Come for the art, stay for the coffee.
And the quiche, and the roast chicken, and the tomato tartine, and the triple chocolate brownie.
The new cafe at the National Gallery of Australia is finally open, and already looks like it's always been there.
The space beside the front doors is now a light-filled, canteen-style space with views straight out to the Sculpture Garden.
Designed by award-winning architect Kerstin Thompson, the Oculus Cafe - named for the large oculus that sits above the space - has communal tables alongside individual nooks and cushioned benches against the huge garden windows.
And best of all, the roof doesn't leak.
This might seem like a low bar for one of Australia's premier cultural institutions, but while large parts of the gallery will be closed off in phases over the next three years, director Nick Mitzevich said it was important for the new cafe to be open throughout.
"We will remain open because we think we're important to the ecology of Canberra, the capital, and it's important that we continue to maintain access to art and experiences here, because we've been doing it for nearly 50 years," he said.
"We can juggle putting a new roof on while ensuring the art is safe and the food tastes good."
He said Thompson had emphasised the brightness of the space by gilding surfaces with silver foil.
"Bouncing light is really important. The oculus lets light in from outside, plus, all of the light that comes through the garden is bounced all around.
"Kerstin Thompson is a master at making spaces appear bigger or more intimate, depending on where you sit, and she's worked so beautifully with the original architecture. The kitchen and the cafe appear to have been here from the very beginning, so that's a great sign, purposely articulated into a reused space."
The space had originally housed the Aboriginal Memorial, which was moved to a different location in 2022. Until then, the massive windows had been covered by curtains to protect the artworks.
Seeing the view out to the gardens now feels like something of a revelation, and Dr Mitzevich said the outdoor space would evolve as the $60 million Sculpture Garden revamp takes shape in coming years.
The open kitchen is being run by Mike McEnearney, the acclaimed Sydney restaurateur behind Kitchen by Mike, who said he was working within his usual egalitarian canteen philosophy, with a seasonal menu of chargrilled and wood-fired meats and fish, signature salads, seasonal roast vegetables, house-made cakes and local wines.
Mr McEnearney said the wide open space, with its long tables and flexible seating suited his way of working.
"Rich man stands next to poor man," he said of the canteen set-up.
"You've got equal dibs of the food, you're eating the same food no matter who you are ... We're approachable. We're here for everyone. That's really important."
While the windows don't open, visitors can access the cafe from the garden via an airlocked door, as well as sit outside and in the garden among the sculptures.
And inside, the open kitchen can be concealed behind articulated louvres for functions.
The space is filled with furniture by Sydney designer Tom Faraday, with locally sourced leathers.
"It's all bespoke furniture that's really robust, and the kind of philosophy that Mike's Food has - very unpretentious, but very comfortable," Dr Mitzevich said.
Having the entrance finally realised is a welcome distraction from the mammoth, $219 million project to fix the heritage building's leaking roof, which is now under way alongside other capital works projects.
It's a very non-arty side to the building that houses the country's largest art collection, but having a bright open space that opens each day before the gallery itself softens the blow of having parts of the gallery closed for the next three years.
