Coffee, pastries, and culture: five London museums where you can stop for a bite to eat

LondonJust over five years ago, the London museum world experienced an episode that highlights the importance these institutions place on the cafes and restaurants they host within their facilities. Tate Britain published a job advertisement that called coffee head, responsible for two managers and their various teams, including staff at the food and beverage establishments of the four Tate museums in the country, and even closely supervising the roasting process of the coffee served.

The job, with an annual salary of 45,700 euros plus bonuses, included managing the supply chain and liaising with global producers to ensure quality, ethically sourced coffee, in line with the museum group's gender equality project, which seeks a fairer distribution of income and support.

The announcement sparked controversy because the salary was higher than the average for exhibition curators in London in 2020 (43,000 euros) and was well above the lowest salaries, below the London minimum. Tate countered that the appropriate comparison was with that of a curatorial team leader, who earned between €46,000 and €58,000. The case illustrates that, in some London museums, the café is almost as important as the art on display.

In the heart of Kensington

The world's first museum café opened in the Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington. There are three, but the most notable is the one named The Gamble Room, named after its designer, James Gamble. Drawing on his experience as the person in charge of the 1851 World's Fair, five years later, in 1856, V&A founder Henry Cole realized that a room serving tea, coffee, and pastries, in the style of Parisian establishments, would benefit the public. Twelve years later, he opened the aforementioned The Gamble Room, originally known as the Centre's Refreshment Room. Much of the decorative scheme was planned by Godfrey Sykes, a highly respected young artist recruited by Cole. However, he died prematurely, and it was James Gamble who completed the work in 1868.

The walls and large columns are covered with a variety of colorful tiles and ceramics that dazzle the visitor. Although the current tables and chairs do not complement the Victorian elegance of the space, somewhat overdone by 21st-century eyes, the food, which is not cheap, but not prohibitively expensive if you have arrived in London on vacation, is worth it in case of emergency—salads and refined sandwiches—or a taste for mourning. This is almost an exception in the museum world, where catering is often outsourced, thus losing the possibility of symbiosis between art with a capital A and gastronomy, capital or lowercase, is lost.

The tour from museum to museum, or from café-restaurant to café-restaurant, can continue, depending on the context. The Magazine, at the Serpentine North Gallery, in the heart of Hyde Park. What's more important, the food or the art on display? Perhaps in this case, the most relevant aspect is the fluid and futuristic interior design, with the kitchen located at the center of the space, conceived as a stage where the most important action takes place. Designed by architect Zaha Hadid, who also carried out the usual summer art intervention in 2000, Sustainable cuisine with seasonal salads, Sustainable cuisine with seasonal salads, and artisanal dishes are a possibility, depending on time and budget. Another alternative is the tasting menu: sushi followed by dishes like ceviche. But this option implies more of a gastronomic outing than the typical quick bite or coffee after a five-hour visit to an exhibition, which is completely impossible in the case of the Serpentine, if only due to its size.

At the Tate Modern, overlooking the Thames, the Corner Café and Bar is the perfect setting for a break. Enjoy coffee or tea, along with soft scones, gourmet sandwiches, and classic British pastries: scones, for example. However, it's often too crowded, and diners seem to fight more over the (free) view than the food.

Lesser known to the public

Much more classic and refined, and infinitely less known to the general international public, and even to the local public, is the café-restaurant of The Wallace Collection, a national museum almost hidden in a mansion in Manchester Square, next to Oxford Street, which had been the residence of the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Richard Wallace, probably Richard Wallace's son. Lady Wallace, Sir Richard's widow, bequeathed the collection to the state in 1897, full of 17th and 19th century French art, including furniture that belonged to Marie Antoinette and masterpieces by Rubens and Rembrandt. Three years later it was opened to the public. The gallery's courtyard combines a formal dining experience and a more informal café service under its glass roof. Afternoon tea may be the most appropriate option; the premium option combines a selection of sandwiches, cakes, and loose leaf teas with a glass of Jean Paul Deville rosé champagne. The experience is undoubtedly for the most discerning and, perhaps—what can we do?—for Instagrammers.

And finally, a classic with two options: one relatively affordable, but chopped, and one for slightly more privileged people. Rest in the National GalleryAt the Ochre brasserie, in the historic building, you can have lunch or afternoon tea for between 64 and 75 euros. What's more expensive, the champagne and pastries or sandwiches they serve, or the view of Nelson's Column from some tables? The sandwiches, in any case, are and sound, inevitably, very English. For example, the coronation chicken with cucumber or the Scottish smoked salmon with dill crème fraîche. The most expensive option is the new restaurant and bar in the Sainsbury's wing, to the left of the historic headquarters, which has just opened.

It's run by chef Giorgio Locatelli, in a further nod to the British fascination with Italy and its food. In Rome or Palermo, you can eat the same, or better, without as much sophistication and a little cheaper. The best thing, in this case, at least for those signing this walk between cafés and museums, is the view over the square. If you make a reservation, make sure you get a table by the large stained-glass windows. Trafalgar Square is always a spectacle. Almost as much as some of the galleries.