THE Museum Café is a peaceful, pretty place to be when you’re peckish.

Sometimes we Canberrans take our national institutions for granted – we really do. But we shouldn’t, and that includes when deciding where to enjoy a bite to eat.

It was Easter weekend, the weather was glorious and we found ourselves at this innovatively designed café perched right on the lake with sweeping views (part of the $11 million revamp at the National Museum). And speaking of glorious, you can enjoy a Devonshire Tea special ($10) in celebration of the “Glorious Days: Australia 1913” exhibition running until October. The exhibition transports you back to a year when people were optimistic and having fun exploring fashion, design and ideas that “expressed a nation’s dreams before the world changed forever” when World War I hit.

The Museum Café is operated by Peter Rowland Catering, which also handles food operations in the ANU Commons and CSIRO Discovery Café. The menu isn’t extensive, but there truly is something for everyone. And it’s well-priced given you’re at an iconic national institution. You can dine in (breakfast or lunch) or pick up some take-away and find yourself a spot on the grass along the lakeside.

The lakefront café has a spine of floor-to-ceiling windows – absolutely magnificent. It operates as most eating establishments do at museums and galleries. You order at the counter, grab a number and find a table (food is brought to you). We lucked out with a nice spot outdoors.

Breakfast is more or less as you would expect. Various egg dishes, toasted muesli (although with a yummy-sounding poached rhubarb and vanilla-bean yoghurt) and toasted sandwiches. All eggs are free range and vegetarians and gluten-free dishes are available.

We were lunching and found the selection of light meals attractive, including the steamed dumplings with black vinegar dressing and soft-shell crab tortilla with avocado and salsa. The mini burger with bacon, cheese and beer-battered chips is a nice idea for those who love burgers but don’t want to be too stuffed.

Mains included the beetroot tarte tatin with baked goats cheese, green beans and almond salad ($17). Although smallish in size, it was delicious and delightful. The sweetness of the beetroot contrasted nicely with the slightly tangy, smooth cheese and the almond salad added nice crunch.

I had the lightly battered flathead tails with beer-battered chips, salad and citrus mayo ($22). It wasn’t a super memorable moment, but I enjoyed the dish well enough and thought the mayo featured just the right amount of citrus.

The Museum Café is licensed and has free wi-fi. Open 9am-4.45pm daily. Call 6208 5179.