Stephan Christian Obermaier
+5
everytime I went there was glamour and best italian food which is served by great people and accompanied by great wine or whatever you like. great place to work too I bet. Very much missed since am away!
Legendary place... beautiful and tucked away location. Fantastic cuisine and exciting wine list. One of our favorite restaurants in London.
We had an amazing experience at the River Cafe, guided by a friend who is a River Cafe-expert. I cannot name every dish we tried and shared but from the antipasti, through the meat and fish dishes, to the desserts, everything was super tasty. The staff was very professional but at the same time friendly and warm, and I loved the open kitchen inside. It is not for everyone's pocket of course (me included) but it's really worth the visit!
Exquisite did and service! The River Cafe is THE place to be for pleasant weekend lunch! The staff is extremely professional, welcoming and friendly. The food tastes like nothing you’ve ever had before, and the location is just wonderful when the weather is good.
I had heard plenty about this place and never realised I had walked past it multiple times without realising what it was. For a Michelin star, I wasn’t expecting the slightly casual decor/table settings with random fluro panels. The food was delicious, we ordered plates to share between the three of us but I think this establishment is more order your own starter and main. The standouts was the bruschetta and the tortellini. The cheese would have been nice with some chutney/fruit accompaniments. The grappa pannacotta...wow, unless you LOVE grappa I would steer clear. Service was attentive enough, very busy restaurant for a weekday lunch. Extremely pricey over £100 per head including a couple of drinks
One of the best meals of recent times.
The place itself is a little bit out there if you are within the heart of central London but the pasta and the entrees and especially the dessert were top notch. Had a minor issue with the wine sommelier pouring us wine that had cork all over it and initially suggesting to filter out the cork which was strange but other than that great experience.
When ever i visit this restaurant i see a celebrity eating here. Tonight Michael Cane is here. Though everthing is delicious, almond ice cream is my favourite
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Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London W6 9HA. Tel.: 020 7386 4200. Oh drat and double drat! I knew this situation would sneak up on me at some point, that dreaded moment, when dinner at one of my favourite restaurants would go pear shaped. The River Café (yup, the one with the famous cookbooks) has, over many many years been not just a favourite, but consistently right up there on my list of top three London restaurants. This restaurant, where Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, April Bloomfield (Spotted Pig, New York) and Sam Clark (Moro) learnt their trade, along with other master chefs all over the world, has never, not once, disappointed me in over two decades. It’s smart, it’s chic, it’s stylish, and it’s casual, comfortable and welcoming all at the same time. Hidden away in a little side street in unsalubrious Hammersmith, the Café which is really a restaurant, started life as the staff canteen of mega architect Richard Roger’s practice. It was run, as it still is, by his wife Ruth Rogers and her friend, the late Rose Gray. I could wax lyrical about Richard Rogers’ fabulous modernist work, but suffice it to say that his practice was chosen to rebuild Tower 3 of the Worlds Trade Centre in New York after it’s destruction in the 9/11 attacks. You get the picture, the guy builds nice buildings.
Two beautiful restaurants in two days, I am a lucky girl. I've been hearing stories about the esteemed River Cafe and have never managed to catch a reservation.
I started off with the mozzarella, a generous portion with a series of sweet and savoury samples to experiment with. Very well portioned as it widens your appetite to prepare for the main event.
Monkfish. Oh how I love my monkfish. This was a truly exceptional plate, a tad too much olive oil for my preference but it took nothing away from the perfectly cooked monkfish. Oh I could have eaten it forever.
We ended the lovely dinner on a sweet note, lemon tart. My favourite. And finally! A lemon tart that was bruled on top. I've been craving that one for a while.
Definitely worth it, but if you're on a budget stay away. Starters start from £20 and mains set you back in the late 30's.
My opinion, oh worth it.
Had the most amazing food at the river cafe all the food is so fresh and delicious, and their chocolate cake/ torte was what I dream about! After watching the river cafe shows on the food network all I wanted was to taste their food, and it was fabulous!!!!
Food And Drinks Noob
+3.5
The cooking at The River Cafe was indeed quality but it was simply far too expensive for my liking, £40 for a main course at that kind of level was really questionable.
Had a wonderful meal which delighted our party of five. Would like to highlight the service of staff...most engaging, warm and friendly. Absolutely worth the taxi ride in from central London.
Expectations vs experience. The experience was very good. We sat outside on the terrace next to the river with the setting being both relaxed and elegant, situated next to the restaurant's garden. It's no mean feat keeping a restaurant relevant and pretty much fully booked for 36 years. It's still a chore finding a table and you have to take your hat off to Ruth Rogers for focusing and not expanding world-wide as many greedy business people do. The food was very well cooked and well thought through. I was not wowed as I am by some top restaurants and given the bill was £200 for two with 4 shared plates and 2 glasses of wine, I wouldn't jump to rebook again. Still with their waiting list, they won't miss me. If someone were to invite me, I would be happy to go back.
Excellent ambiance and location. A wonderful place to have lunch on the weekend and get totally ripped off with pretty good quality food. Mains at £50+ and appetizers at £30+ really stripped me of my appetite. But the service was excellent and it was a good experience!
Having read so much about the Chocolate Nemesis over the years, I made it my mission to try it on my birthday this year - and that's exactly what I did.
I loved the decor and it felt instantly very singular compared of all the many restaurants I have dined at across the city - clean, fresh, fun but also reminiscent of a cool bar in a late 90s/early 00s rom com.
The Turbot was perfection, it absolutely melted in my mouth. I love how generous the portions were compared to other fine dining restaurants.
And, just as I hoped, the Chocolate Nemesis was everything I wanted it to be - light, delicate, rich and utterly unique. I washed it down with a fresh mint tea, which was the cherry on top of a fabulous evening.
One goes to the River Café, for extraordinary cooking and usually have to book months in advance for the privilege. But today (a beautiful September lunchtime) we just walked off the street and were able to experience all those rare authentic Ruth Rogers treats without the long wait. Remarkable as always.
It's a superb Italian restaurant to enjoy the dishes and wines. You can sense their quality of food with good services from their staff.
Doctor Graves (doctorgraves)
+5
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
I recently dined at River Café in London with a friend, and we were both incredibly impressed by the overall experience. The restaurant's atmosphere was warm and inviting, with tasteful decor and an elegant ambiance that set the stage for a memorable evening.
We ordered two entrées: the veal and the longhorn steak. The longhorn steak was a standout dish, cooked to perfection and incredibly tender. The flavors were rich and well-balanced, leaving us thoroughly satisfied. The veal was also delicious, expertly prepared and presented, further showcasing the restaurant's commitment to quality ingredients and culinary skill.
The drinks we ordered were equally impressive. The bartenders crafted our beverages with precision and care, resulting in perfectly balanced and refreshing concoctions that complemented our meal beautifully.
Throughout the evening, the service was attentive and friendly, making us feel welcome and well taken care of. The staff were knowledgeable about the menu, and their recommendations only enhanced our dining experience.
In summary, River Café in London is an exceptional dining destination that I would highly recommend to anyone seeking a refined and delicious meal. With its superb cuisine, expertly crafted drinks, and an atmosphere that exudes elegance, River Café is sure to provide a dining experience you won't forget.
It was great! Nice food and friendly staff and the great view too. Iconic place with timeless design
Quite mixed reviews here especially if you read what others have to say. It is a great place for a special occasion and the food is good, but it is expensive and overpriced. I think it needs to balance itself out, but then the customers keep coming anyway and it’s a struggle to even get a table these days. Worth a try, and decide if you would come back - I would, but perhaps not as often.
Small shop offering delicacies made from the same recipes at The River Cafe. Good for gifts or souvenirs
Food was incredible, service was very good, but probably the most expensive meal I have ever had.
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