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Monday saw the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts introduce a delicious new addition for residents and art aficionados looking to grab a bite to eat.

Arts Kitchen, located at SCCA’s 110 W. Finney Ave., saw a packed grand opening during its special open house on Monday, July 15. Suffolk residents and SCCA officials supported the restaurant as staff served delicious food, beverages and hors d’oeuvres to live piano music. In between the festivities, Arts Kitchen Owner and Operator Edward Beardsley had a chance to talk about the restaurant. He reflected on how he got to SCCA.

“COVID actually brought me to this location to start with. It’s been through a couple of changes, but with the remodel of the exterior of the center, the remodel of the patio outside and the remodel of the restaurant, we decided to give it a whole new spin,” Beardsley said. “Arts Kitchen was actually the first restaurant that I had in Suffolk – it was a small little breakfast and lunch place on West Washington Street – and in trying to think what to call the new restaurant in the center, ‘Arts Kitchen’ kind of came right to mind since its the Cultural Arts Center, it actually made sense, and it’s kind of bringing everything back together. So, the new Arts Kitchen is now at the Center.”

Beardsley says the kitchen offers a traditional lunch menu with salads, soups, and sandwiches. It also offers an “extensive” tapas menu, from avocado and papaya salads to lamb chops and shishkabobs. Dinner includes a price-fixed menu with a four-course offering that changes weekly.

“…you can pick a starter, a super salad, an entree and then a dessert. So that will be kind of something that rotates and is fresh every week and something new to try,” he said.

True to its namesake, Arts Kitchen is also working with Suffolk Art League to feature various showcases by local Suffolk artists. Beardsley says that working in Downtown Suffolk saw him introduced to many “fantastic” local artists.

“So basically I just started calling local artists to see if I could hang their work. So I actually reached out and one of my friends, Chris Jeanguenat, I asked if she would mind hanging some work and she decked me out,” he said. “…I will rotate artists through and I certainly invite any artist that would be interested in having their work displayed. I really love [it] because I think it makes dining out a more interesting experience to be able to look at some fantastic work, and in particular, I want to celebrate the artists that are doing that.”

Noting Arts Kitchen’s goal to celebrate the arts, Beardsley says they will partner with Suffolk Art League for a Saturday Art Hop. The “Longing” Solo Exhibit for Janice Gay Maker is set for 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, at 118 Bosley Ave. Afterward, Arts Kitchen will have the “Adventures of Misfits and Wayward Girls” Solo Exhibit for Chris Jeanguenat from 5 to 7 p.m.

Arts Kitchen is open Tuesday through Friday serving lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday serving dinner from 4 to 9 p.m.

Editor’s note: Updated fifth and sixth passages at 12:52 p.m., Wednesday, July 17 to reflect correct spelling and accuracy.