Best London Museum Cafés: Where to Enjoy Coffee, Cake and Culture

What do I love most—museums or cafés? No cultural visit is complete without a café stop. If you’re searching for the best London museum cafés, you’re in the right place.  Which are the best London Museum Cafes?  It’s not just a cup of coffee that I want but nice surroundings, a proper cup and a tempting array of cakes.  Some museums and galleries are better than others here is Cultural Wednesday’s selection of the best London Museum Cafés.

Best London Museum Cafés

Barbican Kitchen

OK, so the Barbican Centre is not technically a museum. It is however home to an excellent art gallery and a collection of excellent public art, including a Banksy in the basement. The Barbican Kitchen is right by the lake offering excellent views and the opportunity to sit outside in the summer.

• Barbican Centre, Silk Street EC2Y 8DS
• Daily: 9am – 8pm

Hayward Gallery café

Some of the seats in the Hayward Gallery offer panoramic views out down Waterloo Bridge and to the National Theatre. For those that don’t there is a rather fine Michael Lin floral mural to look at. Rest assured that the food and drink is every bit as good as the view.

• Hayward Gallery, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX
• Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 6pm (until 9pm on Friday and 8pm Saturday)

De Morgan café at Leighton House

The De Morgan café at Leighton House is as different from the maximalist glory of the house itself. The café is housed in a calm wood and glazed space overlooking the garden at Leighton House. It serves tea, coffee, cake and light snacks. You don’t need to be visiting the house to visit the cafe, but the temptation would be high.

• Leighton House,  12 Holland Park Rd, W14 8LZ
• Wednesday to Monday, 10am – 5pm

National Army Museum

Mid century furniture and mouthwatering cakes lure me into the Army Museum café.  We visited one half term with a gaggle of teens and assorted allergies which the cafe staff coped with aplomb.  More details about Napoleon’s Horse and other fascinating finds can be found in my Army Museum review.

• National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, London SW3 4HT
• Tuesday -Sunday 10am – 5pm

National Gallery

You have five options at the National Gallery. In the Sainsbury wing foyer Bar Giorgio serves coffee and maritozzi. Upstairs Locatelli is a top tier table service restaurant. Over in the main building the Espresso Bar by Muriel’s offers hot drinks in paper cups and cakes. For daylight and proper cups head to Muriel’s Kitchen which has the same delicious cakes and a range of light lunch offerings. Next door is Ochre, table service is the order of the day here. In the evenings there is a bar, the perfect place for a cultural tipple.

• National Gallery, Trafalgar Square
• Bar Giorgio: Daily 10am – 5.45pm
• Locatelli: Daily 11.30am – 5.45pm (10.15pm on Friday and 8.15pm Saturday)
• Espresso Bar: Daily 10am – 5.45pm
• Muriel’s Kitchen: Daily 11am – 5.45pm (8.45pm on Friday)
• Ochre: Daily: 11am–6pm, (10.15 pm on Friday)

Royal Academy of Arts

The Royal Academy has a couple of place to eat. Daddy of them all is the Royal Academy café down in the basement of Burlington House, here you can sip your coffee surrounded by walls adorned with murals by Royal Academicians. Tucked away behind the lift is the Architecture Wall which is definitely more of a quick coffee venue.

• Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD
• RA café: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 6pm (Friday 8.30pm)
• Architecture Wall: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 6pm

Heidi at the Royal Hospital Chelsea

Coffee, cake and rather good salads in a stable block designed by Sir John Soane. Tucked away and popular with red coated Chelsea Pensioners.

• Heidi at the Royal Hospital, Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4SR
• Monday – Saturday 8am – 5pm, Sunday 9am – 5pm

Science Museum

The Science Museum was my first London museum, we came here on a Physics field trip, and it retains a special place in my heart.  There are many places to grab a coffee or a bite to eat.  My favourite the Gallery café, is up on the second floor, where you will also find the Maths Gallery.  From up here you can gaze down on the lasers that fill the central atrium whilst sipping your coffee.

• Science Museum, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2DD
• Daily Monday–Sunday 10am – 4pm (5pm during school holidays)

Serpentine Gallery

You can rely on the Serpentine Gallery to bring you the very best in contemporary art and architecture.  In the summer a pavilion takes up residence on the lawn of the Gallery that will serve you coffee. For the rest of year head to the curvaceous Zaha Hadid designed Friends of Ours at Serpentine North.  Situated slap bang in the middle of Hyde Park it is ideally situated to walk off any cakes that you may consume.

• Friends of Ours, West Carriage Drive, Hyde Park, London W2 2AR
• Tuesday – Sunday: 9.00am – 6.30pm

Sotheby’s

OK, so Sotheby’s isn’t strictly a museum or gallery but it is a fine place to see top quality art (for free) and has a formal restaurant open during the week.  Far more casual (but not too casual, this is Mayfair) coffee and cakes is the Story Café. Open every day with an entrance on the corner of George and Conduit Streets. This is not a place to arrive in trainers and ripped jeans your fellow lunchers will be immaculately groomed.

• Sotheby’s, 34-35 New Bond Street, London W1A 2AA
• Sotheby’s Restaurant: Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm
• Story Café: Monday to Friday 8am –4.30pm, Weekends 11am –4.30pm

The Garden Café at Strawberry Hill House

Horace Walpole’s ornate gothic revival house takes your breath away, take time to mull over the fantastic interiors over a cup of coffee in the café located in the Great Cloister and overlooking the rather wonderful gardens.  If you are not visiting the house why not just pop in to see the garden.  Check out my post about Strawberry Hill House for a glimpse at the over the top interiors.

• The Garden Café, 268 Waldegrave Road, London TW1 4ST
• Wednesday – Friday 9.30am – 4pm, Weekends 9am – 4pm

Tate Britain

The Djangoly café in the basement of Tate Britain feels like a Greek house, all white walls and curves. I’m afraid that I find the offering of coffee and cakes unappealing here, but know of nothing better within walking distance. Maybe the lack of competition shows.

• Djangoly Café, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG
• Daily 10am – 6pm

Victoria and Albert Museum

I know you shouldn’t have favourites but the V&A is my favourite.  I love everything about it from the entrance hall, right up to the ceramic gallery on the top floor.  Most of all I love the tea rooms.  They are the oldest museum restaurant in the world.  William Morris, James Gamble and Edward Poynder designed the extravagantly tiled rooms.  

• Victoria and Albert Museum, Exhibition Road.
• Victoria and Albert Café Open: Daily 10am – 5pm, Friday until 9pm

Wellcome Collection Cafe

If you find yourself on the Euston Road with time to kill head straight to the Wellcome Collection.  The Wellcome Café on the ground floor which is a buzzy place to grab an excellent coffee or light lunch on the Euston Road.

• Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London NW1
• Daily 10am – 6pm

Alba Café at the Whitechapel Gallery

All the usual coffee and cakes with special pop up nights for Whitechapel Lates on some Thursdays.

• Alba Café,
• Tuesday – Sunday 9am – 5pm, Thursday until 9pm

Best London Museum Cafés for Afternoon Tea

Tea in the afternoon and Afternoon Tea are two completely different things.  Tea and a scone is all well and good but sometimes you need the full works. The natty little stand, the delicate sandwiches and teeny tiny cakes that qualify as works of art in their own right.  Some people like champagne with their afternoon tea, I confess that I’d rather save it until later.  You don’t need to go to a grand hotel to take afternoon tea here are the best Afternoon Teas in London Museums.

British Museum

Who doesn’t love the roof of the Great Court at the British Museum?  The Great Court Restaurant is just metres away from the Norman Foster roof giving you ample opportunity to gaze up.  From 3.30pm every afternoon the British Museum afternoon tea is served, £43 buys you the scones, sandwiches and cakes. Should afternoon tea not be your thing, lunch is served every day and the restaurant is open for dinner on Friday evenings

• British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG
• Great Court Restaurant open: 10am – 5.30pm, Friday until 8.30pm

National Gallery

Ochre at the National Gallery serves afternoon tea. Sandwiches, scones and the prettiest cakes you have ever seen for £35 with tea.

• National Gallery, Trafalgar Square
• Ochre open midday until 9pm
• Members get 20% off

Wallace Collection

Wander around the Wallace Collection. Laugh with the Laughing Cavalier. Marvel at the ornate Sévres porcelain collection. Then settle down to the Wallace Collection afternoon tea in the airy central atrium.  The Wallace Collection is just a stone’s throw away from the bustle of Oxford Street and yet is calm and peaceful. Read my blog post for more about the Wallace Collection.

• Wallace Collection, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN
• Daily 10am – 5pm

Best London Museum Cafés with Gardens and Outdoor Seating

London can get a bit hectic at times, sitting in a garden whilst sipping tea and maybe nibbling on a piece of cake is an excellent way to recharge your batteries.

Chelsea Physic Garden

Yards away from the Kings Road is London’s oldest botanical garden, crammed with 5,000 medicinal plants.  The Physic Garden cafe overlooks the gardens giving you chance to replan your own planting scheme once back home, read my blog post for more about the Chelsea Physic Garden.

• Chelsea Physic Garden Cafe, 66 Royal Hospital Road (entrance on Swan Lane), London SW3 4HS
• Sunday – Friday 11am – 4pm

The Artful Tearoom at the Charles Dickens Museum

Charles Dickens is the quintessential London novelist, 48 Doughty Street is the house where he wrote The Pickwick Papers.  Down in the basement is lovely little cafe with cosy seats for days of Dickensian fog but on sunny days sitting out in the courtyard garden is a treat, there is even free wi-fi!  Read more about the Charles Dickens Museum.

• The Artful Tearoom, 48 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LX
• Wednesday – Sunday 10am – 4.30pm

Garden Museum

Just south of the Thames, opposite Westminster, you can find the Garden Museum in an old church, the café that comes with it is all glass and steel, all the better to see beautiful ancient building it nestles into.  So good is the seasonal menu at the Garden Museum cafe that it has won awards, it is open as usual during the day but remains open for dinner during the week.

• Garden Museum, 5 Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7LB
• Daily 10am – 5pm

Natural History Museum Garden Kitchen

The Natural History Museum have wonderful gardens. Dotted with ferns, a huge dinosaur and ponds they are the perfect retreat for the bustle of London. Just to the right as you emerge from the Exhibition road tunnel the Garden Kitchen is housed in a modern airy building. A menu of small and large plates plus a tempting array of cakes. Lots of vegan and vegetarian options too.

• Natural History Museum, Exhibition Road
• Garden Kitchen Open Daily 9.30am – 4.30pm

London Museum Cafés and Restaurants with the Best Views

London is a beautiful city but finding places to sit and take in the view can be tricky.  Some of the best views of London whilst dining can be had from at London’s museum cafés.

Tate Modern

Tate Modern makes the most of her long riverside frontage to have two options for taking in the panoramic views of St Paul’s and the City of London.  Up on the ninth floor of the new Blavatnik Building you’ll find a restaurant with possibly the finest views in London.

• Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG
• Tate Modern Restaurant open: Daily 12pm – 5pm, Friday – Saturday 6pm – 9.30pm (drinks only)

The Portrait by Richard Corrigan at the National Portrait Gallery

Views over the rooftop of National Gallery to Nelson on his column and on to Whitehall. Come for a full scale meal or sit at the bar with a glass of something cool. Also superb for dinner.

• The Portrait by Richard Corrigan, St Martin’s Place, WC2H 0HE
• Sunday & Monday 11.30am – 5.30pm, Tuesday 11.30am – 9pm, Wednesday – Saturday 11.30am – 10.30pm

Best London Museum Restaurants for Dinner

Not all London museum cafés shut their doors at going home time, some of them are open for fine dining well into the evening.  You can eat late at the Tate Modern and the Wallace Collection as well but these two are my favourite London museum restaurants for dinner.

National Gallery

You have a choice of two evening venues at the National Gallery. Ochre, opposite St Martin in the Fields and Locatelli in the Sainsbury wing, both are open for dinner on Friday and Saturday.

• National Gallery, Trafalgar Square
• Dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings

London Museum Bars for Evening Drinks

What could be finer than rounding off a hard day’s culturing with a cocktail in cultural surroundings?  All that remains is to choose your tipple, will you opt for a Negroni or a Kir Royale, as you linger in the best London museum bars?

National Gallery

Ochre at the National Gallery is open in the evening on Friday and Saturday (use the Charing Cross Road entrance) for fancy dinner or drinks at the bar. Quite the nicest place for a drink in the Trafalgar Square area.

• National Gallery, Trafalgar Square
• Evenings Friday and Saturday

Tate Modern Terrace Bar

Back to Tate Modern where you will find the Terrace Bar on the first floor of the Blavatnik Building that rears up at the back of the main Tate Modern Building.  Early in the week your drinking will have to stop by seven but as the week nears its end the hours extend.  Should you get peckish they have a pizza oven.

• Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1
• Tate Modern Terrace Bar open: Sunday – Wednesday 10am – 7pm, Thursday – Saturday 10am – 10pm

Which is your favourite London museum café?

Cafés in churches is another specialist topic of mine, check out my guide to London’s Church Cafés