The Art of Dining

Thirteen years ago, any tourist at the British Museum wanting lunch in between viewing the Rosetta Stone and Elgin Marbles might have thought twice before eating at the institution's basement cafeteria. It was run by the Civil Service Catering Organization, serving food that was hardly fit for the barracks: mushy peas, boiled potatoes and a particularly unappetizing version of bangers and mash. Dessert was no better — usually just a clumpy custard.

No longer. These days, you can sit down at Britain's most-visited cultural attraction and dine on...