The River Cafe

Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London, W6 9HA - View on a map
Telephone: 020 7386 4200

The River Cafe Restaurant In London
Details Image
Overall 2.0
Food 1.0
Service 4.0
Atmosphere 2.0
Value 1.0
Based on 1 reviews

what the critics say

Metro

Marina O'Loughlin - 4/5

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 - Whatever: this is a restaurant that amply deserves its booked-out longevity. Not only does it serve some of the capital's most consistently ravishing food but it has spawned a generation of influential chefs – among them Theo Randall, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and, of course, St Jamie. It's no exaggeration to contend that owners Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray dramatically changed the way Britain eats or, at least, thinks about eating while tucking into its M&S ready meal.

Telegraph

Jasper Gerard - 8/10

Thursday, October 09, 2008 - At the grand relaunch, I do an instant double take: isn't the restaurant exactly the same? OK, so the kitchen, including vast bread oven, is now open. New space has been bought at the back to house a private dining room where children can watch films at weekends while parents merrily imbibe at their table. Most innovatively, there is a cheese store so the wonderful pecorino Canestrato can age like fine vino.

your comments review this restaurant and win a bottle of champagne

When are these people going to realise they didn't set out to get a Michelin Star at this restaurant. They have their style of service and have stuck to it! It's knowledgeable but unintrusive, and it's charming!

You say it doesn't deserve a star. That is your perception. If you want stuffy Michelin Star service then this is not the place for you. Equally if you want stuffy, over fussy Michelin food, this isn't the place for you.

This restaurant is about the best ingredients in a relaxed but well-informed friendly environment.

The reviewers on here know nothing about good food!
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Steve
Overall rating 10 stars
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Some of our business contacts suggested this restaurant (we are on business here from Holland). We got a table without reservations last night. We must say that we think it is WAY overpriced and the food is NOTHING special at all, we cannot imagine that this must be one of the best restaurants of London?? Some food was even burned. The service was done by too many (badly dressed) students without personal attention. We had a 3 course dinner and left after paying 253 pounds, we cannot help it, but we felt totally ripped off. We absolutely wouldn't recommend it.
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Overall rating 5 stars
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, September 06, 2011

I went here the other night. For the quality of the food, I think it's WAY over priced. My sea bass dish was £37. It was nothing special, and very rustic. If you're looking for a really cute place to sit outside, yes its pretty nice. But overall very over priced for simple looking and simple tasting dishes.
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Lake
Overall rating 4 stars
Food 4 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Thursday, August 04, 2011

I have wanted to go to the River Cafe for Years. I regularly cycle past it as a local to the area and have heard rave reviews. I have tried in vain on a number of occasions to get a table there only to be told (rather snootily), that I needed to book months in advance to guarantee a table.

Last night I finally made it there with two very 'foody' friends who kindly paid for the meal.

Quite frankly I felt embarrassed for taking them. Our pasta starter was congealing by the time we got our teeth in it. When a main course costs £35 I think it is fair to expect nothing less than something exquisitely delicious. My monkfish was tasty but not particularly special. Restaurants that charge £50 plus for a starter and a main should also serve spectacular bread in my opinion. A bit of dry ciabatta did not impress although the olive oil dip was excellent.

By the time the dessert menu came we all felt rather full and decidedly underwhelmed. We had a glass of champagne on arrival and two half bottles of wine between us, a starter and a main each and the bill came to £270. I am more than prepared to pay £90 for a positively memorable, delectable London meal experience but sadly this was not one of them. Like another reviewer similarly wrote 'I wish I'd gone to La Trompette down the road for the 'just as tasty' £19.50 three course menu!
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Michelle
Overall rating 6 stars
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Friday, July 15, 2011

I could not agree more with the reviews on this restaurant. Have just returned from a very pleasant evening with friends which was only marred by the feeling that we should have booked a table at La Trompette instead. How The River Cafe got it's star I don't know. The food was ok and the service acceptable but we left feeling like we had been fleeced. We are locals not gullible tourists, we know that we can eat a better food for the same price or less in west London and I seriously object to paying 30 odd quid for a main and almost 20 for a starter in a place with paper tablecloths! I won't be returning...
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Overall rating 5 stars
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Saturday, June 11, 2011

Seriously disappointing. We went to the River Cafe with friends as we wanted to try this bastion of the London eating scene. I am glad I checked out the reviews on London Eating first so I was prepared for the shock of the prices. Over £30 for mains, £8 for two scoops of icecream. The food was fine - but it is plain, Italian cooking not fine dining - my started or crab with aioli actually tasted unpleasant (like 'easy garlic' had been used rather than fresh), the pigeon was delicious but served on top of a soggy piece of bread which did nothing for me. The restaurant itself is in a big warehouse with a dodgy blue carpet and our waitresss was charmingly underinformed about the dishes. NOT what you;d expect from such an establishement. I can only imagine that it is kept going by one-timers like us who are interested in food and want to try out such a famous name and locals who are so stonkingly rich they are prepared to spend £100 a head on an average meal. (our bill came to just over £100 a head and we only had 2 bottles of wine between 6). Will not be returning.
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- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating 4 stars
Food 5 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 1
Thursday, March 31, 2011

This was our second visit since it re-opened after the kitchen fire. I had read less than flattering reviews so was a little apprehensive. We did not have the same experience as others have reported. The front desk staff were very friendly. Our table was not ready so we had a cocktail at the bar. The waiting staff were very pleasant and the sommelier was very helpful. The food is very competent - my main course of scallops was delicious - and the servings are generous. However... it is eye-wateringly expensive - £16 for a starter and £30-£40 for main courses, and for these prices I suppose I want something a little more formal, more space between tables, more smartly dressed waiting staff and maybe a little less of a "cafe" feel. It is on our doorstep and we will definitely come again, but I think it is better suited to Sunday lunch on a summer's day than evening "special occasion" dining.
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Overall rating 7 stars
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Monday, March 28, 2011

Difficult to justify the cost and the Michelin star!

I couldn’t fault the quality of the ingredients, but none of the dishes we ordered were particularly flavoursome – it was an underwhelming experience and I felt I could’ve reproduced all the dishes with ease at home.

I was particularly struck by the lack of interest shown by staff: we were served by a succession of different people; very little eye contact was made; nobody asked if we needed any help with the menu/wine list and our food and drink was just plonked in front of us.

Despite much anticipation, eating at the River Café certainly didn’t feel like a special occasion or a treat – we felt unvalued and rushed. There are far better London eateries where the food is much tastier, the prices more realistic and the staff make an effort to make you feel special.
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Overall rating 4 stars
Food 5 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, March 22, 2011

It seems that quite a few people had a pretty dismal time at The River Cafe......I'm pleased to say that when we went it was brilliant.

Yes, it's really, really expensive (I wasn't paying, so the pain was bypassed), however, the food was very, very good.

* Hostesses are not that friendly, but they are professional.

* Went for lunch one rainy Saturday in Feb - packed.

* Lots of people serve you - I didn't mind. They were all good.

* Sommelier was really nice and it was very pleasant to deal with her

* Crab salad, lemon tagliatelli, sea bass - all incredible (especially the sea bass - the nicest fish I can remeber eating)

* Wine - delcious - the menu is full of varied, unusual Italian bottles (as you would expect)

Would love to go again. Marcellous (if expensive).
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Coops
Overall rating 7 stars
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Thursday, March 03, 2011

The staff were rude and abrupt. We were rushed. And the fish course was cold and overcooked.

The problems started soon after we were shown to our table. We were not given sufficient time to consider the menu. The waiter came to take our order far too soon. And he returned several times before we were ready. The menu was complex and we needed a few minutes to consider it.

A waitress poured white wine into my friend’s cocktail. The waitress laughed it off. Mistakes happen. But I was slightly taken aback that the waitress did not offer my friend a replacement cocktail.

The secondi course was brought to the table within a minute of the previous course being cleared (literally). The monkfish we ordered was overcooked and cold.

For dessert we ordered chocolate sorbet. We were told that it had come out wrong so had been removed from the menu. We ordered something else.

Before we finished eating, the waiter came over to our table and plonked down the bill unprompted. We had the distinct impression that we were unwelcome and that he wanted us to leave immediately.

This restaurant is not cheap and I would expect decent food and service. We received neither.

I wrote to restaurant about my experience. They did not bother to reply even when I wrote a second time asking for a reply.

I would not return and would recommend others not to go to the River Cafe. It used to be good but those times have passed.
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Overall rating 2 stars
Food 4 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Friday, February 11, 2011


what the bloggers say

A Rather Unusual Chinaman

A Rather Unusual Chinaman

Sunday, August 07, 2011 - The whole roasted, spatchcocked pigeon was the best piece of pigeon I have ever eaten. The slight smoky char, the perfectly cooked pink gamy meat, all finished off with exemplary seasoning, bringing all the flavours out...The service was friendly and never overbearing, the food was mostly superb, and with a couple of glasses of wine and good company, even at 85 pounds a head, I think it smacks of value. Some people may think the River Cafe is expensive, and it is, nose bleedingly expensive. But my one piece of advice is to save up, and then ignore the prices. Eat and enjoy, and on the whole, you won't regret it.

Gourmet Chick

Gourmet Chick -

Monday, September 13, 2010 - The honesty of The River Cafe's style of cooking was at its best in the tagiatelle con pomodori crudi, a simple dish of pasta tossed in sweet, juicy raw tomatoes, a few judicious basil leaves and a splash of red wine vinegar...The wood fired oven was put to good use to cook the whole Dover sole which was roasted over rosemary branches and then teamed with some swiss chard and roasted beetroot. The fish had a subtle lemon flavour and virtually popped with freshness. Leg of lamb had been char-grilled to a state of rosy pinkness and was pepped up with a vibrant salse verde and a sprinkling of girolles. Once again this was simple stuff but the top notch ingredients made it a dish of rustic beauty.

The English Can Eat

The English Can Eat

Sunday, April 04, 2010 - My first course was the very simple rocket with parmesan salad. The bread was lovely and soft as was the little dish of grass green olive oil they placed before us. I then chose a pasta dish of panzotti stuffed with porcini and spinach. Oh my god I simply cannot put into words how divine this was. A white porcelain plate upon which was positioned half a dozen transparent pasta doilys. The panzotti were covered with a butter and sage sauce...I've been making alot of fresh pasta recently and to taste these was to taste the benchmark on how it should be.

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