Most people choose to go to a certain restaurant for one of two reasons; either because it’s convenient at the time, or because it’s somewhere they really want to try. For the most part, restaurants inside galleries tend to fall into the convenience camp – somewhere hungry art-lovers can go for a quick lunch. However, whilst The Whitechapel Gallery’s Townsend does cater to its visitors during the day, it also chooses to remain open beyond the gallery’s hours and serve a more refined dinner menu, aimed at drawing in food lovers from across the city.

Since its original head chef Joe Fox left in 2021, Chris Shaw has been at the helm at Townsend and has designed his own modern British menu showcasing seasonal British produce in a simple yet refined manner. Diners can enjoy Shaw’s menu in the restaurant’s intimate thirty-four-cover dining room which boasts brown leather banquettes, high ceilings and a large window at one end, allowing light to flood in from Whitechapel High Street.

At lunchtimes, guests can either choose from the à la carte menu, which is available throughout the day, or opt for the reasonably priced set lunch menu which might include simple dishes such as smoked mackerel with watercress and horseradish. Evenings see a more refined set menu replace the lunch offering, featuring plates like Paddock Farm pork, Victoria plum and chard, with the option to begin your meal with oysters.

Townsend’s relatively short, Old World-focused wine list includes both natural and traditionally-made bottles, with a pairing available alongside the set menu in the evenings. A variety of cocktails, local gins and beers ensure that all tastes are catered for at the Whitechapel restaurant.

In choosing to stay open long after the Whitechapel Chapel Gallery closes its doors each day Townsend took a bit of a risk, but the restaurant’s welcoming ambience combined with the assured cooking on show has made it a real success.