As part of the major rejuvenation of Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, restaurateur Sam Harrison has launched Sam’s Riverside, an informal yet stylish restaurant and bar which features large windows, splashes of marble and an open kitchen.
As the name suggests, Sam’s Riverside overlooks the Thames and boasts impressive views of Hammersmith Bridge. Open daily, the kitchen at Sam’s Riverside is overseen by head chef Harvey Trollope and the menu of mainly Anglo-French dishes has been devised in collaboration with culinary director Rowleigh Leigh, who previously launched Kensington Place and has worked at Le Gavroche.
The space features a standalone bar which serves its own menu of snacks and light bites, alongside the usual beers, wines and cocktails. If you are just looking for a few quick and casual plates, you can choose from the likes of parmesan churros, grilled squid on nduja toast, and a buttermilk chicken bun slathered with red cabbage coleslaw.
Those who are settling in for the evening though can dine from the restaurant’s à la carte. On the menu, you can expect to find oysters and seafood dishes such as scallop ceviche or grilled octopus with pimento potatoes and saffron aioli. The rest of the offering champions modern European cuisine, which means the likes of beef tartare with quail egg served on dripping toast, or perhaps peppered venison chops finished off with onion squash and sprout tops.
To round off your meal, you can choose a sweet from Sam’s rather tempting selection of desserts. Traditional offerings include apple tart served alongside caramel ice cream and cider brandy, as well as buttermilk pudding with thyme shortbread, fig, date and walnut.
Sam’s Riverside is also home to a sumptuous outdoor dining area, while the chic private dining room can seat up to 18 guests.
This isn’t owner Sam Harrison’s first foray into the restaurant world. He previously owned Sam’s Brasserie in Chiswick and Harrison’s in Balham before selling them to the Foxlow group in 2015.