National Café

New from the Peyton & Byrne stable, this democratic brasserie/tearoom within the National Gallery has the feel of a grand old railway waiting room. It’s eminently friendly all round, & ideal if you’re on your own. Arty tourists & shoppers queue in the self-service café at the rear for a cuppa & a nice bit of cake, while the full-blown restaurant runs the gamut from breakfast & afternoon tea to weekend brunch & dinner – unexpected, since the gallery shuts at 6pm. Easy-going British dishes such as kedgeree & pan-fried calf’s liver with mash are mainstays, with West End staples such as Caesar salad & spaghetti vongole as added crowd-pleasers. The Sunday roast is a find in these parts, served on a board for sharing. Plans are afoot to lure evening diners with live music.