I went there for Sunday lunch with an old friend, our second visit to this amazing building. Designed by Zaha Hadid, from the outside the restaurant looks like an undulating canvas marquee, but the inside is stunning with large white pillars expanding at the top...to join the arched roof. With glass on three sides, the restaurant has an airy feeling, and there is also outdoor seating on three side of the building.
The restaurant has re-opened only recently under new management as 'The Magazine', and the fairly short menu concentrates on freshly sourced ingredients with several vegan items. Perhaps because it was a Sunday, there were only two main dishes and three 'small plates' on offer, compared with four and five listed on the internet. However, we were not disappointed as the food was very tasty and the recipes were unusual and interesting. I chose two small plates instead of a main and the quantity was equivalent to a main course. One plate was harissa aubergines with braised tomatoes crushed pistaccio and herbs; the other was flatbread, zuccini and ricotta, costing £14 for the two. My friend chose Norfolk chicken caesar with grilled gem lettuce, egg yolk and split butter milk dressing costing £16. Although we were sitting outside, service was attentive and well informed as to the ingredients. We also had a bottle of the Primitivo red and shared some olives and a dessert. My only observation is that the choice on the menu could have been larger, but a limited choice with fresh ingredients is better than a long menu. Provided that you do not want traditional English fare, I recommend that you try this place. You can also visit the adjacent art gallery in the original magazine building and also this year's temporary pavilion located halfway between the restaurant and the Albert Memorial.More