Construction on Louisiana Children’s Museum’s new City Park campus is progressing nicely, as are the plans for the new museum café. Louisiana Children’s Museum has announced that it will partner with local restaurant group, Dickie Brennan & Co. for the onsite restaurant.

The full-service café, Acorn, will have seating for 165, with approximately half the seating inside and half the seating outside. There will also be a kid’s culinary lab and child size booths. Dickie Brennan & Co. participated in a formal RFP process with LCM that began in August of 2017.

“It is an incredible opportunity for the Louisiana Children’s Museum to form a new, long-term partnership with Dickie Brennan & Co. to operate the café at the Louisiana Children’s Museum’s future home in City Park,” said Julia Bland, chief executive officer of the Louisiana Children’s Museum.   “Dickie Brennan & Co. is an organization that shares the Museum’s core values which celebrate families, family occasions and milestones, healthy food, and sustainability!  We are delighted that families will have a delicious new option to enhance their visit to the Louisiana Children’s Museum and City Park when we open late Summer.”

Dickie Brennan & Co.’s Acorn will serve fresh, family-friendly cuisine, utilizing local ingredients, some sourced from as nearby as the Edible Garden at the museum. The cafe will initially be open from 9am to 5pm, with the possibility of expanding operating hours.  In addition to the menu, there will be fresh “grab and go” options as well. Plans are also in the works for adding food-related programs for children to complement LCM’s “Follow That Food” exhibit, as well as seasonal food carts.

The café’s location overlooking Little Lake in City Park is the perfect spot to discover a bit of respite after an afternoon at the museum or a morning jog through the park. The café has a separate entrance from the museum, allowing it to be accessed by museum guests as well as other visitors. Acorn will provide catering through Dickie Brennan & Co. catering for events held during and after hours at the museum.

“Family and supporting our local community are two of Dickie Brennan & Co.’s core values. I can’t tell you how thrilled we are to be part of this amazing resource for the children of New Orleans and beyond, right here in our backyard,” said Steve Pettus, Managing Partner/Chief Operating Officer.

“Food has always been a way of life for our family, and that includes honoring our region’s culinary traditions, as well as supporting our local food producers – those who grow, raise and fish right here in Louisiana. We look forward to Acorn being a café where we serve delicious, quality, local food, but also teach upcoming generations about our foodways,” commented Dickie Brennan, Managing Partner, Dickie Brennan & Co.

“I’ve recently welcomed my first grandson into this world and will soon be welcoming my second. It’s an exciting time to be a child (and a parent and grandparent) in New Orleans. The new Louisiana Children’s Museum will be a childhood resource like we’ve never had before, and our vision is for Acorn to complement the museum in every way imaginable,” said Lauren Brennan Brower, Managing Partner, Dickie Brennan & Co.

Acorn is set to open with the Museum in late summer 2019.

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About Dickie Brennan & Co.
Dickie Brennan & Company is dedicated to continuing the rich history of New Orleans through locally inspired and nationally recognized cuisine. Each of the restaurants honors Louisiana’s culinary history through the use of local ingredients and time-honored techniques. Founded by Owner and Managing Partners Dickie Brennan, Steve Pettus, and Lauren Brennan Brower; the four restaurants: Palace Café, Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, Bourbon House and Tableau are located in the city's picturesque French Quarter.  For more information, please visit: www.frenchquarter-dining.com

About LCM
The Louisiana Children’s Museum is the primary resource in the State of Louisiana developed specifically for young children and their families that is open to the public. Over three decades, the Museum has celebrated generations of childhood experiences, inspired numerous careers and made many joyous connections.

The Louisiana Children’s Museum is currently located at 420 Julia Street in New Orleans’ Warehouse District between Magazine and Tchoupitoulas Streets. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.  General admission is $10.00 per person for adults and children 12 months and older. LCM members receive free general admission. Visit www.lcm.org to learn more about the Louisiana Children’s Museum or call 504-523-1357

Media Contacts:
Keith Marszalek, marszalekk@dbcno.com; 504-274-1820
Wesley Janssen, noblew@dbcno.com; 504-274-1811
Leslie Doles, ldoles@lcm.org; 504-266-2403