Portrait Cafe

The Restaurant at the National Portrait Gallery has quickly established a claim to having one of the best views in London, just short of 100 feet above ground level. Even if there are times when the view makes up for what some critics describe as the less than great food, the overall picture is not at all bad and a good bet would be that the majority who eat there, myself included, are perfectly happy.

Starters include homemade black pudding and mushrooms on toast with a poached egg, or jellied hock of English lamb, with mustard dressing and toast. Main courses tend to stick to the traditional and slow cooked fillet of salmon with crispy potatoes, creamed peas and red wine sauce vies with chargrilled Scottish sirloin beef, angels on horseback and sautéed new potatoes, or roast rump of lamb nicoise.

Puddings without doubt have in mind the indulgencies of the many out of town visitors to the Gallery, and include a peanut butter and chocolate tart with lemon curd ice cream, a marmalade sponge with a light bay leaf custard, and Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire cheese and Colston Bassett Stilton with pear and saffron chutney and fruit loaf - memorably well-kept and delicious.

Searcy's Champagne is £6.50 a glass, £31.50 a pop. House wine ranges from £3.75 a glass or £15 a bottle. Breakfast, lunch and tea are served daily, dinner Thursdays to Fridays.