Listen, This is how it goes in the River Cafe kitchen when they're devising the new menu... "Fritto Misto?" "Gotta have it. Italian classic. Simple. Delicious." "It's our bag for sure." "Simple, true. But how much simpler can we make it?" "Um, could we swap a nice mayo for something simpler?" "Like a wedge of lemon?" "Cracked it. And let's build on that theme. What if we got rid of prawns and replaced with a couple of slices of battered lemon?" "Not sure we'd get away with that. Battered lemon? Are they supposed to eat it?" "Tell 'em it comes from Amalfi." "Smart. So that's two bits of calamari, a couple of courgette flowers and two slices of lemon. OK?" "Hmmm, will they buy that?" "I hear you. Some polenta?" "Is that from the sea?" "No. We could cut it into the shape of a fish" "Darling this is The River Cafe not Findus. Just cut it in triangles." "OK. How much shall we charge for Fritto Misto?" "£29?" "Fritto Misto sounds expensive. Let's not disappoint with the price." "£39" "Done". The River Cafe is a truly wonderful restaurant where they really do take simplicity of cooking and quality of ingredients to the next level. The Fritto Misto was good but scant, mean even. The veal chop was simply one of the nicest I have ever tasted - thanks to my generous companion for the afternoon for not hogging it all himself. Crab and avacado was bountiful, fresh as a sea daisy. The fennel sausage ground up in the fettuccini was joyfully delicate although the home made pasta was a little chalky. If you're gonna charge the earth, I'm gonna get fernickety. Lemon tart had such a thin base it couldn't repel the moisture in the curd which was a shame. Soggy. But it was only £15 son what do you expect Yes the River Cafe remains a true stalwart, for people who want the best (not that they will always get it judging by today's mixed bag) and have no fear of cost. Front of house welcome you with an air of knowing you want to be there and therefore barely needing to force a welcome smile but the rest of the service is bright and breezy. I left feeling treated and thanking God I wasn't paying the bill. I took a walk down the river. It's beautiful. I passed Sam's Riverside along the way. It was busy and buzzing and it reminded me that a high quality meal can be had in cool surroundings with genuine hospitality baked in not 10 mins from The River Cafe for literally half the price. More power to them both. read more

You will find the River Cafe at the intersection of White Lotus and Triangle of Sadness, between Come See Me Eat and "Yes, that's a Ralph Lauren teddy bear cashmere sweater." We wanted wine from a specific region, and the waiter/expert sommelier pointed at his favorite £200 bottle of wine. When I tried to push his finger up the list, towards the still pricey 70ish-pound option, it bounced back as if a spring were attached to it, to the £180 bottles. I ended up making up his mind by naming the bottle and price we were taking. Less successful was avoiding everyone who passed by from pouring wine into our glasses. At some point, I think the guys sitting two tables down from us poured some for the exercise, maybe. The carpaccio was tasty, bearing some originality aided by the horseradish sprinkled on top. The silent reviewer that dined with me thought the pizzetta was tasty. I thought it was uninspired, and we agreed to disagree. The ravioli were quite good, but not quite £37, which is a rather roaring amount. What I found unfortunate was the tagliatelle, from the consistency to the lacking spirit of the sauce that came with it. Fortunately, we ordered dessert, carrying my childhood nemesis, polenta, but in a way that was able to make it my ratatouille, tears and all. read more

Very underwhelming to be frank. Everything was well cooked but the portions were tiny with huge price tags. Also the crab pasta I got had zero flavor. It tasted like buttered noodles. The complimentary focaccia is amazing and unlike typical focaccia (save a piece for your pasta sauce). I'd recommend the pizza for an appetizer. It was well executed, although small. Drinks were good but again very pricey for what you get. The only dish that blew me away was the chocolate nemesis dessert. Come for this and maybe only this! Everyone at my table ordered it and everyone was in love. Seriously the perfect balance of chocolate flavor, sweetness and truffle like texture. More like a flourless chocolate torte than a cake. Regardless it's divine. read more

The River Cafe - Chocolate nemesis - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

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Attentive staff, local, fresh ingredients in a peaceful setting are the standouts of this charming indoor/outdoor restaurant. We were greeted by a friendly host who seated us immediately at a quaint table nestled near shrubs along the river, a perfect setting for a warm Summer's day lunch. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu, food delivery was nicely paced and every entrée was tasty. Our favorites were the Devon crab and lobster tagliatore pasta. Portion sizes are relatively small, but nonetheless delicious. Go for quality not quantity and the overall experience of a peaceful riverside meal. read more

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This has got to be one of our most favourite eateries anywhere...and it was a birthday treats so - excess was forecast Billecart Rose while we wandered through the menu; carpaccio, trout, lamb, affogato, ice cream, double espressos...oh and a new cookbook...I won't mention the price, but I've only ever paid more once (in Paris at Rostangs main place - and that was a third more and not as good and humourless) This is somewhere you go to like an old familiar armchair...you fit right in, Charles Pullan comes by for occasional chats (my wife adores him as he looked after her all evening when I broke my shoulder and so couldn't be there), you eat and drink your way steadily through, waiters and waitresses unobtrusively pick up, deliver, answer questions...and you have a wonderful meal and the best time ever...until the next time Oh and was that Michael Caine a table away - yup, but why do people, even there, feel the need to interrupt his meal with his friends - how would you like it...? Not sure when the next trip there will be - but there doesn't need to be an excuse! Marvellous read more

Last time we were here was almost 20 years ago. We have no recollection of that visit. We knew of this place through their cookbooks. It is a trek to get here. There is not much to do in the immediate area. You can't actually see the Thames from the restaurant. We were here at noon on a Sunday. It seemed like there were more staff than guests for the first hour. The pizzetta was just OK. The calamari had the best looking rocket (aka arugula) we had ever seen. It was a simple and delicious dish. Gnocchi was made with semolina, not our favorite. The scallops were beautifully plated. As for desserts, we wanted tiramisu but it was unavailable, which was weird since the menu was dated for that day. We settled for roasted almond gelati, which was delicious with espresso. We liked the lemon, almond polenta cake but the blood orange was barely caramelized. It was so tart. Visually, the desserts were not complicated nor did they have complex components. The server was generally nice and attentive. I guess you have to be attractive to be a server here. Why was there a huge digital clock? We liked it, though. We like to keep track of time and didn't want to overstay our welcome. The decor wasn't the best. The plates were too simple. The chairs looked like office chairs. I guess minimalism and bold colors were the theme. It is, of course, worth a trek to eat here. They even had their own store nearby. read more

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Oh yes, The River Cafe truly is as amazing as it is unique. The food and atmosphere are simply wonderful. The service is invisible, yet incredible. The food is the star and it is the best. Go, go, go!! read more

This legendary Italian on The River Thames in The Hammersmith area of London is a force of nature that came on the scene in 1987, and it feels a bit 87 in there, in the best way. The colors of the servers clothes, the aqua blue carpet, the mirrored bar and ceiling, the handwritten menu that changes daily gave me the feeling of the time I went to Maxwell's Plum with my dad when I was young. You feel the specialness of the room. The food is delightful, the staff are a mix of young summer jobbers and old pros, all trained nicely. We booked a noon lunch and it was tremendous. read more

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So, the food was fine, so was the service. That was... until the cheese plate came and there were actual MAGGOTS in the soft cheese. The servers were immediately apologetic and comped our meal. The manager told us that this had never happened before, but still -- one incident where one eats maggot-infested cheese (no, I was not lucky enough to spot the maggots before my sister and I took a bite) is one too many. Considering the amount of health concerns that this poses for how they store their food in the kitchen, I would not recommend (or, if you still want to try their objectively good pizza, maybe avoid getting the cheese plate!). Wish I had taken a photo, but alas, I was too shocked and quite frankly scared for my health that I didn't even think to. read more

This iconic London eatery is situated in a somewhat industrial area overlooking the Thames. The two visits I made were both patio dining since they're so booked and I made reservations only a few weeks in advance. Chef Ruth Rodgers focuses on seasonal produce and really letting ingredients shine. I had a number of dishes and all were incredible. For a beautiful view, great service and food, and lively experience I'd recommend this restaurant all day. Chef has a podcast that she records onsite. Listening to her was the reason I went. The experience and food is why I went back and will now visit whenever in London read more

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Food was great and service was wonderful. Looking out over the river was perfect. Nice quiet place to eat with friends

We had a nice dinner here a few months back in March. It has a great vibe and definitely is a hot spot. If you can eat outside with the weather being nice, I think that would be a great experience. We were inside which was fine but its pretty crowded and noisy (even on a weekday) so if you want a quiet place for a meal, this probably isnt it. The Jasmine cocktail was really nice and had good flavors to it. Our bottle of Amarone paired nicely with veal. We were a little disappointed not to get an explanation of the cheeses so would make sure you ask for that. The Recioto was a great dessert wine too. Overall this is a really nice restaurant thats worth a visit but probably not in a regular rotation read more

Beautiful restaurant with terrific servers. I had the linguini al vongole to start. I found it a tad salty and maybe only 5 clams. I followed with a delicious monkfish. I find $100 pounds for lunch rather high. It's my first day visiting. I can't say if the restaurant is expensive or London is read more

An iconic experience, but one that we wish had been flawless. We trekked out here for dinner a couple nights ago, and while the setting was lovely, the service was less so, and it marred our overall experience. We had their earliest seating at 6:30 but because our waitress was flighty and unengaged, we were there much longer than we wanted to be. Since we weren't starving, we decided to order one dish from each section (OK, we admit we got two desserts). For the antipasti, we started with the mozzarella and caponata...it was incredible and paired perfectly with the complimentary focaccia that they bring out. The cheese was so creamy and it paired wonderfully with the saltiness/brine of the olives. 10/10! For primi, it was the pappardelle with rabbit, and again, nailed it--except that for some reason our pasta came out lukewarm, and not as hot as the sauce, which was odd and a shame. Even still, the rabbit pieces were generous and the tomato-based sauce was the ideal vehicle for the meat. 9/10! There was a LONG gap--an unnecessarily long gap--between courses when our secondi finally arrived. We ordered the branzino, which was lovely and delicate, and had a healthy amount of greens with it. 8.5/10 (there were a couple small bones that we found; our darling waitress was unimpressed when our daughter told her as much). We have saltier palettes and genuinely appreciate when salt is on the table, thank you! Dessert was chocolate nemesis, which is absolutely the most decadent flourless chocolate cake that you will ever have, wow. SO rich and good. We didn't love the toasted almond ice cream, however, because the nut chunks were too big and the consistency wasn't very creamy. While most of the food was 4-5 stars, we're ultimately settling on 3 stars (rounding down from 3.5) because of the service. She was a statuesque woman who was perhaps moonlighting as a waitress, which might explain why she didn't really seem invested in doing a good job. Dishes are expensive--after The Fat Duck, this menu was the steepest in price, so we expected a little bit more attention and care. We will say that we had a lovely meal and a nice time on a beautiful evening with heavenly weather. We're not upset about anything; we just left feeling unfulfilled. Maybe next time, maybe not. read more

The restaurant is beautiful! The food was very good and service was very pleasant. The pizza was a bit salty but still very tasty. The Dover Sole was the highlight of the meal. read more

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The food is fine but the service and ambience are just awful. The service is amateur and forgetful and I don't think they could stuff a single extra table in the place. It's impossible not to hear everyone else's conversations (and complaints). read more

Very good still after all these years! Service is attentive without being crowded. Menu pays homage to the classics while being creative on its own merits. Food is consistently good without being outstanding. Good wine list of Italian labels with prices that are not outlandish. Solid performer that meets expectations. read more

I've been coming here irregularly over a few decades. It has to be said that it really isn't what it used to be in terms with f from is at least . The decor has changed also, and there are number of finishings in lurid bright colors, including the pink oven and the restrooms. The food was good, but really nothing special , with nothing memorable for the right reasons. A dish of langoustines with botlotti beans was a little bit lost for me, e With the beans seemingly only there as a filler for the expensive leading cast. A red mullet dish with artichokes in the style of fritto misto was adequate, and again, nothing of note. Following this, a gnocchi dish with spinach and kale that looked beautiful with a very natural vibrant green. Unfortunately, the gnocchi, which should be "soft pillows" had quite a tough texture, that disappointed. Another dish of Rigatoni cattiatore, was mediocre at best. OK, I suppose , but not worthy of awards or the £100 per person tag. There are better options in London. This restaurant has run its course, trading on yesteryears glories. read more

It's a scene. So, as someone else already pointed out, it's a trek to get to, even with London's fantastic underground. With that being said, it's a beautiful terrace looking out on a green and the river behind it. My pappardelle was good. The pizzette with fig and Gorgonzola was delicious and my old fashioned was one of the best I've had recently. Where the restaurant really lets itself down is the service. We had what appeared to be a new wait person who was actually nice. The man training him seemed, at best, brusque. It's clear that he's not a people person. But he's not even efficient. And we got there at 12 o'clock when they opened. It took about 20 minutes for our order to be taken. Luckily the drinks were a bit quicker but it was so slow that I opted not to have dessert. The food can be great but if the service isn't, then it's not successful. The place was packed by the time we left and many people looked like they were having a great time, it's just not for me. And for the effort and price, this is a pass for me. Go to Padella and the pasta is great, cheap and the service is fast and friendly. read more

The River Cafe - The Old Fashioned - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

The food was amazing and the presentation was magnificent. The service was impeccable and spot on. The ambience was very relaxing and lively

We reserved 3 plus weeks in advance on the recommendation of a colleague who eats here frequently. We knew in advance, that this would be a splurge meal both in price and quality of food. The location is a little far out from central London, and hard to find. We had a 7:15 reservation, but almost wish it was a little earlier. Within 30 minutes, this place was packed! It became very loud, and difficult to have a conversation. You can tell there is a loyal following here with regulars. Tables are in very close quarters to one another and small. We had a hard time placing everything on our table for 2, I couldn't imagine some of the small tables that had 6 people. Service was excellent. No complaints. We were treated very well; the staff was very knowledgeable about all the dishes and made recommendations. We never really had the same server. We had several that took care of us, and service never suffered despite being so busy. We started with some aperitifs, and had the appetizer - Scallops with greens. Excellent. Very nice preparation, and cooked perfectly. My only complaint - there was only 2. Next we moved onto the langoustine stuffed ravioli. I could have eaten another dish. Excellent. For mains, I had the bronzino/sea bass, served with roasted potatoes and tomatoes. It was cooked perfectly, good portion size. We also had the fillet, served with spinach and beans. Also cooked perfectly. For dessert, we shared Affogato. Espresso poured over gelato. We weren't surprised by the price point as we knew it was going to be expensive. I would return on a future visit to the area without hesitation. read more

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On my most recent trip to London, my wife suggested I try the River Cafe. She'd happened upon their podcast and has been a bit obsessed. I happily obliged and made a lunchtime reservation. The restaurant is located just off the River Thames in an industrial building in Hammersmith. The two highlights of my experience were the service and the food. My waiter was incredible. He not only had suggestions of his favorites, but he told me I could order half orders of different things so I could experience more dishes. When describing the dishes, he spoke as if he cooked them himself. His passion for the dishes came through. When asked about wine, he did just as well as any sommelier I've spoken with and provided great recommendations. He totally set the tone for the meal for me. Foodwise, I started with the Granchio, which was a pile of Devon crab meat with Sardinian winter tomato bruschetta, aioli, and a quenelle of crab butter. This dish was briny, sweet, rich yet light...wonderful start to the meal. For my primi, I got a half order of the Agnoli de Viltello (slow cooked veal shin wrapped in little pasta bundles in olive oil and sage) and the spaghetti con vongole e bottarga sardo (clams and shaved bottarga). I ate the agnoli first and as good as the veal filling was, it was the pasta that was the star. Just expertly crafted with a beautiful texture. This dish was super simple, but delicious. I followed with the clam and bottarga pasta. The first few bites after the earthy agnoli were, to be honest, a bit intense. The overpowering flavors of the sea just did not transition well from the veal pasta. However, after my taste buds acclimated, I was able to truly enjoy the creamy pasta with tons of clams and bottarga to the fullest. Briny, fresh, chewy, creamy, salty all came together in harmony. For my secondi, I did a full order of the fegato in padella, or calves liver seared with sage, spinach, braised artichokes, and proscuitto. When I ordered it, the waiter stopped for a second to make sure that I did indeed like liver. Once I confirmed, he beamed a smile and declared his love of the dish. The liver did not disappoint! It was minerally, with a great texture. So delicious. At this point, I was done. I couldn't eat another bite. That is, until the waiter surprised me with a slice of the chocolate walnut and amaretto cake. I wanted to hate him for bringing that out, but it was soooo good! Once I got back to LA, I looked up the chef and came upon a video of her speaking in Brussels. She gave a brief history of the River Cafe and how it came to be. She was very captivating in explaining her mission and their processes, etc. But the one thing that really stood out to me was when she simply said, "we want people feeling better then when they arrived." That, in a nutshell, was my experience. I felt better (exponentially) then when I arrived. read more

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5 stars! I loved this place. I initially came across an article written about King NY, and apparently the owners met here about ten years ago. Did a quick search and the website was quite cute and I happened to be going to London, so made a birthday reservation. PORCINI MUSHROOMS were the star!!!! All of our dishes had a focus on minimal, seasonal ingredients and highlighted the freshness of foraged southern French/Italian provisions. The pasta was cooked to perfection... and I was just so happy lol. Our server was also so friendly and kind! Our water glasses were always full. Made me happy. The restaurant interior is also pretty fun and hip. It features a big oven, which is functional. Kind of reminded me of a submarine. We dined on a rainy Wednesday and it was pretty busy. Would recommend for a special occasion-- you can make reservations online in advance! read more

The River Cafe is located on the water on Rainville Road, Thames Warf, in London. It is a small, elegant and chic restaurant that is informal yet upscale and refined. There is a large wood burning stove in the center on the dining room that is cool and adds a flare to the ambiance. We had the grilled calamari, sole and flatbread; which were brilliantly prepared and superb. For desert we shared the lemon tart which is an amazing desert. It is light and it melts in your mouth. Absolutely spectacular. Highly recommended. This is a popular restaurant so advance reservations are required. read more

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so so good. it was our last meal of the trip and the perfect sendoff. the menu changes daily and the ambiance is perfection. i had pasta with a parmesan sauce and asparagus. the focaccia served before the meal was *chef's kiss.* We split the lemon tart and s gelato for dessert - delish. recommend a beautiful stroll on the water after your meal! read more

The River Cafe - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

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A highly anticipated outing at The River Cafe concluded in great disappointment and, I'm pretty certain, food poisoning. Let me break it down: 1. It's a hike to get to. 2. It's grossly overpriced for what it actually is. 3. My pasta was 100% boxed. If not, it was without a doubt dried spaghetti. However, my dining companion's was fresh but she said it "just okay" 4. I ordered the spaghetti with clams and it was nothing more than mediocre. The fact that I paid £24 for pasta dish that can easily be surpassed by a M&S Food Hall pasta dish, is really aggravating. 5. Adding insult to injury, I'm pretty certain one of my clams in my clam dish gave me food poisoning. I was up sick all night and I'm like a goat... I eat anything and everything and rarely experiencing gastrointestinal issues after dining. As for ambience, it was lovely on the inside and the waitstaff was very attentive. But cost v. expectations, it's a huge, huge let down. read more

The River Cafe - Aforementioned clam pasta. Not pictured: calamari antipasti which was the highlight of our dining experience. - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

Oh my. What a night. There is literally no word to describe my love for italian food...and there is no word to describe our experience on the terrace of The River Cafe last Saturday night. Oh well, I'll still try. But in fairness, (spoiler alert) book a table here...one always find something to celebrate no? It was like meeting someone super famous who's life you've been secretly following in the magazines... coz you see, wifey and I got all the River Café cookbooks, and it's been a few years now that we're treating ourselves with that grilled polenta recipe, or even better, that tasty clams pasta dish - at home. And it was good! But everytime we cooked those dishes we thought "how do you think this tastes in the actual restaurant? Are we far away? Is it another league?" And the answer is a simple YES. It is another league. From the starter to that chocolate nemesis. To put it simple, everything was absolutely delicious. Not even a single tiny mistake. And that Nuovo Campi Riserva, red wine from another planet. A planet full of delicious grapes. We also enjoyed the fairly relaxed crowd, even with all those big cars on the parking lot :) Yup, The River Cafe is well pricey, but hey, this is one of the best restaurant experience I've had in my life...those souvenirs will stay, and that's priceless. read more

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Though this restaurant is not really located in the "heart" of London, about 25 pounds- cab ride away from Bond Street Station (tube); I had the best meal here during my stay in London. The restaurant setup is cool! There is a bar/barista/cold food prep stations that runs along the side of the wall. The servers just go right up to the stations and retrieve the food + deliver it to your table. The restaurant is bright, pleasant and clean. Food: Prosciutto with charentais melon-- so simple, yet so amazing! Tagliatelle con Funghi and the clam primi were delicious... The entree, veal and dover sole ( my ratatouille was better than the fish) were all very good. And, of course, panna cotta was fabulous! Food, service, atmosphere: all 5 stars! Go try it!!! They sell their T-shirt for 15 pounds... read more

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I guess like a lot of folk The River Cafe, along with The Fat Duck, has been on our "wish list" for what seems like an age. The lovely weather at the end of March, the chance of a cheeky Friday off work and a little cash left in the bank meant that a long awaited pleasure could finally be realised. The short trek, no more than 15 minutes at an ambling pace, along the Thames Path from the tube station is a nice enough way to arrive at the restaurant although I'm not sure the majority of punters would find this to their taste - we didn't spot many of the walking classes on our visit. When we arrived around 2pm we found that the gods were really looking after us when we were offered the choice of a table inside or one on the terrace which had a little shade to protect from the early Spring sun which was out in full force. It was a no brainer. If you are lucky enough to turn up on a sunny day and can bag a table on the terrace this is the place to be - the inside space is fine but I found it a bit uninspiring and lacking in "vibe". It put me in mind of a canteen space - not surprising really as that was its original function for the architectural practise next door. Once we were seated some very fine bread and the good looking paper menu arrived without much delay. We were eating from the set lunch menu, four courses for £39, which had plenty of mouth watering dishes on offer (much better than the choice of 2 starters and 2 mains which is what you often find on the set menu in "high end" places). After a bit of banter with the young, friendly waiting staff we felt we had enough information to go on and made our orders (when you have been waiting this long to go to a restaurant it can be a bit nerve racking making a choice - the last thing you want is to blow it and find you have a bad case of the dreaded food envy). Perhaps it was the sunny day and the fine white wine from Sicily that we were drinking but this was a meal to savour from beginning to end. My lovely antipasti of chargrilled squid with chilli and rocket was tasty and perfectly cooked but was put into the shade by B's choice of prosciutto with smashed broad bean bruschetta which was just wonderful. Things got even better with the primi plates; my agnoli with rabbit, bay and pieropan soave was a dish to die for and the risotto con asparagi was simple yet delicately cooked and seasoned. The secondi had been recommended by our lovely waitress and did not fail to deliver: the Cornish monkfish with slow cooked fennel and rocket was perfection and the beef sirloin with salsa verde, cannellini beans and roasted medina tomatoes was a meat lovers paradise. Despite being stuffed by this point we took a bit of a breather to finish our wine and soak up the atmosphere - service had almost finished and most of the staff had decamped from the kitchen to sit outside and devour a well earned late lunch. Their energetic and engaging conversations made a nice contrast to the two very well groomed ladies sitting next to us who had spent a couple of hours discussing central London house prices and their next rental investments. After this short break we pressed on with some tart: pear and almond for me and lemon for B. Both were very tasty and went down well but if you are on a budget or have a small appetite my advice would be to have the antipasti and skip the dolci. By the time we had finished our coffee it was gone 5pm, the sun was starting to lose its heat and the journey home beckoned. The bill was not cheap but compared to the a la carte menu it was a bargain. I'm not sure that I would have found this such a delightful meal if I had been dining at full price, inside the restaurant, in the evening but I would recommend this for a lunch date without hesitation to anyone who has a love of good food. read more

The River Cafe - View from the terrace - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

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A divine anniversary dinner. His lamb, my salmon--- both perfect in every way. He didn't even think he really liked lamb prior to this and subsequently has sought out an experience to rival River Cafe. The sommelier came over and discussed our wine choice. I admitted my love for champagne and sweet whites. She brought us a wonderful Italian Prosecco and a side of Cassis liquer "if it's not sweet enough". A Kir Royale, on my anniversary, hummina hummina. By coincidence, we were sat next to a couple. It was his 60th birthday. We all shared a wonderful conversation and some groppa. He enjoyed racing his vintage Mercedes in Italy (where we were continuing our trip) and they suggested a detour through San Gimignano (a WONDERFUL addition). We finished off the meal with a lava cake and cassis sorbet. One of those memorable meals... read more

The River Cafe - Kir Royale - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

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My beloved took me here last night and my tastebuds spoiled, spanked and taken to the depths of foodgasms I never knew possible. This was the culinary equivalent of a dirty weekend. For a start it had a slightly strange location and was slightly out of the way and the surrounding streets were full of net curtains... For the last 11 years The River Cafe has been on my list of places I have wanted to visit but have just never got round to doing. Now this has changed and I feel the restaurant more than lives up to it's numerous books and prestige that seems to go with it. I love the fact that they are seasonal with the food and everyday the menu changes so it is a bit of pot luck as to what you will get, but there is definitely something for everyone, provided you like food that is and don't have any issues with gluten (well for the primi section anyhow). To start with we had a Lampone, which was Prosecco with fresh raspberries blended in it. To say it was divine would be an understatement. The tartness of the fruit worked well against the sweetness of the Prosecco perfectly. To start with I had the Chargrilled Squid with Chilli and Fresh Rocket. OMG I nearly died when I ate this. The smoky sweetness from the chargrilling of the squid was divine as was the subtle chilli heat. A squeeze of lemon helped activate all of these flavours all the more and the peppery rocket left a clean taste in the mouth afterwards. I liked that it was a generous serving too as one squid just wouldn't be enough given how lovely it tasted. My partner had some crab, which was served with aioli and zucchini. The crab was so fresh and clean tasting and the aioli wasn't too overpowering. It was rather subtle and I thought it had wild garlic in but I could be mistaken. The zucchini were quite sweet but cooked nicely and the olive oil used to dress them was very flavorful but not overpowering. There was less crab than there was squid but at the same time it was nice to be able to share both - although I think the squid rules (but then I would say that as I chose that as my starter) Instead of having secondi dishes which all looked very tantalising and tempting, especially the veal, we opted to have pasta as a next course. I had the Tagliatelle with Girolles and she had some linguini with olives and red mullet. Both of these dishes were simple but they were beautiful and so nice and pleasant on the palate to eat. My mushrooms were served with a simple butter, sage and parmesan sauce that literally dressed the plate, pasta cooked perfectly and the whole dish had a delicacy about it. The sage wasn't too overpowering either but left the sauce rich and unctuous enough to not become sickly. I have a small confession to make and that is I don't normally like Red Mullet very much. I feel it is one of those foods that became trendy in the early 90's and people say they 'love' it when in fact they just grin and bear it. I have been lucky enough to try it in some of the best restaurants too but by and large it doesn't do much for me. BUT after having a couple of mouthfuls of my partners linguine I found my opinion changed a little but that was because you could tell it was very fresh, every mouthful the fish had been cooked perfectly and left a lovely clean taste in the mouth as well as a lovely mouthful of firm, fleshed fish that that beautifully seasoned. I wouldn't order the mullet but would happily steal...I mean taste some from someone else's plate and I feel I now have a better relationship with it. To finish we shared the Chocolate Nemesis with a couple of glasses of Moscato which went together perfectly like Mozarella and Tomatoes. In a visit to the River Cafe I thought it couldn't be done without sampling the Chocolate Nemesis as I have heard and read so much about it and I would say you must have it if you go there. Forget all the usual excuses of "I don't like chocolate" "I'm on a diet" or I think "I'll have some cheese" these are rubbish excuses! For the record I am on a diet and I don't like chocolate much but if I am to choose a dessert containing chocolate then this is definitely the way to go and if you share you halve the calories! (Well that is the white lie I told myself) Still if you are going to go to such a wonderful restaurant such as The River Cafe your diet will go out of the window slightly. Although in it's defense I must add that I did step away feeling quite light and not like a beluga whale as I had imagined. Now the bill wasn't causing too much need to remortgage in a hurry but it's not cheap. Most Antipasti and Primi come in at £15 and Secondi are mostly £30 but you are paying for wonderful food that won't leave you feeling that you could have had better out of a jar of dolmio. I must warn you of one thing, Italian food is never going to be the same again after visiting here. Other than what you get in Italy itself of course. Service was friendly, and in some cases read more

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Only gave three star even though I thought food was good. I recommend the veal shin, was extremely flavorful and tender doesn't sound appealing but was recommended by server. The atmosphere was not as pretty as I thought it would be and that's important to us if you are considered "fine dining." The chairs were comfortable but looked like patio furniture. I think if you chose to eat here it would be best in the summer out door seating so you can see the water. read more

The River Cafe - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

We were there for dinner on my 70th birthday, the reservation being booked on line by my son. My husband was there on time and they gave him a table next to the door of the kitchen. Fortunately when he objected they gave him a better table by the time we arrived to a frosty reception. The appetisers were not up to expectation and my daughter-in law could not eat her scallops. Apart from the veal main which my husband ordered the other three mains were just edible. The desserts were of the same standard. However the service provided by a waitress was very good. She brought a plate with Happy 70th Birthday written on it with a slice of cake and a candle for me just before we left. This was meant to be a special birthday but I left feeling very disappointed. As a result my family had to take me for another special meal the next day to make up for it. We are a family who go out to restaurants at least once a week. If this is the standard of meals and reception staff provided by this so called fancy restaurant, I am bereft of words! Never again! read more

So, finally I made it to the much touted River Cafe on Rainville Road in London. Interesting decor, comfortable and soothing. The appetizers Beef Carpaccio and Buffalo Mozzarella blew me away. Very disappointed with the main. The Lamb was almost raw when I asked for medium cooked and the accompanying chickpeas appeared to have been served straight out of a commercial tin. I know my chickpeas and I know good quality chickpeas. Straight out of the tin with no seasoning. River Cafe, it is not done. My wine had a foreign floating element which I brought to the attention of the waiter. He was kind and offered to replace it. The replacement did arrive but the content was less than the returned content. I did not make a fuss about it but the move registered as if the restaurant was not customer centric. London has many exciting restaurants. The River Cafe May have earned a reputation but my visit was disappointing. Much ado about nothing. Cheers Suresh Chawla Toronto, Canada. read more

top notch spot for lunch, good food, good service, nice setting! the place is a bit out of the way for tourists doing the central london visit but I would make the effort to find this place. we taxied there and walked along the river towards the tube station for a the short ride back downtown. read more

Matt B. and I went to the River Cafe for our anniversary dinner, and if I could do it again, I would pick somewhere else. We still had a good time, but this was in spite of the restaurant. First of all, it was rather out of the way, and between the unreliable tube and the cab ride from the station, we almost missed our reservation. This is a fairly minor complaint, I suppose. My real gripe about River Cafe was the nonchalant and dismissive service. We informed our waitress that it was our anniversary, and while we weren't expecting freebies, we didn't get so much as a candle in our desserts. Instead, we got rushed service. I understand the value of efficiency, but sometimes you want to sit back and enjoy a meal at leisure. Anniversary meals must be high on that list of sometimes. The River Cafe is an upscale and expensive place, but our food came faster than it did at Pizza Express. We were done with our entrees exactly forty minutes after we sat down. They slowed down the service after that, but in my opinion, the longest foodless interval of a meal should not be the wait for the check. The space was nice, much larger and busier than we expected, so I suppose efficient service was a bit of a feat. Still, there was no reason for it to be terse and impersonal we were paying so much for our meal. Much would have been forgiven, though, if the food had been amazing. It was passable. Bread was decent and came with good salt, pepper, and olive oil. We ordered a nice bottle of erbaluce for £29 - our waitress's recommendation when I asked for a wine in the £20s. I was impressed by our starters, which at £15 each cost about as much as our pastas. Matt got the prosciutto di San Daniele, which came with two crostino of chicken liver and sage and squashed tomato and extra virgin olive oil. I got the bresaola con Barba Bietole with red and gold beets and fresh horseradish. Neither involved much preparation on the restaurant's part, but this was fine. They were both delicious. The prosciutto was of excellent quality and I enjoyed the heavy but tasty chicken liver. The bresaola was wonderful, and the combination of beef with sweet beets and lightly pungent horseradish was exactly on point. I was sorely disappointed by the pasta. I love pasta, and when it's done well, I can hardly think of anything better. I was expecting delicious al dente homemade pasta from River Cafe, but what we got was actually rather flat. I ordered the tagliarini con funghi, fresh fine pasta prepared with English porcini, cream, thyme, and parmesan. The pasta lacked any bite, and the mushrooms were sliced so thin and cooked so much that they didn't have any flavor or texture left. A hefty amount of garlic made the dish edible, but otherwise it was a bland disappointment. Matt's panzotta di zucca was better. This was fresh pasta stuffed with pumpkin and Buffalo ricotta with marjoram butter and pecorino. It was essentially a pumpkin ravioli, and like nearly every other pumpkin ravioli I've come across, it tasted good. It was not, however, anything special. Dessert was much better. The chocolate nemesis was as sinful as its name suggests. This was a lush, delicious flourless chocolate cake that was soft in texture like a shaped mousse. The chocolate was great, and not too rich. I also enjoyed the panna cotta with grappa and raspberries. I love a good panna cotta, and this one was excellent, flecked with vanilla and boasting a perfect smooth creamy texture. Our dinner wasn't a disaster by any means, but it was one of our most expensive and least impressive date night meals. There were some good moments, but the pasta was so lackluster and the service so disheartening that I don't think I can recommend the place. On a side note, they did order us a cab, and when we met it outside it was an S class Mercedes. We got stuck with an inflated rate, but I suppose it was a fun experience. Like the River Cafe itself, though, it was probably not worth it. read more

Amazing amazing amazing place. It is beautiful on the inside, the food was well presented and tasted great. Everyone was so friendly and helpful and the service was excellent. I can't say enough great things about this place. The only thing i would say is that you would have to ignore the price if you want to enjoy yourself. read more

Difficult to find somewhere between Fulham and Hammersmith the River Cafe is located in an unlikely street full of warehouses. I did not know what to expect when walking in, and I have to admit I was amazed. It looks breathtakingly good, I have never really felt so struck with a restaurant's appearance before. After being gutted by fire last year, it was designed by one of head chef's husbands posh architect Richard Rogers. V.handy. The restaurant is beautiful but modern, and lined by a very long bar with a serene shade of blue behind it. The length of the room somewhat reminds a ship. At the very end is a projection of a clock and an open kitchen with a blazing wood fire oven. The staff were a great in helping to choose dishes without being too pushy, they didn't rush us and were on just the right side of friendly. The food was of course excellent. The most unpopular dish we ordered was the risotto, which I have to admit didn't look very appetising. A few on my table were rather put off, as the presentation made it appear as if it was found on a street corner. The ravioli primi, turbot secondi and panacotta with pomegranate desert we ate were all perfect. Definitely the best pasta I've ever eaten. This is the first restaurant I've been to in my life that offers valet car parking, and my my, the driver was so lovely that he even moved the seats forward so we could get back in the car easier on the way out. This was definitely the cream of my birthday-related activities crop so far. The atmosphere was as rich as the food, and the evening was very special. This is a fantastic place to mark an occasion. I imagine this is a great place for celebrity spotting, not that it's particularly cool to admit that. Mick Jagger dined here last night, with his very tall lady, and someone who looked a lot like Phillip Green. I am glad to note that it wasn't just us who couldn't resist a not so sneaky peak/gawk at his table. However I bet the staff are too c'leb hardened and unfazed to make any 'brown sugar' with your coffee gags. Well expensive but definitely worth saving for a visit. read more

Sigh... What's to say? It's the most wonderful restaurant. The service is delightful, completely professional yet casual. The tables are close together, yet allows for a feeling of intimacy. It's loud and buzzy with lots of staff on the floor, yet you're never rushed and feel as if you're in your own private bubble. There are high flyers and celebrities, yet it feels like a local spot just for you. And the food... WOW! So simple, so elegant, so beautiful. I simply love it. read more

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Haven't eaten here in years but wanted to go back for AGES. Rocked up in the car and the valet beckoned me in and took care of the parking. Mid-week, room was bustling. We had a 9PM reservation but were ready to sit us, despite turning up half an hour early. Daily menu was composed of imaginative and well thought out dishes. Cheap River Cafe is not with starters averaging out at £14 and mains up to £35. But I went for the whole nine yards with an Agretti dish followed by a sort of ravioli in ball format and chocolate nemesis. Oh boy. Tasted as good as I remember it. Service was in a league of its own. Waitress friendly, attentive and extremely knowledgeable on all the dishes and advising my friend who had prosciutto, blood orange and fennel to start and veal with a lemon infused risotto as her main, washed down with a dessert wine (as recommended by aforementioned waitress). As we got our coats at the front desk, the valet was already drawing our car to the front door. Five out of five, surely for a great fine dining experience. Rose Gray would have been proud of how the River Cafe continues to stand the test of time. read more