Bluebird Café White City

Chelsea stalwart Bluebird Café has spread its wings westward to White City, where it has landed as part of the redevelopment of the former Television Centre. Fans of the original will probably like the look of the new place, but newcomers to the Bluebird brand may wish that the original’s 1990s stylings had been updated for this reincarnation – although the bar is beautiful. 

The all-day menu emphasises crowd-pleasing classics – nothing wrong with that, except some of what we tried was decidedly mediocre. Steak tartare to start looked and tasted unappealing, with the meat far from tender and the bread bordering on stale. Meanwhile, a broad bean and ricotta salad did not taste fresh and was under-seasoned.

Main courses were better: chicken curry was textbook stuff, well presented and well spiced, while nduja-crusted yellowfin tuna with grilled onions showed dexterity with the flavouring and originality with the ingredient combination. Puddings also pleased, as did the range of drinks on offer, but on current form, this Bluebird has yet to take flight.

You might be familiar with Bluebird’s original café in Chelsea on the iconic King’s Road, which became known for delivering best of British fare amidst glamourous interiors (like every other D&D venue). But 2018 marked the beginning of the Bluebird Café expansion when it opened another restaurant in W12, pitching its nails in what was formerly the Television Centre. Diners can expect the familiar buzz and charm of its original site, with the White City restaurant offering an all-day drinking and dining menu in chic surroundings.  

In the morning, the café terrace is the perfect place to enjoy everything from a power breakfast to a leisurely work lunch. It serves a dedicated eggs menu from 11am to 5pm every day, so customers are never without the option of avocado and poached eggs on toast. While other everyday staples take inspiration from global cuisine, everything from salads to curries, burgers, fish and chips, pasta and more. Starters might feature tamarind chicken with spring onion and sesame seeds, or burrata with beetroot and candied walnuts. While salads include the likes of a tuna poke bowl and a classic Caesar salad. Main courses include flat iron steak with chimichurri, watercress and fries, the Bluebird cheeseburger and butter chicken curry, while desserts are traditional and crowd-pleasing: think chocolate brownie with honeycomb ice cream.  

On weekends, Bluebird Café serves a specific brunch menu which features a select collection of all its classic dishes, with the addition of eggs benedict, florentine and royal.  

In the evenings Bluebird Café transforms from a relaxed café into a restaurant and bar, where guests can unwind over wine and cocktails or have dinner with friends. There is a strong list of cocktails on offer, from aperitifs to Bluebird signatures, along with a lengthy international wine list which includes a number of organic bottles.  

Interiors are stylish and chic, featuring geometric-patterned furniture and wallpaper, a pink bar at one end of the restaurant decked out with green bar stools, burgundy leather booths and a bright atmosphere suited to its all-day offering.