A 5-star cafe hiding inside Flagstaff's historic observatory
Planet X Cafe is the food service tucked inside Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, and it's far better than the "museum snack bar" label might suggest. Run in partnership with local favorite Jitters, the menu leans into the observatory's space theme with hot sandwiches like the Kuiper Belt Cuban and the Cosmic Carnitas, alongside soups, salads, and pastries. With a perfect 5.0 rating from Google reviewers, it's clearly doing more than just filling a gap between telescope viewings.
Reviewers keep coming back to the hot sandwiches — the Big Dipper and the Kuiper Belt Cuban both get singled out for toasted, buttered bread and generous fillings, with a fresh-made pasta salad on the side instead of bagged chips. The Neptuna and homemade focaccia also draw praise, and the espresso drinks (the Final Frontier Fog among them) hold their own. Cookies run around $3 and are called a bargain more than once.
It's a convenient stop if you're already visiting the observatory for a daytime tour or an evening stargazing session, and the space-themed menu names make it a fun one for kids.
27 reviews
3 months ago
The menu is simple samwiches both hot and cold and mostly whatever can be warmed up in a microwave. It's ok but nothing to write home about. The food names are a fun adventure since it's all space themed and you will probably chuckle at a few of them. What makes this place 4 star for me was because it's part of the Lowell observatory, and that place is a wonderful stop for anyone traveling through. Pluto, never forget!
a year ago
Great little cafe within Lowell Observatory with friendly service. I had the 'Cosmic Carnitas' sandwich with a side of potato salad for dinner - both items were really good. I feel like most museums and similar institutions only offer cold, prepackaged food. Planet X Cafe has many food/drink options hot and cold - it's also nice to eat there without having to leave the observatory.
3 months ago
Wow what a great and pretty cheap spot to have lunch! You do not need to buy an admission ticket to the observatory to eat here. We loved our food and we ate outside, fully shaded this time of year. I had the beef dipper and my husband had the carnitas sandwich and both were delicious! Sandwiches are cooked panini style so they were nice and crunchy. We will go back!
a year ago
Not just for science aficionados and more than a museum snack bar. Looking for a super tasty place that serves lights bites, this is your place. We had hot sandwiches, the Kuiper Belt Cuban & The Big Dipper. The Big Dipper was the winner but both were tasty. The bread is toasted with farmhouse butter and parmeasian cheese making it crisp outside and soft inside. The Cuban was a good take on the original, tasty & spicy. No fries, but the pasta salad was freshly made and a better choice than bagged chips. View, especially in the evening, is killer and worth the drive. Did get some cookies and they are priced at $3 and bargain. Location, location, location; best patio in town.
8 months ago
The Neptuna and the Final Frontier Fog were so good!! Homemade focaccia was amazing and you can’t beat the convenience if you’re already at the observatory. The kids loved the cookies and hot chocolate. I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious everything was. Loved the space themed names as well.