What: The relaunch of The Portrait Restaurant within the National Portrait Gallery in central London. The reopening of the top floor restaurant, housed in The Borthwick Room, follows a multimillion-pound transformation of the gallery that saw the refurbishment of nine galleries on the first floor, the addition of a learning centre, and the redevelopment of the East Wing.
Who: The Portrait Restaurant is now under the leadership of Irish chef and restaurateur Richard Corrigan, who will run the restaurant in partnership with hospitality group Searcys. Beth Harding, formerly of Sucre, joins the team as general manager; while Jon Spiteri, industry consultant and former St John restaurant manager, takes up the role of Maître D' on a temporary basis for the restaurant’s opening. Simon Merrick, who previously held the role of head chef at Corrigan’s Daffodil Mulligan restaurant near Old Street, leads the kitchen here.
The food: In true Corrigan style, The Portrait Restaurant’s menu celebrates seasonal ingredients from the British and Irish Isles. The chef has taken inspiration from ‘signature’ dishes created during his culinary career for the menu, such as with the dressed Carlingford oysters with ginger, lime and coriander. Other dishes on the sharing plates menu include duck heart vol au vent with whipped chicken livers and spinach royale; whole artichoke with crab mayonnaise and kombu; Cornish plaice with coastal herbs and buttered vegetables; and Huntsham Farm pork with barigoule of fennel and apricot mostarda. Prices start at around £6 for smaller plates and top out at £38 for larger options. A shorter bar menu also features, which includes some snack options such as salt chilli fried chicken with cucumber pickles; smoked salmon with soft boiled egg; and English tinned seafood served with focaccia and condiments.
The vibe: Overseen by Brady Williams Studio, the restaurant’s interiors feature natural timber finishes, polished Caesarstone countertops, and hand-embodied de Gournay linen panels that help to create a luxurious, contemporary design that’s complemented by panoramic views of London landmarks including Trafalgar Square and the Houses of Parliament. Alongside this, sculptures from the Gallery's collection of celebrated personalities from across the years feature on display throughout the dining room.
And another thing: Corrigan isn’t the only restaurant operator taking up residence within the National Portrait Gallery following its refurb, with antipodean restaurant group Daisy Green also launching a new site within the space. Situated across the ground floor and vaults of the Weston Wing, Audrey Green will operate as a café and brunch spot during the day before pivoting to becoming a late-night bar and small plates restaurant in the evening.
National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London, WC2H 0HE
