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Experience London Above And Below

With limited time, we chose to experience London through two different dining experiences – one nine stories above the ground with a view of the all-encompassing London skyline and one in a subterranean basement with no view at all. Both meals conveyed the kind of magic that you can only experience in London.

Lemon Brulee Tart at Restaurant at the Tate Modern in London England
We enjoyed the window views from Restaurant at the Tate Modern along with the gorgeous food on the plate. This Lemon Brulee Tart provided the perfect finish to a wonderful lunch.

After our last whirlwind trip to London, when we spent 44 hours running around the city like touristic chickens without heads, we were determined to be more mindful during our recent five-day visit to the British capital. Fortunate to stay with a good friend in her Central London flat, we walked and rode the tube everywhere.

But where to eat the best food in London? That was our million dollar question.

The long-term nature of our travels made us careful with our expenses and waistlines, so we didn’t take this dining decision lightly. After doing our research, we left the streets to experience London above and below.

Lunch At The Restaurant At The Tate Modern

Dining Room at Restaurant at the Tate Modern
The dining room at the Restaurant at the Tate Modern has extraordinary views. Note all the windows, not to mention the happy diners.

Not wanting to be late for lunch, we squeezed into the elevator that goes to the 9th floor restaurant. The Tate Modern is a busy museum, and there were a lot of people trying to get into just a few elevators.

Thanks to our American pushiness, we edged in and arrived at lunch right on time. And what a lunch it was.

View from Restaurant at the Tate Modern
This was our window view at lunch. Not too shabby!

Opened in June of 2016, The Restaurant at the Tate Modern is not only new to us but also new to London. Located in the museum’s Switch House extension building, the restaurant’s sun-drenched dining room has views in every direction.

We would have been distracted by these views had it not been for the food. British food has come a long way in the past few decades, from barely edible pub grub to world-class cuisine, and Tate’s restaurant skews toward the latter with its updated traditional fare made with fresh, locally sourced products.

But where to start? No worries on that score – Jeroen Schuijt, (now former) CEO of Tate Catering and a Philly food connection, guided us through the menu and selected a nice rosé from the restaurant’s outstanding wine list to go with our lunch.

Cornish Blue Twice-Baked Souffle at Restaurant at the Tate Modern
The Cornish Blue Twice-Baked Souffle starter incorporates local products in this thoroughly modern dish.

Meal highlights included the Cornish Blue Twice-Baked Soufflé served over greens with a Gooseberry Vinaigrette and the Line-Caught Wild Bass over Morels and Green Peas with an English Sparkling Wine Sauce. However, the true standout of the meal was the final course.

Discover our favorite sparkling wine cocktails.

Lemon Brulee Tart with Raspberry Cream and Blueberry Custard at Restaurant at the Tate Modern
Was this Lemon Brulee Tart with Raspberry Cream and Blueberry Custard dessert or art? Actually, it was both.

If it’s cliché to call a dish “too pretty to eat”, then the Lemon Brûlée Tart with Raspberry Cream and Blueberry Custard gave us reason to stoop to clichés. As much a piece of artwork as the paintings on the lower floors of the building, this dessert tickled our eyes and tantalized our taste buds with the pastry chef’s bold use of vivid yellow and purple color, crunchy, creamy texture and lemony flavor.

The Restaurant at the Tate Modern is located at Switch House Level 9, Tate Modern, Bankside, London, SE1 9TG, United Kingdom. It has temporarily closed.

Sunday Roast At Blacklock

Blacklock in London England
Though located below street level, Blacklock is a busy hub of activity.

When non-Brits think of typical British food, items like fish and chips or steak and kidney pie come to mind. In reality, the British food scene is so much more – including one of the country’s greatest food traditions – the Sunday Roast.

The Sunday Roast in England is almost akin to the Sunday Barbecue in the U.S. On early Sunday afternoons, families gather to feast on a wide array of roasted meats. Like a barbecue, the meats are prepared as almost a show of roasting prowess.

Large hunks of protein are served along with such favorites as Yorkshire pudding and roasted carrots. We chose Soho’s critically acclaimed Blacklock for our first Sunday Roast experience in London.

Sunday Roast for Two at Blacklock in London England
Come hungry for the Sunday Roast at London’s Blacklock. This heaping plate is the portion for two people.

Ironically, we almost couldn’t find Blacklock by glancing down the Soho street where it’s located. However, once we headed down the stairway that leads to the restaurant’s basement, a convivial, welcoming dining room opened before our eyes.

Blacklock is not a typically clubby, uptight steakhouse. Rather it’s a new ultra-casual room with opaque white brick walls, t-shirted servers and black chalkboard menus that make diners want to hang, eat and drink cocktails (or wine) on a leisurely Sunday afternoon or weekday evening.

Bone Marrow at Blacklock in London England
We couldn’t resist ordering a starter to get the dinner party started. Pictured here is bone marrow slathered over grilled sourdough bread and smothered with grated horseradish.

After a succulent starter of melty, rich bone marrow with toast, our main Sunday Roast course arrived. Locally sourced roast beef, done to a luscious pink hue, was piled as high as the Cliffs of Dover next to a variety of meats which were then stacked over duck fat potatoes, heritage carrots and green beans.

On the same plate, opposite the meat, sat a gargantuan Yorkshire pudding – a classic popover on steroids. We needed the Yorkshire pudding to soak the juicy remains from this gargantuan Sunday feast. Blacklock sweetens the deal with a side of special bone marrow gravy.

Pro Tip
Invite your friends to join you for the Sunday Roast at Blacklock. While a couple of people can hammer through the mountain of meat, the massive meal is best eaten by a crowd.

Sunday Feast Crowd at Blocklock in London England
At Blacklock, the Sunday Feast is best enjoyed with friends. Smartphones are a must to record the gluttonous glory.

Don’t laugh when we tell you to save room for the pudding/dessert. Although we hadn’t planned on eating the white chocolate cheesecake, we had to try it when it arrived at our table. Next time we’ll save more room, as there will definitely be a next time.

At the time of our first visit, prices were reasonable at just £20 per person for the All In feast with more beef, lamb and pork than mere mortals should eat at one sitting, though we sure had fun trying not to waste a precious morsel. After we added a Cauliflower Cheese side for £4 and a Gin and Juice or two for £6.50 each, our bank still wasn’t broken.

The original Blacklock is located at 24 Great Windmill Street, London W1D 7LG, United Kingdom.

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About The Authors

About The Authors

Daryl & Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.

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Disclosures

Article Updates
We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.

Sponsorship
We thank the team at the Restaurant at the Tate Modern for hosting us to facilitate this article.

Original Publication Date: September 9, 2016

Bertie

Sunday 12th of March 2017

The Tate Modern is an awesome historical center. To such an extent that regardless I can't trust it has free affirmation. Presently, there's significantly more motivation to visit it once more. It would appear that both of you are having some wonderful culinary encounters far and wide!

Lisa

Tuesday 20th of September 2016

Wow you got my mouth waterfing with this post... and officially hungry now. Sounds delicious and that Sunday Roast... yum!!

Danielle Des

Friday 16th of September 2016

I visited London for only a day in August and I wanted to visit the restaurant at Tate Modern but didn't get a chance. It's so funny how London's skyline is littered will cranes everywhere. I still think the view from above really compliments the dinning experience. Really cool contrast and post idea!

carrie

Thursday 15th of September 2016

What two very cool & totally different food experiences you had in London! :) That lemon brulee is just gorgeous! And I have never heard of the traditional Sunday Roast before, but I like it!

Vyjay

Thursday 15th of September 2016

Two contrasting food experiences, they sound fascinating. Both look like great options to tuck into some authentic British food. The food looks spectacular at both the places.