The Rooftop Cafe

Mediterranean Restaurant in Southwark
The Rooftop Cafe image
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8 / 10 from 1 review
Address
The Exchange
28 London Bridge Street
Southwark
London
SE1 9SG
Map
Telephone
020 3102 3770
Cuisine
Mediterranean
Region
Southwark
Nearest Station
London Bridge
0.07 miles
Opening Summary
Monday - Wednesday: 8:00 - 18:00
Thursday - Friday: 8:00 - 22:30
Restaurant Facilities

Outdoor Area

The Rooftop Cafe sits at the top of the Exchange near London Bridge. The kitchen is headed up by Magnus Reid (St. John, Hackney Pearl).

The Rooftop Cafe Picture Gallery

The Rooftop Cafe Picture

All In London Review

Regardless of the view, Magnus Reid’s wonderful food is the main draw here

It would seem that Londoners are going crazy for dining at high altitudes. Last year Duck & Waffle made headlines as much for its all-encompassing views from the 40th floor of the Heron Tower as for its brilliant food. At the time of writing all eyes are on the Shard, with its extortionately priced “multi-sensory journey” and anticipated openings from the Zuma team and the Aqua Restaurant Group.

The Rooftop Café in the Exchange Building is right next to the Shard, and boasts a close-up panorama of London’s tallest building. That’s right – from here you can enjoy the view of the building with the best views of the city. When booking I didn’t really consider that this might not be the case at night, as all we saw were some twinkly lights through the window without being able to make out all that much. The outdoor seating will surely be a hit in the summer however.

Australian chef Magnus Reid is in charge of the kitchen, having previously worked at the fantastic Hackney Pearl. The menus are printed on bits of paper to emphasise that they change daily; there are just five starters and four mains to choose from, most of which involve meat. The wine list is similarly concise, with four wines available by the glass.

The minimalist approach continues with the dishes, which aren’t overcrowded with ingredients. Rare bavette is paired with kimchi and sprinkled with crunchy pumpkin seeds, the steak is rosy pink in the middle and full of flavour, and strongly fermented kimchi provides a clever counterpoint. Another starter of rarebit has cheese that’s cooked to a crisp, as is the bread, but it works well with a layer of caramelised red onion.

For mains there are some pleasant grilled lamb cutlets with smoky aubergine, but the winner is the brandy poached chorizo, soft and without the slightest hint of gristle, which has added a rich flavour to the chickpeas. Even the addition of watercress is a smart idea, giving a grassy note to the dish. Then there’s a refreshing peach and champagne sorbet, and a hearty bread and butter pudding with gloopy salted caramel ice cream. Regardless of the view, Reid’s wonderful food is the main draw here.

IMAGE: http://giannagoulding.com/

Reviewed by Leila
Published on Feb 20, 2013


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