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ARTIFACT at Mingei, San Diego, CA
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ARTIFACT at Mingei

$31 to $50
International

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2 people
19:00
Booked 12 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Innovative
  • Healthy
  • Good for special occasions
ARTIFACT is a full-service restaurant featuring craft cooking inspired by ancient methods, spices and botanicals located inside the beautiful Mingei Museum at Balboa Park . Offering indoor, outdoor courtyard, and bar seating for lunch Tuesday-Saturday.

Crafted by Tim Kolanko, Executive Chef, Urban Kitchen Group, and Tony Coito, ARTIFACT’s Chef de Cuisine, will be a nod to Mingei’s changing international exhibitions in an environment filled with functional, innovative art and design by Jennifer Luce, Founder and Principal of LUCE et studio, who led the design and renovation project.
ARTIFACT and CRAFT CAFE at Mingei-the latest additions to restaurateur Tracy Borkum and Executive Chef Tim Kolanko’s CUCINA family of restaurants. An Urban Kitchen Group Concept. CUCINA urbana, enoteca, sorella, UKG Catering, Urban Kitchen at The Ready Shell at Jacobs Park
Follow the journey on social media @Dine.Mingei

Order delivery or takeout

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Tim Kolanko + Tony Coito

  • Award icon

    MICHELIN Plate

    2023

From the OpenTable editors: ARTIFACT lives in a beloved folk-art museum—a backdrop that inspires its (almost) too-pretty-to-eat dishes, including neatly folded rock shrimp gyoza in yuzu dashi and chai-chocolate mousse crowned with coconut whipped cream. Expect a spread that’s as international as the art on display.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    International, Asian, Mediterranean
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Sun 11:30 am–2:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (619) 331-3569
  • Website
    http://www.artifactatmingei.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Whether an intimate dinner party, wedding, company meeting, birthday bash or holiday celebration, Urban Kitchen Catering offers complete full service catering – from menus to tabletop design, all tailored to meet your every need. https://www.urbankitchengroup.com/catering/<br />
  • Private party facilities
    Located in the heart of San Diego’s historic Balboa Park, Mingei International Museum celebrates human creativity through folk art, craft and design. Its newly transformed building, designed by architect Jennifer Luce of LUCE et studio, provides both outdoor and indoor spaces, adaptable for large or small-scale events.mingei.org/visit/event-rentals

Experiences

  • Roman Christmas / special menu

    US$30.00 per person

    Prepaid

    20 Dec 2024 only
    Enjoy a ROMAN CHRISTMAS crafted by chefs Tim Kolanko, Wesley Johnson, and Tony Coito for a special ARTIFACT at Night holiday dinner. Four-course experience with optional beverage pairings. $75 per person with a $30 deposit due at the time of booking. Reminder: For the format of ARTIFACT at Night we are unable to accommodate menu modifications. Please note the number of vegetarians in your party so our Chefs prepare a special menu in advance This $30/per person deposit will be applied to your final bill for the evening and is non-refundable.
    Roman Christmas / special menu photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 853 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • San Diego

    Innovative

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Artifact at Mingei is a culinary gem in Balboa Park, offering a "unique menu" with inventive, globally-inspired dishes. Guests rave about its "delicious food and amazing service," and the setting inside the museum provides a "beautiful dining atmosphere." It's perfect for those seeking creative cuisine and a memorable dining experience.

853 Reviews

  1. heidi

    San Francisco

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Reliably delicious and interesting! This is my favorite restaurant in San Diego

    Is this helpful?

  2. ML

    San Diego

    91 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    91 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was fantastic. I had the crispy tofu. Service was friendly and efficient. Artifact is always a great choice

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  3. Rebecca

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were there during happy hour. Everything we ordered was delicious. The server, Kelly, was fantastic. She really made our visit fun.

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  4. Leigh Ann

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 17 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Many unique flavors. The carrots and the Huraches pork were delicious. Can’t wait to come back and try something else.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Naomi

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 16 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Our group of 7 visited at 1:00 on a Saturday. The restaurant was not busy and we were seated promptly by a friendly host. Our server on the other hand was quite busy and had to be asked to bring our drinks from the bar as well as serving utensils. His attitude was less than gracious. The food was creative and tasty as usual but many of the dishes were over salted.

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  6. Brianna

    Cleveland

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 16 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Inventive dishes and good service. We tried the prix fixe and it was a good way to try a few things at a good price

    Is this helpful?

  7. Blanca

    Toronto

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 15 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I loved every dish we ordered. The flavors were so balanced. Serving size was good too. Amazing service!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Laura

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 15 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Lovely food and vibe. Best to sit outside on the beautiful patio as indoors can be a bit loud. Love this place.

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  9. Leslie

    San Diego

    13 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on 15 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The Artifact menu was creative and the food extraordinary. The only detraction was the noise level which made conversation very difficult.

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  10. Carole

    San Diego

    26 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on 15 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The culturally themed dinners at Artifact are excellent. We enjoyed a Polish feast last night that was delicious and included tastes of familiar dishes such as kielbasa, pierogi and potato pie. My favorite course was the upscale take on golabki (cabbage roll) made with a shrimp and smoked trout filling topped with a crème fraiche, horseradish and trout roe sauce. The four course meals are offered monthly and include “sip of the region” drink menu options to pair with the food. We have enjoyed each of the meals we have attended.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

ARTIFACT at Mingei offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (619) 331-3569.

ARTIFACT at Mingei is rated 4.8 stars by 853 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 12 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for ARTIFACT at Mingei

1493 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2023
  • Area
    Downtown / Gaslamp
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Sun 11:30 am–2:30 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    International, Asian, Mediterranean
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Gluten-free Options, Vegan
  • Website
    http://www.artifactatmingei.com/
  • Phone number
    (619) 331-3569
  • Catering
    Whether an intimate dinner party, wedding, company meeting, birthday bash or holiday celebration, Urban Kitchen Catering offers complete full service catering – from menus to tabletop design, all tailored to meet your every need. https://www.urbankitchengroup.com/catering/<br />
  • Private party facilities
    Located in the heart of San Diego’s historic Balboa Park, Mingei International Museum celebrates human creativity through folk art, craft and design. Its newly transformed building, designed by architect Jennifer Luce of LUCE et studio, provides both outdoor and indoor spaces, adaptable for large or small-scale events.mingei.org/visit/event-rentals
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