The River Café

Although artisan competition is fierce these days, we side with the fan who reckons that The River Café serves “the best ingredients-driven Italian food in London”. This convivial Hammersmith evergreen (30 years young in 2017), which is rightfully so happy in its skin, is a very slick operation and certainly in the capital’s gastronomic ‘Serie A’, although it gains added kudos by virtue of its entrancing views and seductive riverside terrace (an absolute must-do on balmy days) as well as its decor, which some say is “dated but iconic”.

The rustic glories of Italian regional cuisine are writ large in a seasonal menu that majors on daisy-fresh salads, glossy pasta and specialities from the imposing red log-burning oven: in summer, that might mean poached langoustines with aïoli and pea salad followed by clam risotto dressed with zucchini flowers or wild salmon baked in sea salt; in winter, Tuscan bread soup with Swiss chard could precede whole Anjou pigeon wood-roasted in Chardonnay with speck, smoked celeriac and watercress. Further classics might be turbot with the greenest of beans, lobster risotto or char-grilled calamari with rocket. To conclude, chocolate nemesis is still the go-to option, but fruity tarts, grappa-laced pannacotta and the citrusy almond and polenta cake are also delicious.

Prices are top lire (a bowl of cherries is £10), although “exceptional service” is as friendly and engaging as it gets in London. Meanwhile, a list of pedigree Italian wines served at the correct temperatures in the correct glasses makes The River Café is the most well-rounded of treats.

Michelin-starred The River Café has long held the status as one of the best Italian restaurants in London, originally opening in 1987 and retaining its iconic reputation pretty much ever since. Located on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, it’s known for its exceptional Italian food, excellent-mannered service and its stunning terrace, which is a must if you’re dining at the restaurant on a balmy day (although you might have to join a waiting list to get a seat). Head chef and founder Ruth Rogers is at the fore of the kitchen and has been for the last 35 years, with The River Café spawning some of the UK’s greatest chefs including Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Theo Randall.  

The interiors are simple, minimalist and a little dated, which is all part of the canteen-style charm that the restaurant was originally built to imitate. Bright colours draw the eye to certain features in the room, such as a bright pink wood-fired oven, while stainless steel finishes bring a slightly industrial, café-like edge to the dining room.  

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and the menu changes with the seasons. Expect rustic Italian fare that’s unfussy yet elegant and made with exceptionally high-quality ingredients. The menu is divided into antipasti, primi, secondi, dolci and gelati. Dishes might include the likes of Carpaccio di Manzo (finely sliced beef fillet crusted in thyme & black pepper with rocket and Sardinian winter tomatoes), Tagliatelle al Ragu (fresh pasta with veal, rabbit, pancetta and radicchio slow-cooked in red wine) and Coda di Rospo con Vongole (monkfish and clams roasted in white wine with capers, anchovies and cima di rape). Dessert span many gelato flavours and classics such as lemon tart or pannacotta with Grappa and Champagne rhubarb.  

The wine list, meanwhile, features varieties from Italy’s many wine-making regions and also includes port, masala and sweet wines.