Food and drink

Find out everything you need to know about food and drink at the Horniman, from where to have your picnic to what time the Cafe kiosk closes.

The Horniman Cafe

The Cafe is open from 9am – 5pm daily.

Colicci serves memorable moments across London’s green spaces, alongside historic, iconic and cherished public spaces across the Capital – and now the Horniman!

We are proud to partner with local suppliers and producers at HG Walter Butchers, Bethnal Green Fishmongers, The Estate Dairy & Notes Coffee Roasters.

Our cakes and sandwiches are produced daily at our in-house kitchens ensuring freshness and seasonality.

We serve a delicious range of hot and cold meals, sandwiches, biscuits, fair-trade teas and coffees, and cold drinks.

We have menus for adults and children, vegan and vegetarian options, as well as gluten-free foods. Ask the Cafe staff for more information about what’s on offer.

The Cafe gets very busy between 11.30am and 2.30pm, and especially so during weekends and school holidays.

The cafe is small and we are unable to take bookings. If you are interested in booking a catered space please see our venue hire pages or email venuehire@horniman.ac.uk.

The Cafe and kiosks are cashless, so please pay by card.

Horniman Cafe menu

Bandstand Cafe Kiosk

The Bandstand Cafe Kiosk is located in the Gardens across from the Bandstand. The kiosk is open weekends and school holidays from 12pm – 4pm most days (we won’t open in extreme weather) and offers hot and cold drinks, pastries, cakes and ice cream.

Lime being squeezed on cauliflower flatbread
Cauliflower flatbread
Chicken burger
Chicken burger
French toast
French toast
Glass building with seating and tables outside. Clear sunny day.
Dine in style at the Horniman Conservatory.
Two adults and a child are sat at a table on a terrace in the sun. eating food. There are hedges, trees and a green roofed building behind them.
The Cafe terrace is a lovely spot to enjoy in sunny weather, Sophia Spring

Being Green

You are welcome to refill your water bottle at either the cafe or main kiosks, or at one of the two water fountains in the Gardens (on the Avenue near the entrance and opposite the Bandstand).

We also offer a 20p discount on hot drinks when customers bring their own reusable cup, to help us cut down on waste.

Picnics

If you want to bring your own food and drink to the Horniman for a picnic, you can find great spots all over the Gardens. The Dutch Barn is open daily for picnicking in rainy weather – it is located opposite the Bandstand in the Gardens.

Please refrain from eating and drinking in the Museum, as this can attract pests that damage the collections.

If you are unsure of the best picnic spots, please ask one of our Visitor Hosts.

A family with parents children and grandparents are eating a picnic in a Garden
Enjoy a picnic in the Gardens, Megan Taylor
A busy cafe with table and chairs full of adults and children eating. The space is light and airy with glass walls.
The Cafe is popular with our visitors, Sophia Spring

Unfortunately, even very careful eaters can leave crumbs which attract pests. These pests can damage our collections. 

In sunny weather, the Gardens have lots of great picnic spots.

During cold or wet weather you are welcome to use our Dutch Barn picnicking space. This is open daily.

The Dutch Barn is opposite the Bandstand on a raised terrace, next to the Pavilion. Find a map of the Gardens or watch this film showing the route from the entrance to the Bandstand terrace:

You can find more information on the schools plan your visit pages which will tell you about where to go and how to book your spaces.