The Wapping Project

We go here a couple of times a year and yes, sometimes it's full and you can't get a table but seems to me that this is not a bad sign.

Last went on 17 December 2010, the food was brilliant, the portions were perfect (I eat plenty but when I go out for dinner I want superb quality, dishes I wouldn't cook at home, not seconds).

I have always found the staff and owner attentive and professional, this is a restaurant where you are assumed to be spending the evening not served speedily to get you out of the door and more punters in.

If you're looking for a stylish evening of delicious food, well sourced and well prepared in surroundings you won't find anywhere else then come here. Oh and the wine list is good too.
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Pascale
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Sunday, January 23, 2011

This place is a very cool venue because it's an old Hydraulic Power Station so very big space and cool decor. It is by the Thames and has great history around the area. Pub across the road is the oldest riverside pub in London. It has a nice, open relaxed vibe to it however the service is terrible. There are plenty of staff but no one seems to want to make eye contact with any customers or have any sense of urgency. We had to wait 40 minutes for our first coffees. Food is nice yet smallish portions. Poached eggs far too over done. Waiter spilt beer all over one of us. When we tried to talk to the head waitress about the service she acted like it was our problem, sniggering with collegues at the counter. The venue will bring numbers however the service is bad.
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2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 0
Monday, January 17, 2011

Wow. This place has SUCH a bad attitude. It's such a shame as the space at the wapping project is so interesting and has such potential. I'm just not sure why the staff (and more particularly owner) have such disdain towards their customers - I can't imagine it can be good for business. Food is good but as noted before overpriced for the quality.
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2 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Sunday, January 16, 2011

I took a party of 12 work colleagues here earlier this week. It was fabulous. Great atmosphere - the description "industrial chic" is spot on - with candles flickering on chunks of machinery. Marta and our waitress looked after us superbly well and the food was just great - we had the sharing menu which was whole salmon to start followed by lamb. My guests loved the atmosphere and the food - several of the americans had never eaten lamb before and were a bit nervous about it but they all loved it. My boss paid so I don't really know how much it cost on top of the £50 a head sharing menu but everyone including my boss) seemed very happy. Thoroughly recommended.
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PetraJ - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Saturday, August 14, 2010

After reading some of the negative reviews on-line, I felt a little apprehensive about visiting the Wapping Project for dinner on Saturday evening. It turns out I need not have. The food, service and general atmosphere were all delightful. I love the fact that menu is altered daily and so is perfectly inline with the mood of the day - it was 30 degrees in London on Saturday and the light, refreshing additions to the menu we saw refelcted that. The staff, a bubbly outgoing lot, were attentive and on hand for everything we needed. I had a beautifully cooked duck confit salad as a main course while my boyfriend ate lamb: both meals were cooked to perfection and were full of flavour. After dinner, and a martini, we took a walk downstairs and took in a light and sound exhibit which was really interesting. It strikes me that to fully enjoy the Wapping Project, an open-mind, is essential. Enjoy.
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9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Monday, July 12, 2010

I went to the Wapping Project with my husband for his birthday, and it was brilliant. The atmosphere is great--they've done a wonderful job doing up the old power station--and the owner was lovely. I've read some reviews that weren't very positive about her, but we found her to be very welcoming, and she took the time to come over and chat to us two or three times throughout the evening. Last but not least, the food and wine were delicious. We had a good mix of both fish and meat dishes, and they were all fantastic. And the chocolate fondue for pud is a must! I'm not one to write reviews, but after reading a few unfavourable ones I thought I really should redress the balance and tell everyone how much I enjoyed it. We'll definitely go back again.
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9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Monday, April 12, 2010

Just arrived home after a very pleasant evening at the WP. It was my daughter's 27th birthday treat and she chose the restaurant, but have to admit I was a little apprehensive after having read so many poor reviews on this site. We were 5 and we had 3 starters, 5 main courses and 4 desserts with 2 glasses of wine between us. Everything was very good, atmosphere, service, food and wine, and it all came to £178 with service charge included which I considered was almost good value for money. Squid and scallops were great although the portions could have been bigger. Lamb shanks and pork belly were excellent as were the desserts. The waiters were attentive, polite and respectful and couldn't fault them. I couldn't comment on their appearances, as some others have in previous reviews, it didn't occur to me to check, they couldn't have been too bad or I would have noticed. The typo on tonight's menu (Tuesday 5th April) was only noticeable because it was a birthday (6th April) and really didn't matter. Overall, we all had a great time and will certainly go back again. However, the one thing missing, which might account for the successful evening, was the proprietor?
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Steve - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, April 06, 2010

I fully agree with the previous review that Wapping Project scores a big fat ZERO when it comes to customer service. Psychic ability is probably a must as the previous reviewer states. Shame about that as the food was good, though the "art" exhibition quite poor, and most of the waiters and waitresses needing a course in personal presentation.
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Steven Blowings
3 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, March 16, 2010

To celebrate a friend returning from three years in Africa I booked (through Open Table) a surprise lunch at Wapping Food, having previous enjoyed the unusual industrial space and good food. A surprise was certainly in store for us, but sadly not of the anticipated kind! On arrival we were told with no apology that ‘today we just have an all-you-can-eat buffet, £20/head’ (due to mothers’ day). When I responded that there had been no mention of this on the online booking system, the owner said ‘we don’t have an online booking system’. She then informed us they’ve been doing a buffet on mothers’ day for ten years. Shame not all customers are psychic, eh? Bad-natured confusion ensued, at which point we decided £20/head for a ‘lunch’ of Danish pastries, bread and fruit and arsey service were not what we had come for and moved on, but not before being accused of being ‘offensive’ by the charming owner. [Having now Googled “wapping food + owner” I see I am far from being her first victim!]

On our previous visit the food was nice but come to think of it I did have to go up to the bar twice to get any attention, e.g. to request milk for our coffee!

While I’m having a whinge I might as well mention that this place has no bicycle racks. If you ask you’re told to lock your bike to a sculpture outside! Wapping Project if you’re reading this, do your many cyclist customers a favour and ask Tower Hamlets Council to put a couple of racks on your ample premises.

Having said all this, I will visit again because the space is so nice.
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5 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Sunday, March 14, 2010

We love this place. It has great atmosphere and good quality fod with options that really tempt you. It is not cheap and the good wine list is slightly expensive perhaps they should offer a house wine so that there was a choice at the lower price range. We went to celebrate my daughters engagement and had a great evening. I do think all wine waiters could realise that people can pour their own wine when they want it !

All in all 9 out of ten
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9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Friday, February 19, 2010