Lambeth Road,
Lambeth,
London,
SE1 6HZ
(020) 7416 5000
The ViewLondon Review
Dig for victory, grow your own food and ratios may not be the most alluring words for an eatery, but there’s nothing grim about the Imperial War Musuem Cafe. A meal here is a step back in time…
The Venue
The cafe spreads over a few rooms flanking the main hall of the museum and overlooking the trees of the park outside. The decoration is streamlined to a pleasant simplicity; the walls are painted optical white, the space is lit by unobtrusive spotlights and the furniture is simple and effective, as it normally is in museum restaurants. Square or round white tables are matched with simple modern chairs in bent light wood. A few wartime posters with food-related propaganda are the only decorative elements. The museum is potentially missing out on displaying interesting objects here (what about looking at a WWI camp kitchen whilst having your soup?) but the cafe works as it is and it is functional, albeit not glamorous.
The Atmosphere
The busiest time is October half term: the museum is invaded by students and so is the cafe. However, expect to find a queue for lunch during every weekend and sometimes during the week as well. The crowd is a reflection of the museum demographic; there are tourists and Londoners alike, of all ages, often with children. The rooms are often bustling and slightly noisier than would you would like but you’ll still be able to have a good chat… if your mouth isn’t full all the time, that is.
The Food
In a way, eating at the Imperial War Museum Cafe is truly like stepping back in time to a past when E numbers didn’t exist. The food – a well thought-out menu of British classics - has that homemade texture mixed with quality ingredients and better-than-homemade preparation that sets it miles apart from cheap eateries. The spiced lentil, tomato and coriander soup is not thick with starchy ingredients but clear, light and seasoned to perfection. The mushy peas are likely the best you have ever tried, made with garden peas rather than marrowfat and ground to a nice sandy texture and the field mushroom, turnip and Madeira stew (£5) is tasty and runny.
The general feeling is that the kitchen uses no gimmicks to craft their genuine flavours. But does wartime cooking also mean small portions? Not here - the ratios are generous and the farmhouse cheddar sandwich (about £3) on brown bread (which they bake by themselves) is stuffed with more cheese than you would expect, while in the wild mushroom, spinach and lentil salad (£5.50) they are definitely not trying to save on the mushroom which are plenty. The steak and kidney pie (£5.50) is another example of generosity: rather than being mostly crust, it comes served in a deep bowl covered by a fluffy pastry – the only floury ingredient- and filled with vegetables and big chunks of quality steak and kidney.
The hot food menu changes regularly but they stick to a variety of soups, stews, tarts and pies made with seasonal ingredients. Imagine lamb and sweet potato stew, caramelised onion tart, field mushroom and celeriac pie, vegetable mulligatawny soup with coconut milk and many others. Vegetarians have plenty of choice and so do kids as the cafe offers a special children’s box (£4.25 for 5 items) with options like a cheese or ham sandwich, hummus with carrots, mixed grapes, jelly and more.
For the afternoon, instead of a full meal you can also dive into their ample selection of cakes (from £1.50) and desserts. The most interesting ones are the orange and lavender cake and the prune and Armagnac slice but, if you are into chocolate, the light chocolate cornflake cake or the classic chocolate fudge cake are a recommended treat.
The Drink
The Imperial War Museum Cafe keeps things simple with a range of cold drinks like Belvoir ginger beer or elderflower cordial (£2.20), Owlet Cox and Bramley apple juice, Johnson fresh orange juice (£2.20) and more common things like Coca Cola and water. The adults can also pick from mini bottles of Stellar organic wine, available in white, red or rose (£4.95) options and Kronenbourg, together with a variety of hot drinks from £1.50. The coffee is particularly good and will give you some fresh energy to keep wandering around the museum.
The Last Word
The cafe at the Imperial War Museum is definitely worth a visit. If museum restaurants have so far disappointed you, you will love the cafe and its quality food.
Imperial War Museum Cafe has been reviewed by 2 users