National Café

Tucked into the east wing of the National Gallery, this relaxed café-cum-brasserie makes a pleasing, informal alternative to its classy British elder sister, the National Dining Rooms. Opening hours are more appealing too (the Café stays open until 11pm, except on Sunday). It’s an attractive, high-ceilinged space, with a marble-topped bar running the length of one wall. Left a long time before being seated, we weren’t overwhelmed by the service; plentiful staff seemed oddly overrun by a quiet lunchtime crowd. As our starters were taken away, a waiter asked if we would care to order dessert – bizarre, but the food saved the day. An opener of gorgeously creamy mozzarella, tempered by scattered salad leaves and lemon rind, was superb; same too a platter of rabbit rillettes. A main of haddock fish cakes (topped by a just-right egg and professional hollandaise) maintained standards. Dressed dorset crab was let down by a dollop of lacklustre dill sauce; the dish needed more punch. Adjoining the Café’s main room is a bustling self-service area, with salads and sandwiches: a nod to the dreary museum-café clichés that proprietor Oliver Peyton is slowly eroding, perhaps.

Services

Available for hire: Separate room for parties, seats 30
Child facilities: Babies and children welcome: high chairs
Disabled: toilet

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