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Leighton House

The De Morgan Café at Leighton House

A new space to to enjoy and relax with stunning views into our garden.

The De Morgan Café in the new wing, Leighton House. Image Dirk Lindner

Set in the recovered space beneath Leighton’s winter studio, the new café has become one of the key attractions at Leighton House following our transformative Hidden Gem to National Treasure restoration and refurbishment project.

Floor-to-ceiling glazing provides views out onto the house's large garden and the other artists’ studio-houses beyond, while the restored brickwork, cast iron columns and vaulted ceiling of the original building give the space a unique character.

A delicious, seasonal menu offers a wide range of sandwiches, soups and bakes (including vegan and gluten friendly options) as well as hot and cold drinks. Our products are locally sourced, benefitting the community, the customers and the environment. Food tastes better when it is fresh, in season and fairly farmed!
 

Browse our menu

 

 

Opening Hours

Visit us Wednesdays to Mondays, from 10am to 5:00pm (last orders  4:30pm)

The café  is not open on Tuesdays as Leighton House is closed to the public.

 

The De Morgan Café is free to enter -  why not meet friends or come to work in a laptop-friendly environment?

A place for art

William De Morgan ceramics

The new De Morgan café has been named after the Leighton House collection of William De Morgan ceramics, which were donated to the museum in the 1920s by Ida Perrin and are now on display in the café.

Connecting to the story of the historic house - Frederic Leighton commissioned William De Morgan to install his collection of Middle Eastern tiles into his new Arab Hall in 1877. De Morgan then went on to create the iconic peacock blue tiles of the adjoining Narcissus Hall.

George Frederic Watts frescoes

Also on display in the café space are two recently conserved frescoes Humanity in the Lap of the Earth and Chaos by Leighton’s Holland Park Circle neighbour and lifelong friend, artist George Frederic Watts.

Turquoise Mountain marquetry

Created by master artisans from Syria and now based in Amman (Jordan), the café's counter forms part of a unique suite of furniture commissioned from Turquoise Mountain for the new wing. The designs feature hand-crafted marquetry  inspired by a Syrian chest in the historic house, which was acquired by Leighton on his travels. 

Free to visit areas at Leighton House

Did you know that other areas of the new wing at Leighton House are free to visit? From the Tavolozza Drawings Gallery, to new display cases, and Shahrzad Ghaffari's  11-metre high mural Oneness,  there is plenty that's free to explore between your visit to the café.

 

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Available for private events

The café space which occupies the Wolfson Garden Room is also available to hire for private events, providing a modern space for entertaining, looking out on the newly landscaped garden beyond. 

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