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Summary
At the heart of the brutalist Barbican complex (with views of the internal lake) this arts-centre amenity is, fans say, “a better-than-you’d expect place”: “a nice restaurant with good service and a range of choices to suit most tastes”. Possibly this is true, but, arguably, this is also an indictment of the modest level of expectations of most Britons towards their institutions and top caterers (in this case, Searcy’s).
Summary
“The restaurant formerly known as Osteria has recently re-emerged from a makeover as the Barbican Brasserie, but still operated by catering company Searcy’s”; and still with a vaguely Italian spin on its selection of modern European dishes. It’s “a smart venue overlooking the lake”, which this year was more often “recommended for reasonably priced dinner” – especially prior to a show within the centre.
Summary
It’s pleasing that this monolithic arts centre boasts a respectable restaurant, in the form of this Searcy’s-run operation, which is ideally situated for a meal around a performance, and uniformly well-rated. There are niggles though – even those who applaud “very decent Italian cuisine” can note “the odd lapse” in execution, or say the overall meal “lacked finesse”.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Barbican Brasserie, Barbican Centre (fka Osteria)?
Level 2 Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS
Restaurant details
Barbican Brasserie, Barbican Centre (fka Osteria) Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Lost my reservation and was quite sceptical I had one.asjed to see the email and expressed shock. Showed me to nice table by window then didn't interact with me again until brought the card machine after I said I didn't want dessert. Young woman asked me how each course was after I'd barely had a mouthful. Bread was dry, clearly been cut for a while. Chicken was served with thin slices of raw butternut squash. Everything was slightly oversalted."
"An enjoyable pre-concert meal in a decent venue."
"Despite being a burger place, there is enough non- meat options for the likes of us! Beetroot burger or salads. The service was the fastest ever experienced in London! about 1 minute! Food will not win awards but OK before the show. BUT the room looks unappetising. Strangely Modernised and an architectural disaster. . "
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always | £28.50 | £34.00 |  |
|
|
Traditional European menu
| Pudding |
|---|
| £0.00 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £27.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
Level 2 Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 4:30 pm‑7 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 4:30 pm‑7 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 4:30 pm‑7 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 4:30 pm‑9 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 4:30 pm‑9 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 4:30 pm‑7 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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