Ochre is a restaurant in the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, that serves modern European sharing plates, with a focus on provenance and seasonality. In line with the variety of guests that walk through the doors of the National Gallery everyday, Ochre's offering is wide-ranging, from large and small sharing plates for lunch and dinner, to casual brunch dishes before noon, an affordable pre-theatre menu and even a classic afternoon tea of finger sandwiches, scones and sweets.
Although the food is largely European, Ochre founders Charlotte and Sam Miller are passionate about supporting great British farmers and producers, and using British produce wherever possible and thus keeping the restaurant's carbon footprint to a minimum. The lunch menu for example, features oysters, mackerel, mussels and hake - all British - as well as British cured and fresh meats, cheeses, and Isle of Wight tomatoes.
Though the influence and flavour combinations are European, dishes on the dinner menu are still eclectic and inventive. Cornish mackerel and sea lettuce tacos come with creme fraiche, avocado and pickled radish, and a burrata salad comes with pickled oyster mushrooms, peas, hazelnuts and watercress. Large plates include the likes of saffron fettuccine with Indian spiced ricotta, mint pesto, pickled shallots and crispy chilli, fillet of beef with morel and whisky sauce, and pan-fried monkfish with charred hispi cabbage and romesco sauce.
There's also a separate menu section dedicated to vegetable dishes, whilst the small and large plates also include some vegan and vegetarian plates, emphasising a commitment to more sustainable vegetarian cooking at Ochre. Among the vegetarian dishes are plates like grilled asparagus with noisette mousseline, spiced tempura cauliflower with roasted garlic and turmeric aioli, and purple sprouting broccoli with salted ricotta, toasted almonds and chilli.
Ochre also has a lively cocktail bar, and a DJ booth that becomes the centre of the party for late-night events in the restaurant and gallery.