National Gallery's new Oculus Cafe opens to Sculpture Garden views
The National Gallery's new light-filled cafe opens with Sculpture Garden views and a canteen-style menu by Sydney restaurateur Mike McEnearney.
The Oculus Cafe, designed by architect Kerstin Thompson, sits beside the NGA's front doors in a space flooded with light and garden vistas. Thompson used silvered surfaces to bounce light around the room and make the space feel both larger and more intimate, depending where you sit.
The kitchen is run by McEnearney, who specialises in canteen-style dining where all diners eat the same food regardless of background. McEnearney's seasonal menu includes chargrilled and wood-fired meats and fish, signature salads, roast vegetables, cakes and local wines.
The cafe stays open throughout a three-year gallery renovation and roofing project, keeping the NGA accessible to the Canberra community.
- Kerstin Thompson
- Architect
- Mike McEnearney
- Chef
- Nick Mitzevich
- Gallery director
- 3 years
- Renovation duration
Why it mattersVisitors get a properly designed cafe to rest in during a lengthy and disruptive renovation, and the gallery maintains its role as a public gathering space.
AustraliaCanberra's National Gallery remains welcoming to locals during three years of major works, with a new dining destination that views the Sculpture Garden.
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