Eating in the British Museum

Many years ago, Princess and I were having a meal during a visit to the museum. We had to be evacuated because of a gas leak and didn’t finish our meal. 15 years later, we are back.

The British Museum is unique in bringing together under one roof the cultures of the world, spanning continents and oceans. No other museum is responsible for collections of the same depth and breadth, beauty and significance.

At the Great Court Restaurant, you can enjoy a refined dining experience with a casual feel. This atmospheric restaurant is perfect for marking a special occasion or treating yourself when you visit the British Museum.

What I liked was that the calories intake for each dish are marked clearly for us to make the wise choices, given that an adult only needs 2,000 kcal a day. Good advice

Longhorn Rare Roast Beef

Pickled golden beetroot and rainbow radishes

For a starter, I picked a rare roast beef cold cut, with pickled beetroots and radishes. All these for only 568 kcal, which I think came mainly from the sugar in the dressing.

Red Pepper And Buffalo Mozzarella Arancini

Sun-blushed tomato salsa

Princess picked the arancini, which is deep fried rice balls filled with buffalo cheese and sautéed red pepper served on a bed of tomato salsa. It had less calories than the roast beef at 452 kcal and tasted better too. Incredible.

Chalk Stream Trout

Lobster bisque risotto, Watt’s farm runner beans and pea shoots 895 kcal

Princess chose something that she seldom would pick in other restaurants; it’s listed as stream trout and came with lobster bisque risotto, she picked the fish dish because trout was something she had never tried before. Similar in flavour to salmon, these chalk stream trout are a great British fish that are responsibly reared in the chalk streams of Hampshire. You can see her disappointment as she didn’t like salmon.

Buffalo Mozzarella Caprese

Isle of Wight tomato, extra virgin olive oil and basil 175 kcal

We shared a side of caprese. The buffalo mozzarella was not creamy and soft as I would expect. The Isle of Wight tomatoes saved the dish.

Norfolk Free-Range Chicken

Whipped feta, peperonata, wild rocket and salad cream

Rotisserie free-range chicken breast from Norfolk served on a bed of peperonata and drizzled with a whipped feta sauce, served with a side of rocket salad and cream. Peperonata is an Italian vegetable stew typically composed of red bell peppers, tomatoes, and garlic; not very garlicky in this instance and not much passata. Chicken was a bit dried out. 797 kcal not well spent.

Cornish Strawberries

Vanilla custard and cream cheese trife, pistachio dust 546 kcal

I was expecting something similar to Eton mess, but it looked like our homemade jello and cream. Bits of strawberries in the jelly, but overall simple dessert.

Reservation is essential as walk-in is almost impossible given the crowd that comes to the museum. However even if you miss it, you will not be disappointed.

Great Court Restaurant @ The British Museum
Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG
Tel : +44 (0)20 7323 8000 (Reservations)

Visited Sep 2024