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The River Café London Yelp Reviews
Latest Reviews On Yelp
20 Reviews
0 Replys |
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.
Be the first to ReplyVery good still after all these years! Service is attentive
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.
Be the first to ReplyIts been too long since we went here.
We were determined to really enjoy our meal and the experience; old hands here, true, but we were just in the mood for being pampered, having a wonderful meal and simply relaxing And so it was; a nice reception outside and the ever wonderful Charles Pullan to take us to our table; a lovely, warm evening, we chose outside. A few minutes in his capable hands and its like you have never been away You ask and everything just happens around you; no stress all evening...and it became pretty busy. The waitresses are experienced, knowledgeable, professional, yet they too are always relaxed and their attention is on you, they listen, they are not distracted; you barely have to raise an eyebrow and someone is there, yet unobtrusive We did not stint: bubbles, a decent couple of glasses of wine, prosciutto, carpaccio, monkfish, sirloin, ice cream, affogato, double espresso, 1 dessert wine - it wasn't cheap, but you just have to indulge from time to time...it was the most expensive meal we have had since Rostang in Paris a few years ago, though that was nearly twice as much and half as good...and too starchy This is just pleasure
Be the first to ReplyThe food was of an impressive standard! We were
The food was of an impressive standard! We were particularly impressed with the veal shin as a main course and the almond tart as a dessert. The wood-fired lobster was perfectly executed and equally delicious. The pasta, however, fell slightly short of expectations. Nevertheless, the rest of the dishes were highly enjoyable and consistently delicious.
Be the first to Replyso 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!
Be the first to ReplyAn iconic experience, but one that we wish had been
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.
Be the first to ReplyBeautiful 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
Be the first to ReplyOn my most recent trip to London, my wife suggested I try
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.
Be the first to ReplyThis legendary Italian on The River Thames in The
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.
Be the first to ReplyWe 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
Be the first to ReplyI'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, eWith 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.
Be the first to ReplyIt'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.
Be the first to ReplyWe were there for dinner on my 70th birthday, the
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!
Be the first to Reply5 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!
Be the first to ReplyWithout a doubt, one of the best dining experiences of my
Without a doubt, one of the best dining experiences of my life. I ordered a chicory salad, Dover sole, and chocolate cake. We shared some pumpkin ravioli for the table. Everything was memorably delicious. The restaurant is modern, but not overly noisy. The staff is professional and accommodating. The River Cafe is Five Star Plus!!!
Be the first to Replytop notch spot for lunch, good food, good service, nice
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.
Be the first to ReplySo, finally I made it to the much touted River Cafe on
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. CheersSuresh ChawlaToronto, Canada.
Be the first to ReplyA highly anticipated outing at The River Cafe concluded in
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.
Be the first to ReplyWe came for a celebratory dinner.
Although we made reservations far in advance and at least half the tables were empty when we arrived, the hostess announced we should be taken to table 92 or 93. We were 4 people and one of our guests had a view of waiters checking out and bread being sliced. The restaurant later told us they usually only seat 2 or 3 people at that table. Then why did they seat us there? Beware if you are 4. (We were offered a glass of champagne if we return, but first impressions last.) Food was good, not fabulous. Expensive. Attractive, modern decor.
Be the first to ReplyA wonderful meal in a wonderful city! The place is a
A wonderful meal in a wonderful city! The place is a little hard to find but it's a gem. The food melts in your mouth and the staff is always happy to greet. I highly recommend if you live in London or visiting to check them out. They really put great thought in the menu, which does change frequently.
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