The Swan at The Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT

The Swan at The Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT

26/08/2013

www.loveswan.co.uk/shakespearesglobe

She said: I had been wanting to try the restaurant at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre but felt it should only be with a visit to the actual theatre. Since I’m not a Shakespeare fan this seemed unlikely until today when the Globe put on a play unrelated to the Bard. Yes. The restaurant space, on the top floor (with a bar below) is impressive. A long, classic yet contemporary room that is warm and inviting. It offers splendid views of St Paul’s and the activity along the Thames. This is the place to come to impress visiting friends and relatives. I’m always dubious about restaurants in touristy places and you can’t get more touristy than the Globe so when I ordered from the set menu (at £26.50 for 3 courses) I prayed it wouldn’t disappoint. My starter goats cheese salad was adequate, good enough. Unfortunately my seabass main was edible but forgettable – well within that ‘tourists we’ll never see again’ cooking category. I opted for a Pineapple upside down cake to finish which was again adequate. This is a shame because if they can raise the standard of cooking (and presentation), the Swan really would be quite something. I still think it is a wonderful space, offering good service with amazing views and if you’re happy for the food to be part of the wider package it’s worth doing and indeed on this basis I expect to be back. But on days when I want to eat out to experience inventive, delicious food, I’ll go somewhere else.

He said: Who knew that one of London’s most unbearably touristy stretches, The South Bank, also had one of its most attractive dining rooms? Not me. I normally walk as fast as possible between A and B, muttering horrible things about day-tippers and the busloads of Italian school groups clogging up the pavement. But it turns out that The Globe is not just a cool theatre experience, and that above the boozer there is also a restaurant. Walking up the steps into that long room, windows all around overlooking the mighty Thames but close enough that you feel you’re in it,  barges and pleasure boats pootling around, St Paul’s graceful dome dominating the background – now that makes an impression! It turns out that the food is not quite up to it. Maybe I ordered wrong, or maybe it was an off day, but it was basically pub food dressed posh, and I don’t mean the mysteriously awesome pub food you can get in so many random and hidden country spots. The place looked Roux or Galvin, but the food is in fact more Wetherspoon’s. As long as you remember that, and don’t order too adventurously then you will have a great night. This is a really special spot, and I would happily make it a regular Sunday outing, if it wasn’t so damned hard walking through all those people!