Following in the footsteps of the renowned River Café restaurant, The Rooftop Café initially opened on 7 January with the intention of serving members of The Exchange building - a working and networking space for social entrepreneurs.
But with chef Magnus Reid, previously of St John and the Hackney Pearl, heading up the kitchen, the venue has proven a quick success and will now be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on Thursdays and Fridays.
Sam Aldenton, director of The Exchange building, told BigHospitality: “Because we’ve got such a great chef in, and because the views here are great, those working here wanted to be able to come and experience the venue in the evenings.”
An extension of the building will take place in the summer, doubling the number of covers to 70. Explaining The Rooftop Cafe’s ‘simple but effective’ ethos, Aldenton added: “Although our chef is classically trained, we’re more concerned about the ingredients and the suppliers that we work with than the chef’s ‘magic touch.
Menu & design
“We’ve kept things simple - we’re part of the Sustainable Restaurants Association and we try and source the majority of our ingredients locally.”
Reid serves up dishes such as serrano and celeriac remoulade, onglet with avocado salsa, and seared Banana Cake. Prices for mains range between £8 and £12.
The interior of the restaurant echoes this simple ethos, with bespoke furniture designed by young designer Alejandro Cano Lasso. Outside decking and a glasshouse will be added to The Rooftop Café when it warms up, providing a setting for eating and drinking outside with views of London’s skyline.
Aldenton confirmed that, if Thursday and Friday evenings prove to be a success for The Rooftop Café, it may well open up for dinner service on other evenings as well.
Meanwhile, London Mayor of London Boris Johnson will head skywards today to officially open the Shard’s observation deck to the public. Restaurant and bar operators within the buildinginclude the Roka duo Rainer Becker and Arjun Waney, and two concepts from Aqua Restaurant Group.