Forza Wine National Theatre: a terrace above the South Bank
At the top of the National Theatre
After its rooftop in Peckham, Forza Wine has opened a second venue on the top floor of the National Theatre, the imposing raw-concrete building on the bank of the Thames. The indoor restaurant opens onto a terrace that runs all the way round, where you sit at tables under green parasols, among flower-filled planters and railings, with the Hayward Gallery and the Southbank Centre as neighbours.
The terrace doesn't tower high above the city: instead, it offers a close-up view of the river, the trees along the riverside and the bustle of the South Bank, an ideal setting when the sun is out.
Seasonal food, natural wines and cocktails
The menu changes with the seasons and features Italian-inspired sharing plates: burrata with figs, orzo with cavolo nero and nduja, calamari, fish or a pork chop. At lunchtime, a dish of the day served with a glass of wine or a beer costs £15. The wine list favours natural and low-intervention wines, and cocktails cost £11 to £13, from frozen versions (margarita, bramble) to the negroni.
Practical information
The restaurant is open Monday to Saturday from noon to midnight, with the kitchen open until 10.30pm; the published opening hours make no mention of Sunday. Handy before a performance, it can be booked online; card payment only. Access is via the National Theatre, Upper Ground; Waterloo Tube station (Bakerloo, Jubilee and Northern lines) is about ten minutes' walk away, or there's Embankment, on the other side of the Golden Jubilee Bridge footbridges.
