the cafe for the Museum’s newly transformed campus that will be unveiled to the public this November. Providore is located on Northeast Sandy Boulevard and provides unique groceries from around the world and elevated food for dine-in or take-out. Coquelico, the new must-visit downtown dining destination, takes its name from the French word for a reddish-orange poppy flower and pays homage to the palettes of the famous color field paintings by artist Mark Rothko, whose history in Portland is commemorated with the Mark Rothko Pavilion—the centerpiece of PAM’s expansion and renovation project.
Coquelico will be an experiential, modern European bistro offering an inspired, simple menu with breakfast, lunch, and dessert, plus seasonal offerings and rotating dishes inspired by exhibitions at the Museum. It will also offer full coffee service all day, featuring iconic Portland roaster Spella Coffee, who has created a custom roast available only at Coquelico and Providore, with wine, beer, vermouth, and non-alcoholic cocktail options in the afternoon and early evening. Coquelico is slated to open in mid-September, in advance of the Museum’s grand campus reopening on November 20.
“Food is art, and we hope that people will come and see some really beautiful art, and then sit down and have a continuation of that on the plate,” said Kaie Wellman, co-owner of Providore Fine Foods.
Customers can look forward to bistro dishes like Toasted House Loaf with Ricotta and Caramelized Honey, Lyonnaise Salad, Tartines, and Seasonal Pavlovas, to name just a few of the dishes available for dine-in or take-out. The collaborative, community-building spirit shared by both Providore and PAM will be evident through thoughtfully sourced ingredients, partnerships, and collaborations with Portland brands and partners.
“I am thrilled to have Kaie’s vision and leadership for this major moment for us and the city,” said Brian Ferriso, Portland Art Museum Director. “Kaie’s creative approach to food and inclusive hospitality align perfectly with the Museum’s. She also believes in Portland, with a deep connection to the vibrant food scene and cultural vitality that has made the city so special in recent decades.”
For Wellman, who co-owns Providore with her husband, Kevin de Garmo, the opportunity to be part of a flagship institution invigorating the downtown core was a key part of their decision-making.
“I want to be part of people seeing downtown through a new lens. We want to show people, along with this spectacular remodel and reimagining of the museum, that Portland is not only an incredible, unique city, but one that stands tall during tough times,” Wellman said. “Museums are the cultural hubs of cities, and for us to be a part of the next chapter of PAM is super exciting.”
Coquelico will occupy a prime location on the Portland Art Museum’s new West Plaza with windows onto Southwest 10th Avenue and doors that open for al fresco dining and imbibing on the plaza. It is also adjacent to the brand-new Shop at PAM, which opens to the public on September 3. Together, the cafe and shop provide a continuous, flexible use space for Museum programs and rental events. The West Plaza, created by the addition of the Mark Rothko Pavilion, offers Museum entry from Southwest 10th Avenue, sculpture, and outdoor seating.
The renovated cafe and adjacent retail space are essential components of the Museum’s $111 million expansion project, which represents one of the most significant capital investments in the arts in the history of Oregon and was made possible through the Museum’s Connection Campaign. PAM is especially grateful to Board of Trustees member Grace Rose Serbu for her generous support of these beautiful new spaces that enrich the visitor experience and affirm the Museum’s role as a civic anchor in downtown Portland. As one of the oldest museums in the Pacific Northwest and the only major art museum between Seattle and San Francisco, PAM is an essential cultural lifeline for the region with a diverse slate of exhibitions and programs that highlight art from around Oregon, the region, and the world. For more information on PAM’s campus transformation, please visit portlandartmuseum.org/campus-transformation.
