A new restaurant is coming to a favorite Wichita spot with a new concept, too

First came the Art at the Wichita Art Museum.

Then came Play, a redefinition of an interactive art area at WAM in which families can explore and create.

Now, completing the trifecta, is Eat at the Wichita Art Museum, which has been without a restaurant for almost two years.

“Eat, Play, Art at WAM kind of goes together in a . . . fun way,” said Molly McFerson, who has been WAM’s director and CEO for a year.

So do WAM and Blue Moon Caterers, she said. The company has been handling catering and bar service for WAM events since the museum parted ways with Katharine Elder and her 1400 by Elderslie, which was at WAM for less than a year.

Now, Blue Moon will run the restaurant, too.

“They are fabulous,” McFerson said. “They really know the food service business.”

Unlike past restaurants at WAM, which seemed to attract a lot of ladies who lunch but not necessarily a whole lot of other people, Eat will have a focus on wide appeal and accessibility for all, including families.

“We want to see the art museum successful,” said Stefanie Rutherford, Blue Moon’s director of sales, marketing and business development.

“Having a cafe in there will just help with that,” she said. “We feel like we can do the right menu to make it work.”

Rutherford is going to share more about the menu in a few weeks when the restaurant debuts.

Being “kid friendly is a big thing,” she said.

Adults won’t be left out, either, as coffee, espresso and what’s known as refreshers — perhaps a flavoring or two mixed with an energy drink — will be another focus.

In a follow-up e-mail, Rutherford said the goal is to appeal to everyone, including Riverside residents who live near the museum, students and all members.

“Both WAM and Blue Moon take pride in creating a space that’s not just about dining, but about bringing people together through art,” she wrote.

Blue Moon has updated a few back-of-the-house operations, and WAM has redesigned the restaurant space a bit.

McFerson called it an “interior design refresh,” and it was done by the same designers who design the museum’s exhibitions.

Without any major construction or remodeling, she said there’s now “a design that reflects WAM’s brand.”

With what McFerson called beautiful dishes, excellent service and the best view in the city with a bend in the river, she thinks Eat will be a great spot for nearby business people in downtown to either dine in or pop by for coffee.

In addition to also being accessible to families, McFerson said there will be an accessible price point, too.

While famililes enjoy the Play area, she said they can use a QR code to order ahead on their phones.

McFerson said WAM is “really trying to make it as welcoming, accessible (and) easy to use as possible for our visitors.”

She said that’s “what’s driving a lot of our decisions at WAM.”

The restaurant will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, with extra hours on Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

It will be closed Monday and Tuesday.

As far as the menu, Rutherford said there are “things we’re still kind of playing around with,” but she’ll have more details soon.

Look for opening information along with the menu, including Sunday brunch details and a signature WAM drink, coming in the next few weeks.

This story was originally published October 29, 2025 at 4:04 AM.