riverboat cafe london

The Restaurant

Reservations

Please book online for up to 8 people using the button below. We do not take bookings by email. For more than 8 people, see information in our Events section.

If you cannot find the booking you are looking for, please call our reservations team on 020 7386 4200 .

‍ Lunch Bookings of 1-2 are for 2 hours. Bookings of 3-4 are for 2 hours 15 minutes. Bookings of 5 or more are for 2 hours 30 minutes.

Dinner Bookings of 1-2 are for 2 hours. Bookings of 3-6 are for 2 hours 30 minutes. Bookings of 7-8 are for 3 hours.

All evening bookings are required to vacate the restaurant by 11:30pm.

Reservation Times

Lunch Monday to Sunday: 12pm - 3pm Dinner Monday to Saturday: 6:30pm - 9:30pm

Sunday Lunch

For Sunday Lunch bookings please call the restaurant on 020 7386 4200 .

Private Dining

Information regarding private dining can be found in our Events section.

Sample Spring Menu

Wednesday 7th May - Lunch

Prosciutto di San Daniele – with Charentais melon £36 Insalata di Granchio – Devon crab with baby artichokes and parsley £37 Mazzancolle – split & wood-roasted Scottish langoustines with chilli and oregano £49 Mozzarella di Bufala – with lemon & mint, broad beans, black olives and Tarasco cicoria £34

Calamari ai ferri – chargrilled squid with fresh red chilli and rocket £31 Asparagi – English asparagus with anchovy butter & parmesan £31 Vitello Tonnato – thinly sliced roast veal with tuna mayonnaise, salted anchovy, capers, basil and lemon £30

Risi e Bisi - Venetian rice & peas with mint, stock and vermouth £28 Taglierini al Bosco – fresh fine pasta with wild asparagus, hops, herbs and Pecorino £30 Tagliatelle con le Ortiche – fresh nettle pasta with butter & parmesan £28 Spaghetti alle Vongole – with clams, parsley, garlic, chilli and Fracassi Favorita £35 Ravioli – with zucchini & their flowers, buffalo ricotta and mint £28

Rombo al forno – turbot tranche wood-roasted over potatoes with Amalfi lemon and zucchini £59 Branzino al forno – wild sea bass roasted in Terlano Pinot Bianco with Risina beans and Violetta artichokes £57 Coda di Rospo ai ferri – chargrilled Cornish monkfish with anchovy & rosemary sauce, agretti and broad beans sott’olio £57 Piccione al forno – whole Anjou pigeon wood-roasted on bruschetta with Allegrini Valpolicella and green beans ‘in umido’ £53 Costoletta di Vitello al forno – wood-roasted thick-cut veal chop with salsa verde, slow-cooked peas and rocket £54 Controfiletto ai ferri – chargrilled Longhorn beef sirloin with roasted Merinda tomatoes, braised spinach and fresh horseradish £55

Gelati del River Cafe £12

Caramel Roasted Almond Stracciatella Hazelnut Strawberry Sorbet Affogato with: Grappa Bassano £18 Vin Santo £20 or Espresso £14

Chocolate Nemesis Lemon Tart Nespole & Almond Tart Pannacotta with Grappa & Raspberries Pressed Chocolate Cake with Zabaglione Ice Cream Ricciarelli, Baci di Dama, Mezzalune

Formaggi - 3 cheeses £18 or 5 cheeses £30

Caprini Freschi – goat’s milk, Piemonte Scimudin - cow & goat's milk, Lombardia Pecorino Marzolio Rosso – pasteurised sheep’s milk, Tuscany Castelrosso – cow’s milk, Piemonte Blucora – blue, cow & goat's milk, Piemonte

Sample Summer Menu

Thursday 25th June - Dinner

Mozzarella di Bufala con Caponata alla Siciliana £28 Calamari ai ferri - chargrilled squid with fresh red chilli and rocket £31 Culatello di Zibello – with Charentais melon or Italian black figs £38 Mazzancolle – poached Scottish Langoustines with aioli and pea salad with basil, mint & fennel herb £49 Carpaccio di Branzino – thinly sliced raw wild Sea Bass with marigold tomatoes, golden oregano and chilli  £32 Antipasto di Verdure – roast red & yellow peppers with anchovy, baked borlotti, Italian spinach and buffalo ricotta crostino £28 Carne Cruda di Vitello - finely chopped Veal rump with squashed tomato bruschetta and Pecorino Gran Riserva  £31

Strozzapreti con Pesto alla Genovese e Fagiolini Verdi £29 Ravioli - stuffed with buffalo ricotta, garden herbs & lemon zest with marjoram butter and Pecorino £29 Risotto - with clams, zucchini flowers and Castello di Neive Lange Arneis £31 Taglierini - with cherry & marigold tomatoes and basil £29

Rombo al forno - Turbot tranche wood-roasted with anchovy, capers and flowering oregano with summer beets and garden rocket £58 Capesante ai ferri - chargrilled Scottish Scallops with zucchini fritti, chilli and mint £54 Branzino al sale - wild Sea Bass baked whole in sea salt with salsa verde and chargrilled verdura mista of aubergines, zucchini & peppers £57 Piccione al forno - whole Anjou Pigeon wood-roasted in San Guido Guidalberto with Tuscan roast potatoes £55 Vitello cotto in bianco - poached Veal shin, pancetta & bay with fresh horseradish, Swiss chard and peas £54 Controfiletto ai ferri – chargrilled Beef sirloin with fresh borlotti, mustard, Sorrento tomatoes and basil £55

Caramel Stracciatella Roasted Almond Hazelnut Strawberry Sorbet Affogato with: Grappa Bassano £18 Vin Santo £20 or Espresso £14

Chocolate Nemesis Lemon Tart Almond Tart with Strawberries Summer Pudding with Valpolicella Pannacotta with Grappa and Raspberries Biscotti Misti - Noce e Cioccolato, Ricciarelli, Baci di Dama

Robiola di Roccaverano – goat’s milk, Piemonte Asiago Pressato – cow’s milk, Veneto Capretta di Toscano – goat’s milk, Toscana Pecorino Sardo Canestrato – sheep’s milk, Sardinia Blu di Bufala – blue, buffalo milk, Lombardia

Sample Autumn Menu

Tuesday 18th November - Lunch

Pizzetta – with potato, Taleggio and thyme £27 Prosciutto di Parma – with radicchio and Parmigiano Reggiano £29 Carne Cruda di Vitello e Manzo – finely chopped veal & beef with black pepper, Pecorino Gran Riserva and rosemary bruschetta £32 Bagna Cauda – puntarelle, carrots, romanesco, celery hearts & Swiss chard with warm anchovy & De Faveri Prosecco sauce £29 Mozzarella di Bufala – with artichoke alla ‘Romana’, mixed roast pumpkin, Risina beans, marjoram & Felsina extra virgin olive oil £29 Calamari ai ferri – chargrilled squid with fresh red chilli & wild rocket £31 Mazzancolle – Scottish langoustines split & wood-roasted with garlic and parsley £49

Panzotti – handmade pasta stuffed with Robiola di Roccaverano with sage butter £29 Risotto Verde – with winter greens and Pecorino Canestrato £28 Malfatti con Fagiano – hand-cut pasta with pheasant slow-cooked in Bussola Valpolicella Classico, fennel herb & pancetta £29 Linguine con Granchio – with Devon crab, parsley, chilli & lemon £35

Branzino ai ferri – wild Sea Bass slashed & stuffed with lemon, thyme & marjoram with olives, red winter leaves & Florence fennel £58 Sogliola al forno – whole Dover Sole wood-roasted with pangrattato, anchovy & lemon zest with Italian spinach £54 Fritto Misto – of Cornish Monkfish, Red Mullet, Scottish Scallops, Anchovy, sage & Violetta artichokes £52 Gallo Cedrone – whole Yorkshire Grouse wood-roasted in Isole e Olena Chianti Classico with potatoes & sage ‘al forno’ and watercress £58 Stinco di Vitello – Veal shin slow-roasted in Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo with risotto bianco & gremolata £53 Coscia d’Agnello ai ferri – chargrilled marinated leg of lamb with chickpeas, cima di rape & fresh horseradish £53

Caramel Roasted Almond Stracciatella Hazelnut Chocolate & Vecchia Romagna Sorbet Affogato with: Grappa Bassano £18 Vin Santo £20 or Espresso £14

Chocolate Nemesis Lemon Tart Pear & Almond Tart Pannacotta with Grappa & Pomegranate Walnut & Amaretto Cake Biscotti Misti - Baci di Dama, Torrone, Noci e Cioccolato

La Tur – sheep & goat’s milk, Piemonte Castellino Caciotta – cow’s milk, Veneto Caprino Stagionato al Caprone – goat’s milk, Sardinia Ragusano – cow's milk, Sicilia Basajo – sheep’s milk, Veneto

Sample Winter Menu

Saturday 25th January - Dinner

Puntarelle alla Romana £29 Carciofi alla Guidea – deep-fried whole Roman artichokes with Amalfi lemon £28 Calamari ai ferri – chargrilled squid with fresh red chilli and rocket £32 Mozzarella di Bufala – marinated in crème fraîche with wood-roasted Violino squash and agretti £29 Mazzancolle al forno – Scottish langoustines split & wood-roasted with parsley and garlic £49 Carpaccio di Manzo – finely sliced beef fillet crusted in thyme & black pepper with rocket and Sardinian winter tomatoes £34 Pizzetta – with radicchio, Speck di Val d’Aosta and rosemary £28

Ribollita – Tuscan bread soup with Swiss chard, borlotti, carrots and Selvapiana extra virgin olive oil £25 Linguine con Granchio – with Devon crab, chilli, parsley and lemon £35 Taglierini al Pomodoro – fresh fine pasta with slow-cooked tomato £28 Panzotti con Salsa di Noce – with Swiss chard, buffalo ricotta and fresh walnut sauce £29 Tagliatelle al Ragu – fresh pasta with veal, rabbit, pancetta & radicchio slow-cooked in Fontodi Chianti Classico £30

Rombo al forno – turbot tranche wood-roasted with wild oregano with potatoes, Cedro lemon, thyme and olives ‘al forno’ £59 Coda di Rospo con Vongole – monkfish & clams roasted in Tercic Ribolla Gialla with capers, anchovies and cima di rape £57 Branzino ai ferri – chargrilled wild sea bass with salsa verde, large leaf rocket and slow-cooked Florence fennel £57 Piccione al forno – whole Anjou pigeon wood-roasted in Isole e Olena Chardonnay with speck, smashed celeriac and watercress £55 Stinco di Vitello – veal shin slow-cooked with its marrow in Aldo Vajra Nebbiolo with tomato & sage on bruschetta with cavolo nero £53 Controfiletto di Manzo ai ferri – chargrilled Longhorn beef sirloin with salsa Etrusca braised Italian spinach and cannellini beans £55

Roasted Almond Stracciatella Hazelnut Caramel Pear & Grappa Sorbet Affogato with: Grappa Bassano £18 Vin Santo £20 or Espresso £14

Chocolate Nemesis Lemon Tart Prune & Almond Tart Pannacotta with Grappa & Champagne Rhubarb Lemon, Almond & Polenta Cake with Caramelised Blood Oranges Biscotti Misti - Noci e Cioccolato, Mezzalune, Ricciarelli

Robiola Rochetta – goat’s milk, Piemonte Taleggio di Val Brembana – cow’s milk, Lombardia Pecorino di Fossa – sheep’s milk, Umbria Alto But Vecchio – cow's milk, Padola, Veneto Gorgonzola Naturale – blue, cow’s milk, Lombardia

River Cafe Gift Boxes.

Sparkling/Champagne

Events & off-site.

River Cafe Events

We have two event spaces at The River Cafe.

Our Private Dining Room can accommodate up to 18 guests, and Sylvia's up to 40.

Images and more information can be found here .

Off-site Events

We can bring the River Cafe experience to you with our off-site events.

To enquire about holding an event at The River Cafe or off-site, please email [email protected] or call 020 7386 4240 .

Shop The River Cafe

To order all our prepared food, drinks and homewares, please visit Shop The River Cafe .

Gift Vouchers

River Cafe Gift Vouchers are available for any amount and include a personal message. They are valid for two years, redeemable in the restaurant or on Shop The River Cafe , and are delivered automatically by email to the purchaser or recipient.

Thinking about Laura Dern coming here today, I scrolled through three years of text messages. It's a story about making plans and choosing restaurants to go to.

As usual, most of our ideas were aspirational, adapting around our families, movies, cooking and travel. Laura is fun, curious and smart, hanging with the crew on set.

She has memories of her grandmother and describes her parents as heroes. She is a bold spokesperson for women in the film.

Renzo Piano, the architect for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in L.A., remembers that as a trustee, she was a rigorous and remarkable client.

Today, we're here in The River Cafe to talk about all this and more.

  Listen to Ruthie’s Table 4: Laura Dern in partnership with Moncler—out now.

Our new cook book - signed copies available at Shop The River Cafe

Other Books

Co-founder of The River Cafe 28 January 1939 – 28 February 2010

The River Cafe

Thames Wharf Rainville Rd, London W6 9HA

For general restaurant enquiries: [email protected] +44 (0)20 7386 4200

For events and off-site: [email protected] +44 (0)20 7386 4240

For press: Kitty Alford: [email protected] ‍ For work: [email protected]

Getting to The River Cafe

Tube: Hammersmith Parking: Pay and display in surrounding streets Valet Parking: Available in the evenings, Saturday & Sunday lunch Open location in Google Maps ‍

Work For us

We are currently recruiting waiters, bartenders and reception/reservationists.

Please email your CV and covering letter to [email protected]

Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London W6 9HA +44 (0)20 7386 4200 | www.rivercafe.co.uk

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London’s Best Italian Restaurants

Where to go for a slice of la dolce vita in the capital

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Britain has come a long way from sourcing olive oil over the pharmacy counter and being wowed by Elizabeth David’s revelatory prose on Mediterranean cooking — London’s Italian restaurant scene is all the better for it. Now, it’s possible to get a taste of Rome in Old Street , take a trip to the Amalfi Coast via Clapham , or be charmed by classic Neapolitan pizza in Ealing . There’s not a checked tablecloth or oversized pepper grinder in sight: just exquisite pasta , pizza , and much more.

Santa Maria Pizzeria

It’s Neapolitan all the way at Ealing’s Santa Maria. Keep things traditional with the margherita: a slim base topped with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella and parmesan. However, the purists also have a short vegan (mamma mia!) menu including a (soy) cream of potato pie with onions and peppers. There are also locations in Chelsea and Fitzrovia, but this is the original, and remains the sine qua non of Neapolitan pizza in London , depending on who is making the claim.

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The River Café

An iconic pillar of Italian dining in London, The River Café in Hammersmith is as revered today as when Ruth Rogers and the late Rose Gray opened its doors more than 30 years ago. The menu, as it has always done, sings to the tune of the seasons and shows off the finest ingredients. Expect risotto with winter greens, dover sole whole roasted in the hot pink wood oven or buffalo ricotta-stuffed ravioli drenched in marjoram butter. There’s always one constant: the decadent chocolate nemesis dessert.

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Locanda Locatelli

One for special occasions, Giorgio Locatelli’s Locanda Locatelli is just as thrilling as it was when it opened nearly 20 years ago. The convivial atmosphere in Marylebone is the result of Locatelli’s unstinting commitment to hospitality excellence, which, like his food, never rests on well-earned laurels. Brilliant dishes like freshly made pappardelle with ceps; or malfatti potato parcels with peppers, mint, and Parmesan; and roast monkfish with walnut and caper sauce and samphire keep diners happy, and coming back for more.

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Vasco & Piero's Pavilion Italian Restaurant

This Soho stalwart has lost none of its Umbrian charm since its unceremonious removal from Poland Street. In new premises, conscientious fresh pasta still rules, with Tuscan sausages, grilled fish, and chicken Milanese taking centre stage come mains.

Order a house vermouth on the rocks then dive headfirst into Sorella’s succinct menu for a taste of the Amalfi Coast in Clapham . Nibble on deep-fried Nocellara olives and perhaps some peppery pork and fennel salumi. Proving beige is best, there’s tagliatelle with wild mushrooms and truffle or the underrated squash gnocchi with chard. Charred whole plaice and crispy potatoes provide a cheering third act. Then dessert. There’s no doubt that the malted barley affogato is deserving of its fan base but the perfectly balanced plate of Casatica di Bufala, plums, honey and walnut crackers is another worthy dish. Or, just get both.

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Bocca di Lupo

Still possessing one of the most enchanting menus in the city, Jacob Kenedy’s Soho restaurant (and its adjacent gelato parlour, Gelupo) spans Italian regionalism with aplomb. Roman fritti; pasta in tribute to Bologna, Sardinia, and Veneto; a caffe corretto straight from Hades. 14 years after opening, it remains as bewitching as it is seminal.

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It’s fair to say that Soho’s Bar Italia is an institution, serving espressos from 7 a.m. to 5 a.m. Watch Frith Street go by from an outside table or grab a stool inside the narrow, paraphernalia-filled cafe. Cappuccinos and croissants are order of the day for breakfast, or stop by for a late-night cannolo and caffeine kick.

Pull up a bright red chair outside the bright blue Italo deli on the corner of a leafy street in Vauxhall. There might be vitello tonnato, cold sliced veal with a heavy slick of creamy sauce with capers, or plates nearly overflowing with golden polenta, wild mushrooms and sage. Browse the colourful shelves, packed full of Italian imports, before leaving with some pasta or exemplary canned tomatoes.

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Cafe Murano Covent Garden

For refined and generous dishes, look no further than Angela Hartnett’s Café Murano. The menu picks the best from Italy’s northern regions: tortelli stuffed with pumpkin; hearty risotto Milanese with osso bucco. Punchy flavours accent simply cooked meat and fish dishes, seen in tender grilled octopus with vibrant salsa verde and borlotti beans, or braised rabbit in a heady rosemary and tomato stew. There’s also a St James’ outpost of the restaurant and a Bermondsey location, too, but head for the Covent Garden spot and drop by the next-door pastificio for some homemade pasta to take home.

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Ciao Bella in Bloomsbury embodies everything there is to love about a proper, old-school Italian restaurant. Step through the door to find an organised chaos of families crowded around tables, waiters weaving around the room with plates held high. Downstairs, rows of tables are packed into the room and packets of breadsticks await diners in their place settings. Snack on generous lumps of salty parmesan and sip robust chianti while deciding between spaghetti with clams or meatballs — pasta has the perfect al dente bite here. Or, there’s simply dressed grilled dover sole, and breaded, fried veal escalope, tangy with lemon. Take an after-dinner espresso out on the Lambs Conduit Street terrace, under glowing heaters.

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It would be a mistake to classify Polpo founder Russell Norman’s new restaurant, on Farringdon’s Greenhill Rents, as a Tuscan nostalgia trip. Yes, bistecca alla Fiorentina is charred on the grill bars, flames licking up, before being served unadorned. Yes, chicken liver crostini; pasta e fagioli; red-and-white gingham tablecloths and Parmesan spooned from metal bowls. Yes, billowing tiramisu. Yes, plentiful Negronis; a stand-up bar where the coffee is cheaper than sitting down. But this is a London dining room that feels like it’s been around forever, not stuck in an endless Italian past.

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Younger sibling to The Clove Club in Shoreditch, Luca is just as understatedly elegant. This quietly glamorous Clerkenwell restaurant serves ‘Britalian’ dishes — Italian food mostly using British produce. First things first, order a portion of the crispy parmesan fries, and don’t share. Dishes move with the time of year: it’s always worth trying whichever pasta is paired with the seasonal pesto. It won’t be traditional — think pistachio and spinach or kale and chilli — but don’t fear change. Then there are dishes made for comfort: tender ox cheek with lemon polenta, Hebridean lamb with bagna cauda, or a wedge of glazed, roasted Delica pumpkin with chestnuts and buttered onions.

A sleek, chic dining room in Islington sets the scene for Trullo’s unfussy Italian food. Dishes take the best of seasonal British produce and spin it into great antipasti, fantastic pastas, and secondi fresh from the charcoal grill. Skip the queues at Padella, the fresh pasta spot in Borough Market , and enjoy the signature beef shin pappardelle or pici cacio e pepe at a slower pace. There’s also ever so smoky aubergine parmigiana and hearty Black Hampshire pork chop with salsa verde on a bed of polenta. The accessible wine list is fantastic.

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Chris Leach (formerly Sager + Wilde) and Smokestak’s David Carter have moved in to Shoreditch after a long stint in Soho. To go with top antipasti, including a new pig skin ragu with pig skin double banker, there’s a carousel of pasta plates. There’s usually something stuffed, perhaps with pumpkin or mushroom, and ribbons of pappardelle tossed through ox cheek or duck ragù to go with delicate tortellini bobbing in brodo. But there’s almost always the outrageous brown crab cacio e pepe — order it or regret it.

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With a Trullo alumnus behind the stove and an ex-Barrafina and Koya City general manager on the floor, Legare has a short but sweet menu from which to pick and mix snacks, antipasti and pastas. Build a world-beating ham sandwich with gnocchi fritti and mortadella; dive into tajarin drenched in butter and sage; and eat those greens in the form of baby gem lettuce drizzled with gorgonzola, sharp pickled shallot, and crunchy pangrattato.

A bright, white room, a short simple menu and rustic Italian food: that’s Artusi in Peckham. Dishes can change throughout the week, depending what produce is at its best, and pasta is handmade daily at the charming neighbourhood joint. Expect pasta e fagioli or ribbons of chestnut tagliatelle and secondi like bream with peperonata or bavette with pumpkin. Don’t miss the incredible set Sunday lunch: primi, secondi and dolci for a steal at £25. The Artusi crew are also behind the brilliant Marcella, in Deptford.

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A stone’s throw from Hackney and Columbia Roads , Campania serves Italian food with a southern accent. The rustic warren of three dining rooms — including one particularly gorgeous covered courtyard — scattered with wooden furniture and candles stuck in empty wine bottles sets the stage. Homemade pasta is what does best here. Plump gnudi in sage butter, rich lamb ragù in a tangle of green pappardelle, and a tumble of tagliatelle alla vongole. Save room for the fluffy, boozy tiramisu.

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This chilled-out spot sits above a canal itself, but resides in Hackney. The wine list is excellent so get into the bacaro spirit and stop by for a glass and cicchetti like scarlet prawns and crostini. Staying for a plate of homemade pasta which shows off seasonal British ingredients is also highly recommended. Cornish crab is tangled through tagliolini, plump ravioli are stuffed with pumpkin, and porcini is given a starring role with tagliatelle. Make sure to get a crisp cannolo before departure.

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The River Cafe

Ratings and reviews

Food and ambience, location and contact, michelin guide's point of view.

Me and my three friends visited the river café for an engagement party and although the food was delicious, we experienced poor service in regards to our drinks. I had the coda di Rospo con Vongole to eat and it was absolutely delicious, would come... More

Wanted to give it a go due to the hype, but I was left wondering why there's any hype at all. The decor feels like you're in a Travelodge, the waiting staff all chat to each other and drift over once in a while &... More

Service was the most dissapointing of all. It rained. We got soaked. The staff did not help make us comfortable. We moved our own plates and drinks to a neighbouring table. After seating ourselves on a new table we fed back our dissatisfaction to the... More

The ambiance was really warm and the staff went out of their way to make the two of us feel welcome. Eating pasta in a restaurant is something I generally avoid as I enjoy cooking and feel, wrongly as it turns out, that I can... More

We had a large group dinner at this restaurant that started on the outdoor patio and then was followed by seating in the private dining room (which had a large glass cheese refrigerator (as opposed to a wine collection). The service was excellent, food quality... More

Every aspect of this restaurant we were looking forward to. Brought friends (who are foodies and own a restaurant in the US) and everyone had high expectations. I had called ahead letting them know we were celebrating a 60th bday. From the beginning of the... More

Astounded as to how this restaurant charges the prices it does for its food. Firstly you are basically sat at a plastic table, I have been to nicer picnics than this place. Decoration is lazy, no flowers on the tables and you are crammed in... More

Started off with some banging Franciacorta – Bellevista. Second glass was even better than the first. So many Proseccos are meh. A refreshing and light Antipasto was my Pomodori – huge tomato slices with Bottarga. The pièce de résistance was Spaghetti a la Vongole. Piquant,... More

One of London’s favourites! An iconic restaurant renown for its consistently really high quality food (yet very punchy prices). Italian food at its most tasty and yet quintessential British feel to the atmosphere....not sure how that came about but that’s Fulham for you!

Lunch at The River Cafe was, ultimately, not what I expected. The food was quite good, but not as good as I thought it would be; the service was... non existent; but the bill was spectacular. The people on the table next to us refused... More

My first time and the last time, recommended by a friend which has tried it five years ago. The expectations were high, according to him the best Italian restaurant in the world. I have tried a lot of Michelin-star restaurants around the world, but this... More

As foodies we like to think we know the difference between great / good/ and mediocre service and the price points that go with these in Michelin starred establishments. We booked River Cafe as friends gave us a voucher knowing we were big foodies ..... More

We booked lunch and were very disappointed. We arrived to be told we were eating outside. It was a very windy day and this completely ruined the atmosphere and lunch. Chairs were uncomfortable. Service average. The starters were average we had crab and ravioli both... More

We managed to get a table to eat at The River Cafe on the most romantic day of the year. Packed (as you would expect) our table was already prepared for us and we were sat across from the piano and up close with the... More

It's difficult to open a weekend broadsheet magazine without finding some journalist or other name dropping River Cafe. So first week after restaurant re-opening in April we decided to give it our first try, since we like fine dining. The first big thing about River... More

THE RIVER CAFE, London - Menu, Prices, Restaurant Reviews & Reservations - Tripadvisor

photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch

Jake Missing

February 5, 2019

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If you talk about game changing Italian food and drink in London then you should really be talking about three things: 3am espressos at Bar Italia, garlic butter dough balls at Pizza Express, and the River Café.

This is, literally, the mother of Italian restaurants in London. Before the River Café plopped itself down in Hammersmith in 1987, the UK thought antipasti was a movement against pastries, and that anything rocket related was NASA’s business. The River Café changed that by serving the kind of Italian food we take for granted these days. Fresh tagliatelle. Radicchio salads. Pomodoro sauce. You name it, they probably did it here first. But the most important thing of all? They’re still doing it very well.

Restaurants with this kind of reputation often have the same associations: high price, formal atmosphere, and staff who appear to have been born with the sole purpose of keeping you overly hydrated. The River Café is only the first of these. What’s another mortgage anyway? This isn’t one of those restaurants that makes you feel like you’ve arrived for a job interview as soon as you enter. It’s big, bright, and, most importantly, buzzing. This is a restaurant full of people who are happily eating £23 plates of mozzarella. Firstly because it tastes good, and secondly because the canteen-ish atmosphere makes it feel like a reunion with friends you’ve never met. It’s a place to spend proper time and proper money in.

photo credit: The River Café

There’s something timeless feeling about this restaurant. When are people not going to want to eat veal taglierini and bit of lip-smacking lemon tart? Or a crispy taleggio and potato pizzetta, followed by a chargrilled bit of lamb with borlotti beans? Especially with the Thames on their left, and that bloke off that series to their right. It’s neither cool nor uncool. It exists partially hidden (on the riverside) and in its own price bracket (up in the sky), both of which have allowed it carry on doing what it’s always done.

But it’s the way in which things are done at the River Cafe that stands out most of all. Yes the food here is priced high, and not everything is great. You might find yourself looking at a middling plate of monkfish and seeing an unpaid £40 phone bill. But god is this place classy. Sizeable charitable donation from ‘Anonymous’ classy. There’s no pushing here. No judgement. Mention to your server that you’ll be sharing a £40 secondi, and your wood pigeon will wordlessly arrive on two separate plates. This food isn’t advertised for sharing, but of course it can be. Which is ironic considering a lot of London’s ‘sharing plates’ restaurants seem to be the opposite. What we’re saying is, actually, you can come here and share a pizzetta, have a pasta each, then split a whole Dover sole - all for around £50 quid a head. We’ve done it and felt comfortable, in every sense of the word.

Ultimately, The River Cafe is what lots of people look for in a special occasion restaurant. Somewhere with both reputation, food, and atmosphere to match. Plus that gut-wrenching feeling when the bill arrives. That combination may not be game changing, but it’s a lot harder to find than you think.

Food Rundown

Pizzetta With Taleggio, Rosemary And Potato

Culatello Di Zibello With Radicchio, Walnuts, Balsamic

Panzotti di zucca, veal taglierini, risotto ai frutti di mare.

Whole Pigeon, Pancetta, Liver Crostino, Roast Potatoes

Whole dover sole with capers and artichokes.

Leg Of Lamb, Horseradish, Trevise Hearts, Borlotti Beans

Chocolate Nemesis

Food rundown.

I went to Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson's London date-night spot and had one of the best pastas I've ever tasted

• Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson recently went to the River Cafe in London. 
• The River Cafe is one of the city's most famous restaurants and helped revolutionize its dining scene.
• I had one of the best pastas I've ever tasted at the River Cafe, along with other amazing dishes.

There's rarely a dull moment in the lives of Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson. But when it comes to date night, the famous duo is very consistent — and very into Italian cuisine.

From Davidson's regular pizza place in Staten Island to Kardashian's favorite Santa Monica spot to grab pasta, the two are frequently seen enjoying Italian cuisine together. 

They've even posted romantic Instagram photos of themselves cuddling in front of empty plates at Jon & Vinny's in LA . 

A post shared by Kim Kardashian (@kimkardashian)

So it's little surprise that on a recent trip to London, Kardashian and Davidson skipped the fish and chips and went straight for some delicious pasta. 

Kardashian and Davidson recently dined at the River Cafe, one of the most famous restaurants in London.

Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray opened the River Cafe in London's Hammersmith neighborhood in 1987. Rogers — who was born in New York — had only briefly worked in a restaurant as a waitress when she decided to open a cafeteria at her husband's architectural firm along the River Thames. She joined forces with Gray, who shared her love and passion for Italian cooking. 

Together, the two women helped revolutionize London's dining scene in the 1980s as the River Cafe grew into a full-blown restaurant that was getting more popular by the second. Rogers and Gray wanted to create an environment that was welcoming rather than intimidating — where you didn't need to be an angry chef to run a kitchen, and you didn't need to wear designer clothes to enjoy the best ingredients. 

"We broke the rules and gave chefs more days off, took our team on trips to Italy, things that felt eccentric at the time — but for us were core values," Rogers wrote in an op-ed for the Huffington Post in 2017. "Once you walk through the door, you are ours. We look after you. You are surrounded by friends. You feel welcome, you feel safe." 

The River Cafe received its first Michelin star in 1998 and has held on to it ever since.

The restaurant helped launch the careers of a number of famous chefs, including Jamie Oliver, and has become as much of a celebrity hot spot as Nobu in Malibu, California.

Steve Martin called it the best Italian food in the world , Gwyneth Paltrow has worked in the kitchen, Elton John once performed in the dining room, and the restaurant gets 1,000 phone calls a day from people trying to find a table, according to The Wall Street Journal . 

After scoring a last-minute opening on a recent Saturday, I made my way to the River Cafe.

I checked the reservations page every day for more than a week, determined to try it during a recent trip to London . My efforts (or just some good luck) paid off one Friday when I spotted a 12 p.m. lunch reservation for the very next day. 

When my Uber pulled up to the address that gloomy Saturday, I was surprised to find myself in a quiet residential neighborhood. I thought I'd been dropped off at the wrong place until I saw a small white-and-blue sign on the big brick building in front of me. 

While the exterior looked a bit plain, the dining room was airy and bright.

The River Cafe's cobalt-blue carpet — which ran through the dining room — added a modern touch that I hadn't been expecting from a restaurant open longer than I've been alive. 

One of the long walls featured floor-to-ceiling windows that gave us a perfect view of the outdoor patio, where the turquoise tables added a splash of color against the gray London sky. 

Dishes were laid out along the bar of the open kitchen, showcasing the River Cafe's fresh ingredients.

From the start, Rogers and Gray were committed to using the best ingredients — no matter the effort. Gray grew her own Tuscan kale in the restaurant's garden when she couldn't find it in any UK restaurants. And the oft-repeated story of Rogers buying a business-class seat for a perfect pumpkin she found in Italy — while she and Gray sat in economy — is now part of the River Cafe's legend. 

The restaurant sources fresh produce directly from Milan every week and all of the staff, including the waiters, help prep the ingredients. Chef Sian Wyn Own and manager Charles Pullan told Staff Meals of the World that this gives everyone at the River Cafe an integral understanding of the menu, and includes them in the magic of making a meal for every table. 

But the real star of the room was the Barbie-pink pizza oven firing away.

A big, bright clock that changed colors hung just behind the oven. Together, they added a cheerful and whimsical touch to the restaurant that reminded me of "Alice in Wonderland." 

I quickly realized that nothing at the River Cafe was stuffy or expected. 

After we sat down, fresh focaccia bread was immediately brought to our table.

This bread was such a lovely way to start the meal. The focaccia was deliciously fluffy and so nicely seasoned. We cleared the plate within seconds.

Then we checked out the menu, which changes twice a day.

Rogers — who became the sole owner of the River Cafe after Gray died from cancer in 2010 — still goes to the restaurant every day she's in London and expertly turns out new lunch and dinner menus based on the fresh produce they have available. 

"In the UK, you go to the supermarket with a menu in your head. In Italy, you look in the cupboard and see what's there — you go to the market, you see what's best," Rogers wrote in her Huffington Post op-ed. 

She added: "That's how we work in the River Cafe. We come in the morning, see what's been ordered, see the team we have, and then we write the menu."

We started with the antipasto di verdure, a gorgeous plate full of fresh colorful veggies.

My friend Billie — who I brought along to help sample some dishes — is vegan, so we kicked off our meal with this appetizer of roasted red peppers, Italian spinach, trombetta squash, and freshly-baked borlotti beans. 

At £27, which is around $32.76, the price for this plate of veggies is definitely eye-watering — but wow were they fresh. The red peppers had a lovely char, the spinach was cooked to perfection, and I was a huge fan of the smooth and creamy borlotti beans. Everything was topped off with a drizzle of olive oil that was so lovely it would've made Ina Garten's heart sing. Rogers' commitment to incredible ingredients was obvious from the get-go. 

"It's simple because they know the ingredients can shine on their own," Billie said. "They let the ingredients sing." 

Plus, the careful plating was beautiful. Billie remarked that she felt like she was eating with her eyes as well. 

I didn't know how good mozzarella could taste until I had it at the River Cafe.

The Mozzarella di Bufala — priced the same as our antipasto — is served alongside a bruschetta of wood-roasted Daterrini, San Marzano, and marinated Vesuvio tomatoes, as well as basil. 

This was another deceptively simple dish that blew me away with the freshness of the ingredients. The Buffalo Mozzarella was out of this world incredible. The cheese immediately melted in my mouth when I tried my first forkful without the bruschetta. I then spread some along the perfectly fluffy bread, topping it with a few of the tomatoes. The bite was crispy, creamy, sweet, and acidic all at once — truly a feast for the senses. 

The colors of the tomatoes were gorgeous, and everything tasted as if it came straight from the garden. As a huge cheese lover , I was in absolute heaven. 

It was time to dive into the pastas, and we began with the Tagliarini al pomodoro.

This pasta dish — which cost £26, or around $31.63 — features fresh pasta with slow-cooked Pugliese tomatoes. As with the appetizers that came before it, the dish was beautifully plated. 

The tagliarini noodles were light and nicely slicked with the tomato sauce. I could really tell that the pasta was fresh and made in-house. 

Billie said this was one of the best tomato pastas she's ever had. I thought the dish had great flavor, but couldn't help but compare it to the spaghetti pomodoro I tried at Giorgio Baldi back in LA. The pasta ( a Rihanna favorite ) also sticks to a few ingredients, but its delicately sweet tomato sauce has stayed with me for months — it was that memorable. 

Next up was the risotto, which was full of surprising textures and flavors.

The risotto — which was £27, or around $33 — features Italian pancetta, broad beans, chicken stock, and Parmesan cheese. Risotto isn't usually the most photogenic dish, but the green beans added a really nice pop of color to this plate. 

My friend Ollie, a UK native, told me he still remembered the risotto he had at the River Cafe 12 years ago, so I was very excited for this dish. Risotto seems to be one of those signature items that always end up, in some form, on Rogers' menu. 

The words I'd use to describe this risotto are earthy, unique, and comforting. The rice was perfectly cooked — not mushy like risotto can so easily become — and the pancetta added this savory smokiness that contrasted nicely with the broad beans' fresh crunch. All the ingredients worked together to create a dish that was both delicious and surprising to my palate. 

But nothing prepared me for falling in love with this plate of ravioli.

I love pasta. Like really, really love pasta. Pasta recipes by Ina Garten are what got me through the pandemic, and rare is the week I go by without having some kind of bolognese , ragu , or carbonara in my stomach. 

So please believe me when I say that this ravioli by the River Cafe was on another level — maybe another universe. 

"AMAZING," was the first thing I breathlessly wrote in my notes after the first bite of this £27, or around $33, ravioli, which featured fresh pasta stuffed with ricotta cheese and summer chanterelle mushrooms alongside sage butter. 

It is one of the best pastas I've ever tasted.

The River Cafe's ravioli was deliciously decadent and savory, but still had a lightness thanks to the nice balance between flavors. The creamy, cheesy pasta melted in my mouth, while the sage butter — which really came through — added that herby earthiness. 

The dish was unlike any ravioli I've ever had. I was so blown away by the pasta, I spent the next two weeks showing pictures of it to my parents, boyfriend, friends, coworkers, strangers at weddings — truly everyone and anyone who would listen. 

No meal is complete without dessert, so we tried some of the River Cafe's famous gelato.

There are five different flavors on the River Cafe's dessert menu and all are priced at £10, or around $12. The Stracciatella was calling my name, and we also ordered a strawberry sorbet. 

My gelato was deliciously sweet and creamy, with plenty of chocolate shavings. And Billie was extremely impressed with the sorbet. 

"I'm shocked by how much flavor it has," she told me. "This is one of the best sorbets I've had in my life — and I've had many." 

The River Cafe is a must-visit whether you're a local or a tourist in London.

Rogers keeps her dishes simple because she cares so much about the ingredients, allowing each one to have a starring role. The point is to experience everything — the fresh pasta, the cheese, the simple broad bean — in its purest form. It's no wonder she and Gray managed to revolutionize the entire cuisine of one of the biggest cities in the world. 

There's no way I'll skip a chance to go back when I'm in London again. And now I understand why so many of my British friends can remember the dish they ate at the River Cafe, even a decade later. 

Because I'm definitely going to be talking about that ravioli forever.  

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River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay

• Savoy Hotel, Strand and Covent Garden, London, WC2R 0EU, United Kingdom
• £££ · Seafood

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Michelin guide’s point of view.

Gordon Ramsay’s second restaurant within the iconic Savoy Hotel offers a great Thames view and an extensive menu specialising in top quality fish and shellfish from UK waters; sit at the seafood counter if you’re after caviar, oysters or ceviche. The ‘River Trio’ perform as the weekend approaches.

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• Air conditioning
• Counter dining
• Restaurant offering vegetarian menus

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The River Cafe

Review Highlights

“ But I went for the whole nine yards with an Agretti dish followed by a sort of ravioli in ball format and chocolate nemesis . ” in 10 reviews

“ tely. The lemon tart was everythi ng a lemon tart should be: sharp, sweet and soft, with pastry that's not too s ” in 5 reviews

“ For my secondi , I did a full order of the fegato in padella, or calves liver seared with sage, spinach, braised artichokes, and proscuitto. ” in 9 reviews

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Overall rating

Last time we were here was almost 20 years ago. We have no recollection of that visit. We knew of this place through their cookbooks. It is a trek to get here. There is not much to do in the immediate area. You can't actually see the Thames from the restaurant. We were here at noon on a Sunday. It seemed like there were more staff than guests for the first hour. The pizzetta was just OK. The calamari had the best looking rocket (aka arugula) we had ever seen. It was a simple and delicious dish. Gnocchi was made with semolina, not our favorite. The scallops were beautifully plated. As for desserts, we wanted tiramisu but it was unavailable, which was weird since the menu was dated for that day. We settled for roasted almond gelati, which was delicious with espresso. We liked the lemon, almond polenta cake but the blood orange was barely caramelized. It was so tart. Visually, the desserts were not complicated nor did they have complex components. The server was generally nice and attentive. I guess you have to be attractive to be a server here. Why was there a huge digital clock? We liked it, though. We like to keep track of time and didn't want to overstay our welcome. The decor wasn't the best. The plates were too simple. The chairs looked like office chairs. I guess minimalism and bold colors were the theme. It is, of course, worth a trek to eat here. They even had their own store nearby.

See all photos from Sam M. for The River Cafe

Its been too long since we went here. We were determined to really enjoy our meal and the experience; old hands here, true, but we were just in the mood for being pampered, having a wonderful meal and simply relaxing And so it was; a nice reception outside and the ever wonderful Charles Pullan to take us to our table; a lovely, warm evening, we chose outside. A few minutes in his capable hands and its like you have never been away You ask and everything just happens around you; no stress all evening...and it became pretty busy. The waitresses are experienced, knowledgeable, professional, yet they too are always relaxed and their attention is on you, they listen, they are not distracted; you barely have to raise an eyebrow and someone is there, yet unobtrusive We did not stint: bubbles, a decent couple of glasses of wine, prosciutto, carpaccio, monkfish, sirloin, ice cream, affogato, double espresso, 1 dessert wine - it wasn't cheap, but you just have to indulge from time to time...it was the most expensive meal we have had since Rostang in Paris a few years ago, though that was nearly twice as much and half as good...and too starchy This is just pleasure

The food was amazing and the presentation was magnificent. The service was impeccable and spot on. The ambience was very relaxing and lively

An iconic experience, but one that we wish had been flawless. We trekked out here for dinner a couple nights ago, and while the setting was lovely, the service was less so, and it marred our overall experience. We had their earliest seating at 6:30 but because our waitress was flighty and unengaged, we were there much longer than we wanted to be. Since we weren't starving, we decided to order one dish from each section (OK, we admit we got two desserts). For the antipasti, we started with the mozzarella and caponata...it was incredible and paired perfectly with the complimentary focaccia that they bring out. The cheese was so creamy and it paired wonderfully with the saltiness/brine of the olives. 10/10! For primi, it was the pappardelle with rabbit, and again, nailed it--except that for some reason our pasta came out lukewarm, and not as hot as the sauce, which was odd and a shame. Even still, the rabbit pieces were generous and the tomato-based sauce was the ideal vehicle for the meat. 9/10! There was a LONG gap--an unnecessarily long gap--between courses when our secondi finally arrived. We ordered the branzino, which was lovely and delicate, and had a healthy amount of greens with it. 8.5/10 (there were a couple small bones that we found; our darling waitress was unimpressed when our daughter told her as much). We have saltier palettes and genuinely appreciate when salt is on the table, thank you! Dessert was chocolate nemesis, which is absolutely the most decadent flourless chocolate cake that you will ever have, wow. SO rich and good. We didn't love the toasted almond ice cream, however, because the nut chunks were too big and the consistency wasn't very creamy. While most of the food was 4-5 stars, we're ultimately settling on 3 stars (rounding down from 3.5) because of the service. She was a statuesque woman who was perhaps moonlighting as a waitress, which might explain why she didn't really seem invested in doing a good job. Dishes are expensive--after The Fat Duck, this menu was the steepest in price, so we expected a little bit more attention and care. We will say that we had a lovely meal and a nice time on a beautiful evening with heavenly weather. We're not upset about anything; we just left feeling unfulfilled. Maybe next time, maybe not.

Beautiful restaurant with terrific servers. I had the linguini al vongole to start. I found it a tad salty and maybe only 5 clams. I followed with a delicious monkfish. I find $100 pounds for lunch rather high. It's my first day visiting. I can't say if the restaurant is expensive or London is

Very good still after all these years! Service is attentive without being crowded. Menu pays homage to the classics while being creative on its own merits. Food is consistently good without being outstanding. Good wine list of Italian labels with prices that are not outlandish. Solid performer that meets expectations.

This legendary Italian on The River Thames in The Hammersmith area of London is a force of nature that came on the scene in 1987, and it feels a bit 87 in there, in the best way. The colors of the servers clothes, the aqua blue carpet, the mirrored bar and ceiling, the handwritten menu that changes daily gave me the feeling of the time I went to Maxwell's Plum with my dad when I was young. You feel the specialness of the room. The food is delightful, the staff are a mix of young summer jobbers and old pros, all trained nicely. We booked a noon lunch and it was tremendous.

See all photos from Craig S. for The River Cafe

We had a nice dinner here a few months back in March. It has a great vibe and definitely is a hot spot. If you can eat outside with the weather being nice, I think that would be a great experience. We were inside which was fine but its pretty crowded and noisy (even on a weekday) so if you want a quiet place for a meal, this probably isnt it. The Jasmine cocktail was really nice and had good flavors to it. Our bottle of Amarone paired nicely with veal. We were a little disappointed not to get an explanation of the cheeses so would make sure you ask for that. The Recioto was a great dessert wine too. Overall this is a really nice restaurant thats worth a visit but probably not in a regular rotation

The food was of an impressive standard! We were particularly impressed with the veal shin as a main course and the almond tart as a dessert. The wood-fired lobster was perfectly executed and equally delicious. The pasta, however, fell slightly short of expectations. Nevertheless, the rest of the dishes were highly enjoyable and consistently delicious.

I've been coming here irregularly over a few decades. It has to be said that it really isn't what it used to be in terms with f from is at least . The decor has changed also, and there are number of finishings in lurid bright colors, including the pink oven and the restrooms. The food was good, but really nothing special , with nothing memorable for the right reasons. A dish of langoustines with botlotti beans was a little bit lost for me, e With the beans seemingly only there as a filler for the expensive leading cast. A red mullet dish with artichokes in the style of fritto misto was adequate, and again, nothing of note. Following this, a gnocchi dish with spinach and kale that looked beautiful with a very natural vibrant green. Unfortunately, the gnocchi, which should be "soft pillows" had quite a tough texture, that disappointed. Another dish of Rigatoni cattiatore, was mediocre at best. OK, I suppose , but not worthy of awards or the £100 per person tag. There are better options in London. This restaurant has run its course, trading on yesteryears glories.

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London’s best riverside restaurants for dinner by the water

Discover the best places near the Thames and London's glorious canals for great food and incredible views

There’s something magical about dining beside water, whether it’s the silvery Thames or London’s intricate network of canals. By day, riverside diners can delight in watching the passing boats and the odd duck or two, while at night, the water becomes a mirror that reflects the city’s sparkling lights. Here are some memorable options for riverside dining, whether they’re plush South Bank restaurants, or even cafés on boats. Cast your eyes south for a round-up of our favourite waterside restaurants in London, a few of which can also be found on our best outdoor dining  and  restaurants with a view  lists.

RECOMMENDED: Have a night out at one of London's newest retaurants .

Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines .

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Top riverside restaurants in London

1.  Towpath

• Restaurants
• price 1 of 4

Breakfast on the towpath overlooking the Regent’s Canal near Whitmore Bridge is a cracking way to start the day, and once you’ve bagged a table you may be tempted to linger for hours – especially if the sun is shining. This self-consciously low-key café has always been a favourite with passing dog-walkers, runners and cyclists, who stop off for coffee and snacks, rustic but skilfully cooked hot lunches and light-as-air cakes.

2.  Caravel

Caravel is a restaurant on a boat, but don’t expect any ahoying. It’s on a boat with a vibe so distinctly unboaty that you’ll forget you’re floating on Regent’s Canal until the moment you need to climb back on to dry land to pop to the loo.  If you’re a fan of St John, Jolene or Rochelle Canteen then you’re probably going to love the menu here.  Caravel is run by brothers Fin and Lorcan Spiteri, t he sons of two of London’s most renowned restaurateurs (m um  Melanie Arnold is the co-founder of  Rochelle Canteen and dad  Jon Spiteri is the co-founder of Session Arts Club ).

3.  Ombra

• Bethnal Green
• price 2 of 4

An easy-going bar/eatery in a one-time art gallery by the banks of the Regent’s Canal, but don’t expect to see any gondolas floating by – this is Bethnal Green, not Venice, after all. Edgy interior design, tall windows and tables painted in garish high-gloss colours set the scene for cicchetti nibbles, plates of pasta and a tip-top selection of traditional spritzes.

4.  London Shell Co.

Climb aboard The Prince Regent for a posh lunch. Moored up next to Paddington station, the barge chugs along the Regent’s Canal to Camden Lock and back again, taking in sights such as London Zoo and Regent’s Park while guests partake of the classiest seafood boozathon in town. 

5.  Darcie & May Green

Moored on the Grand Union Canal outside Paddington Station, Darcie Green and May Green aren’t simply floating barges; they’re also floating pieces of art designed by the legendary Sir Peter Blake. With owners from Australia, it’s no surprise that there are flat whites and slices of banana bread for breakfast, plus bottomless Aussie brunch and a menu of Antipodean-inspired dishes. The combined 50-metre upper deck is perfect in summer.

6.  Le Pont de la Tour

• Tower Bridge

This classy Thames-side beauty is a looker inside as well as out. There are sweeping views of Tower Bridge and beyond, and Le Pont de La Tour touts a sought-after terrace, a conventional brasserie-style Bar & Grill and a posh restaurant majoring in elaborately plated modern dishes with a French flavour.

7.  Crate Brewery

• Bars and pubs
• Hackney Wick

Things don’t get much more bucolic in London’s East End than at this hip warehouse-style pizzeria-cum-brewery on the banks of the Lea. In summer, arrive as early as decency allows, bag a reclaimed riverside bench, then proceed to order your first pint of Crate’s own craft beer, lager or cider (with perhaps a pizza on the side). After that, sun yourself, watch the birds and gaze at the boats bobbing past until last orders.

8.  Gunpowder

Sitting glamorously beside Tower Bridge, this branch of Gunpowder, the home-style Indian sharing-plates joint, is split over two floors. Their riverside spot is much bigger than the Spitalfields original, features stylish design, an old-school Indian soundtrack, and best of all, a delicious menu of both traditional and more innovative spicy dishes.

9.  River Café

• 4 out of 5 stars
• Hammersmith
• price 4 of 4
• Recommended

Set back from the Thames Path, the River Café is a celeb in its own right, and something of an icon when it comes to riverside dining in the capital. Warm, buzzy and casually expensive, it’s dedicated to serving unfussy yet stunning Italian food based on artisan seasonal ingredients. Ok, the prices are  excruciating , but portions are generous – so go for a summer lunch, sit on the terrace, order a plate of pasta and live like the A-listers do.

10.  Rotunda Bar & Restaurant

• King’s Cross

Rotunda really embraces the potential of its Regent’s Canal location: the dining room gives wide-angled views of the aquatic action outside, while the large shaded terrace is a lovely spot on warm evenings. In the kitchen, the focus is on quality meat from the owner’s Northumbrian farm (think sirloin steak, rib of beef and slow-cooked shoulder of lamb) backed by elaborate desserts and excellent wines. 

11.  OXO Tower Restaurant

• price 3 of 4

Oxo Tower is a bona fide London landmark, so it’s no surprise that its eighth-floor restaurant, brasserie and bar emanate a sense of occasion. A glass frontage makes the most of the river views, and the plum vantage point allows you to fully appreciate the splendour of St Paul’s (note that it’s first come, first served for terrace tables). The food has an adventurous global slant, with accompaniment from a jazz trio in the evening.

12.  Emilia’s Crafted Pasta

You guessed it: handcrafted pasta takes centre-stage at this charming little restaurant overlooking St Katharine Docks – and they take the whole business of rolling, shaping and cooking very seriously indeed. The menu is short and familiar, but the results are so unpretentiously delicious you’d think they’d come straight from nonna’s hob. Staff are sweet, the vibe is cosy, and prices are rather reasonable.

13.  The Gun

• Isle of Dogs

Way out east, far away from the City’s maddening crowds, this early 18th century pub, which is now owned by Fuller’s Brewery, nevertheless gets rammed with people who have made the pilgrimage. It has many charms: the vast outdoor terrace (nearly opposite the O2 complex in Greenwich), washed over by bracing breezes; the smart gastro menu and seriously good bar bites; the globe-trotting wine list, the beers and the riverside views unspoilt by tourists.

14.  Number 90

Billed as a ‘bar and kitchen’, this all-rounder sits right beside the Regent’s Canal – no wonder Hackney Wick hipsters crowd around rough-cut communal tables and lounge in old-school deckchairs within a toe’s dip of the water. Popping here for a Sunday roast can herald the start of a lost afternoon, with craft beers, cocktail coolers and a full programme of leftfield cultural events on offer to keep punters entertained.

15.  The Lighterman

With its first-floor wraparound terrace and an alfresco area overlooking Regent’s Canal, this capacious bar-restaurant hybrid is a magnet for waterside drinkers and diners. The Lighterman’s alfresco spaces all operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so prepare for a bun fight on hot days. Happily, the canal views from inside the beautifully decorated dining rooms are just as soul-restoring, while menu highlights include wood-grilled meats, superfood salads and flatbreads topped with thoughtful, seasonal combinations.

16.  Wright Brothers Battersea Power Station

Seafood specialists Wright Brothers have washed up by the water’s edge in Battersea with one elegant-looking restaurant: glossy marble tables, dark wood and walls peppered with illustrations of crustaceans. This site is home to the group’s first Josper charcoal oven, too. Everyone is here for the immaculate oysters, however. 

17.  Rick Stein

It’s not a bracing Cornish seascape, but we doubt you’ll be disappointed by the views from the London outpost of Rick Stein’s empire, right by the river in well-to-do Barnes. Ask for a window table to make the most of the Thames-side vistas while gorging on plates of messy, finger-lickin’ Cornish lobster, Indonesian seafood curry, and other fabulous seafood favourites from the TV chef’s worldwide travels.

18.  Swan at Shakespeare's Globe

What’s in a view? A great deal, judging by this restaurant attached to Shakespeare’s Globe on Bankside. Bag a seat facing the window if you can – by night, the riverside aspect of St Paul’s in all its illuminated glory is stunning. As well as making the most of its watery backdrop, this venue also allows visitors to feel part of the bustling walkway. It’s a win-win situation.  

19.  Skylon

• Contemporary European

A fail-safe on the first floor of the Royal Festival Hall, Skylon’s wow-inducing views of the Thames and the South Bank make it a permanently spectacular venue, day or night. The restaurant’s menu is sufficiently fancy to underscore those vistas, offering dishes such as trout in champagne sauce, crab and prawn linguine and a spring set menu.

20.  The Bingham

• Haute cuisine

For a waterside dining experience straight out of ‘Downton Abbey’, head to this stately, country house-style hotel bordering the Richmond towpath. The spacious, gold-accented restaurant is lit by impressive chandeliers and has huge windows overlooking the river, while a decked patio brings you closer to the water’s edge in fine weather. The modern European menu is as highbrow as the surroundings; dishes such as halibut with jersey royals, confit fennel and fennel velouté are priced accordingly.

21.  Duke's Head

It may date back to Victorian times, but this Putney institution has moved with the times – note the spruced-up parquet floors, dangling metal lamps and gallery of modern artworks. It’s not quite on the water’s edge, but it certainly gets into the riverside spirit – especially when the Boat Race is on. Seasonal dishes go down the gastro route: think home-smoked duck breast with chicory, kohlrabi and apple salad or roasted duck leg with beetroot and orange sauce.

22.  Stein's

If you’ve never been to a German beer garden – and don’t fancy a trip to Munich – you could do worse than Stein’s, a live-wire ‘outdoor’ restaurant promising ‘the Bavarian experience’ beside a stretch of the Thames towpath. Its huge riverside space can seat up to 300 alfresco diners at shared wooden tables, many of which offer some shelter from the elements. Don your lederhosen for the menu, which features doughy pretzels, gigantic wurst and steins of Continental beer.

23.  Sea Containers at Mondrian London

Looking for a stylish Thames-side riverside restaurant that promises equally stunning views inside and out? Then try this Tom Dixon-designed dining room, where the shipping-themed decor nods to London’s docklands and you can watch the joggers while ticking off the notable sights on the opposite riverbank. Don’t miss a cocktail in mixology maestro Ryan Chetiyawardana’s  L yaness bar, either.

24.  Beit el Zaytoun

Enjoy Lebanese delights in a riverside garden at this appealing Harlesden restaurant. If you go in the morning you can enjoy breakfast items like labneh, eggs and balilah (lemon and chickpeas), while later in the day you can get your hands on hot and cold mezze, salads, kebab platters, burgers and wraps. 

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Savoy Hotel, Strand, London, WC2R 0EU

• 0207 499 0122

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If you have a food allergy, intolerance or sensitivity, please speak to your server about ingredients in our dishes before you order your meal.

Sunday roast is served until 17:00. Our set lunch menu is available Monday to Friday, 12:00-17:45.

The group menus are sample menus and subject to change depending on seasonal availability.

A La Carte Menu

Sunday A La Carte Menu

Breakfast Menu

Set Lunch Menu

Vegetarian Menu

Children's Menu

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Savoy Hotel, Strand London WC2R 0EU

0207 499 0122 restaurant reservations

0207 592 1373 privatediningandevents @gordonramsay.com group reservations

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Opening Hours

Monday - Friday 7am-10:30am 12pm-12am 

Saturday  8am-10:30am 12pm-12am

Sunday   8am-10:30am 12pm-11pm

Please note last orders are taken one hour before closing.

Restaurant Information

Smart casual dress code No smoking allowed Emotional or guide dogs only Children of all ages welcome

Disabled access   There is wheelchair access available

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The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay

Discover The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay , a new restaurant by the multi-Michelin starred chef at The Savoy.

The restaurant is located in the heart of the hotel with panoramic views of the River Thames , offering both guests and destination diners a beautifully classic, yet stylish and relaxed all-day dining environment. There is also an elegant private dining room that seats 8 – 12 guests and is the perfect space for your special event. Find out more here .

The River Restaurant showcases the very best shellfish and seafood the UK has to offer; from fresh oysters, ceviche and caviar served at the centre-piece raw bar, to an incredible à la carte menu including delicately spiced tandoori monkfish curry, grilled Cornish lobster and whole dayboat fish.

Why not try an exquisite oyster and wine tasting experience for a truly memorable experience?

Bookings are available online.

Hours of operation

Breakfast Monday – Friday: 7.00am to 10.30am Saturday – Sunday: 8.00am to 10.30am In-house guests only Lunch & Dinner Monday – Saturday: 12.00pm – 12.00am Sunday: 12.00pm – 11.30pm

Tel. +44 (0)207 499 0122

[email protected]

The River Cafe

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THE RIVER CAFE, London - Menu, Prices, Restaurant Reviews & Reservations - Tripadvisor

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Apple Butter Cafe, London W1: ‘Food to make a diabetes doctor sigh anxiously’ – restaurant review

When the world isn’t particularly sweet, sometimes we all need a sharp blast of teeth-chattering, sugary goo …

Apple Butter Cafe , which recently opened a second branch at the top of London’s Regent Street, is very much a cafe of its time. Today’s young may be eschewing the vices of yesteryear – booze, ciggies, drugs, etc – but their Achilles heel is sugar. Build a cafe that serves short stacks of chunky, fat pancakes smothered in banoffee syrup and topped with mini meringues, shards of tempered chocolate, quenelles of thick cream and microplaned lemon zest, and they will come. Post a video on TikTok of someone blowtorching said pancake stack, so the meringue browns and gives the whole hot mess a baked alaska vibe, however, and your customers will queue from 8am for the chance to make their own content next to the fake plastic trees “growing” inside the cafe.

Sugar is the most cheerily pernicious of vices. I come from a long line of bingo-winged, eccles cake-addicted Methodist women who wear smock dresses, so I am condemned by my DNA to seek out plentiful bowls of apple crumble pancakes with spiced fruit. No calories are printed on Apple Butter Cafe’s menu – not on the creme brulee french toast nor the croissant butter pudding with custard and pecan nuts. Both dishes, I suspect, would make a diabetes doctor sigh anxiously. That said, one benefit of Apple Butter Cafe’s new Langham Place branch is that it is a mere hop, skip and jump from Harley Street, though those in the medical profession may well see “hopping” as your destiny after too much vanilla cheesecake or saffron milk cake in a custardy puddle strewn with petals.

None of this central London, influencer-friendly theatre is cheap. Mushed avocado on toast has had a bad rap for its wicked role in the housing crisis , so just wait until the grownups find out about Apple Butter Cafe’s black forest pancakes with chocolate sauce, cherry compote and gold powder dusting that cost £14.50 plus service. This wanton expenditure on pure pleasure will send some onlookers berserk, but then, when the world isn’t particularly sweet, sometimes we all need a sharp blast of teeth-chattering, sugary goo. There is something wildly childish and hyper-real about Apple Butter’s daily special pancake offering that seems to take the edge off normal life. My stack of blueberry pancakes consisted of three discs at least an inch thick, all drenched in blueberry syrup and topped with a handful of poached berries and a large slab of Cookie Monster -blue chocolate. The first pancake was delicious, the second was verging on overindulgence and, midway through the third, my mood changed to one of defeat, shame, regret and biliousness. Which is not exactly ideal when the bill for two comes in at more than £80.

That bill creeps up thanks to the likes of fancy sesame lattes at £6.50 and Turkish coffee at £7 a cup. The sesame latte, incidentally, is eerily grey, is served in a beautiful glass and tastes like delicious caffeinated tahini. The turmeric, charcoal and creme brulee lattes are equally pretty and punchily priced. Still, service is perfunctory, the tables are stark and undressed, and the savoury dishes rather uninspiring, so it’s worth noting that breakfast at nearby Claridge’s comes in at roughly the same price, though there they bring the food with the correct amount of forks and spoons, and don’t squirt the tables with spray cleaner mid-service, as if you were in some greasy spoon.

We ordered togarashi scrambled eggs – two eggs on a sesame bagel with a sort of okonomiyaki -style mayo – for £16.50, though the eggs were an omelette rather than scrambled, and I failed to detect the togarashi seven-spice blend anywhere. The £18.50 barbecue beef sandwich was even more surprising, because what came was a hotdog-style brioche bun with a light filling of beefy mush and a side of fries. The plate looked mighty bare when it arrived, so might I suggest a salad garnish to fill all that empty space, and in so doing spare Apple Butter’s blushes?

This special-occasion cafe excels with its elegantly sugary grotesqueness – pancakes with Biscoff, pancakes with Oreos. Oh, and trifle made with acai berries (for health!), topped with cream and custard and served in an aesthetically pleasing retro jar that makes me forgive these blighters for all their crimes. I had eaten all of the daily calorie allowance for a grown woman by 10am, and in 42 minutes flat, too, and spent the rest of the day as a vision of sheepishness and indigestion. Apple Butter Cafe’s pancakes are last supper material. And, if you went every day, that could be sooner than you think.

Apple Butter Cafe 4-5 Langham Place, London W1. Open all week, 9am-6pm (with plans to extend to dinner service). From about £35 a head à la carte, plus drinks and service

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Crown Restaurant Group to open London-style public house near Fountain Square

Crown Restaurant Group (CRG) is gearing up to open another eatery in the Cincinnati area.

The restaurant group is set to open a London-style public house in downtown Cincinnati's Foundry development.

This is Anthony Sitek and Haley Nutter-Sitek's sixth restaurant between downtown and Over-the-Rhine, including Losanti, Five on Vine , Rosie's Italian, Crown Cantina and more. The restaurant group is also celebrating the opening of its butchery and pasta commissary, Young Buck Deli , on Friday.

The London-style pub will sit between The Foundry's Five Iron Golf and The Davidson, a restaurant owned by Thunderdome Restaurant Group.

CRG has yet to name their new concept, but it will have a meat-forward menu with a heavy Indian influence, the restaurant group said.

The menu will feature a variety of curries, chutneys, samosas, house-made naan and more, which CRG said are all staples of traditional London-style public houses.

CRG said guests can also expect high-quality pasta and steak options, along with a large selection of beer, wine and cocktails.

The restaurant's interior will also beckon to traditional British public houses, with hunter green walls and Victorian design schemes, including upholstered church pews from a church that recently closed on 9th Street, CRG said.

"This is a big pivot for us," Anthony Sitek said. "We wanted to do something that hadn't been done yet — to create something new and exciting where people could enjoy great food in a great atmosphere."

Sitek said it made sense for the restaurant group to join the other "heavy-hitters" nearby, including Jeff Ruby, Thunderdome and Jose Salazar.

"The reimagined convention center is going to draw a lot of people to the area surrounding The Foundry and we want to be a part of it," Anthony Sitek said.

The Siteks are hopeful the restaurant will have its grand opening in late 2024, and development of the 4,000-square-foot space is underway now.

The restaurant will be open seven days per week, first solely offering dinner before expanding breakfast and lunch hours in the future.

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WEATHER ALERT

2 river flood warnings in effect for 12 counties in the area

River plantation community comes together to help families affected by flooding, about 200 homes in this conroe community are flooded..

Cathy Hernandez , Anchor / Reporter

CONROE – The community of River Plantation in Montgomery County is coming together to help families affected by flooding.

“We’ve taken what we can salvage out, but for the most part 50 percent of our stuff is gone. Clothes we’re trying to salvage, just so we can get back to work,” said Jessica Gutierrez.

• Mold cleanup after flooding: When to use bleach

Gutierrez has lived in River Plantation for seven years.

Her house is one of 200 homes flooded in this community.

“We’ve lost everything on our bottom floor, so all cleaning supplies, anything that’s going to help clean up, we’ve lost everything,” Gutierrez to KPRC 2′s Cathy Hernandez.

• Water rescues and evacuations in Conroe’s flooded River Plantation community

The River Plantation Community Improvement Association has set up a temporary trailer full of food and supplies to help its neighbors.

“We’re handing out Clorox, mops, shovels. There’s masks and gloves to keep people safe,” said Jamie Goodman, president of the River Plantation Community Improvement Association.

• Gov Abbott visiting Conroe as he tours East Texas flooding

Goodman said they want to help in any way they can and hope others will help, too.

“We are taking people’s addresses that need to have their houses mucked out. We are going to feed them today, we have supplies, we have people coming in wanting to register, so we’re sending them out to help people muck out houses. Our community a great community, they banned together like you said and we always take care of each other.”

Goodman said they’re expecting to receive two big trucks with more supplies, so they’ll be out there for as long as they can.

People can drop off donations at 451 River Plantation Road.

KPRC 2's Frank Billingsley has a passion for all things weather.

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Cathy hernandez.

Reporter, family-oriented, sports fanatic, proud Houstonian.

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Images of a Brazilian City Underwater

Torrential rains have caused one of Brazil’s worst floods in modern history, leaving more than 100 dead and nearly an entire state submerged.

An aerial view on Wednesday of one of the worst natural calamities to hit the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. Credit... Nelson Almeida/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

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By Ana Ionova and Tanira Lebedeff

Ana Ionova reported from Rio de Janeiro, and Tanira Lebedeff from Porto Alegre, Brazil.

• May 8, 2024

Anderson da Silva Pantaleão was at the snack bar he owns last Friday when clay-colored water began filling the streets in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. Soon, it was rushing into his ground-floor shop. By 9 p.m., the water was up to his waist.

“Then the fear starts to hit,” he said. “You’re just trying not to drown.”

He dashed up to a neighbor’s home on the second floor, taking refuge for the next three nights, rationing water, cheese and sausage with two others. Members of the group slept in shifts, fearing another rush of water could take them by surprise in the dead of night.

On Monday, water began flooding the second floor, and they thought the worst. Then, a military boat arrived and rescued Mr. Pantaleão, 43. A day later, despite heavy rains, he was trying to go back on a rescue boat to search for friends who were still missing or stranded.

“I can’t leave them there,” he said. “The water is running out, the food is running out.”

Flood victims took shelter at a sports facility in the Menino Deus neighborhood of Porto Alegre, Brazil. The situation in southern Brazil, where heavy rains have caused flooding in hundreds of municipalities, may worsen with the arrival of new storms.

A man was rescued by military firefighters after the floods in Canoas, Brazil, on Saturday.

People charging their mobile phones outside a drugstore in the historic center of Porto Alegre, Brazil, after torrential storms devastated areas in Rio Grande do Sul State.

Brazil is grappling with one of its worst floods in recent history. Torrential rains have drenched the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, home to 11 million people, since late April and have triggered severe flooding that has submerged entire towns, blocked roads, broken a major dam and shut down the international airport until June.

At least 105 people have been killed and 130 others have been reported missing. The floods, which have stretched across most of Rio Grande do Sul’s 497 municipalities, have forced nearly 164,000 people from their homes.

In the state capital, Porto Alegre, a city of 1.3 million perched on the banks of the Guaiba River, streets were submerged in murky water and the airport was shuttered by the deluge, with flights canceled through the end of the month.

The river rose to over 16 feet this week, exceeding the previous high levels seen during a major flood in 1941 that paralyzed the city for weeks.

The flooding has blocked roads into the city and hampered deliveries of basic goods. Supermarkets were running out of bottled water on Tuesday, and some residents reported walking up to three miles in search of clean drinking water.

Many of those stranded awaited help on rooftops. Some took desperate measures to flee: When the shelter her family was staying in flooded, Ana Paula de Abreu, 40, swam to a rescue boat while grasping her 11-year-old son under one arm. Two residents of one Porto Alegre neighborhood used an inflatable mattress to pull at least 15 people out of their inundated homes.

Search crews, which include the authorities and volunteers, were scouring flooded areas and rescuing residents by boat and air. With nowhere to land, some helicopters have used winches to pull up people stranded by the flooding.

Barbara Fernandes, 42, a lawyer in Porto Alegre, spent hours on the scorching roof of her apartment building on Monday, waving a red rag and her crutches toward the sky. A rescue helicopter finally spotted her in the late afternoon.

“You just don’t know when they’ll come for you,” said Ms. Fernandes, who is recovering from surgery on her ankle and could not flee her building before the waters rose.

A cargo plane at the flooded Salgado Filho International Airport on Tuesday in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Residents were evacuated in a military vehicle from an area flooded by heavy rains, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on Tuesday.

Cintia Santos was evacuated by bus from a flooded area on Tuesday in Eldorado do Sul.

Nearly 67,000 people were living in shelters across the state, while others have taken refuge in the homes of family or friends. Some people who had access to neither option were sleeping in their cars or on the streets in areas that were still dry.

“It seems like we’re living through the end of the world,” said Beatriz Belmontt Abel, 46, a nursing technician who was volunteering at a shelter in the city of Canoas, across the river from Porto Alegre. “I never imagined I would see this happen.”

In another shelter set up in a gym in Porto Alegre, volunteers distributed meals and clothes. Rows of mattresses lay on the floor, and cardboard boxes served as shelves. Those who had been rescued busied themselves sweeping the floor and making their temporary beds.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who visited the region last week, pledged federal funds to help the rescue efforts. The state authorities have also announced aid to pay for search crews, health services and housing for those whose homes were destroyed or damaged by floodwaters.

Even as rescues continued, the authorities worried that the crisis could worsen because another wave of severe weather was expected in coming days. With a cold front buffeting the region, meteorologists have forecast heavy rains, hail, thunderstorms and winds over 60 miles per hour.

The states’s governor, Eduardo Leite, said the authorities were evacuating people from regions vulnerable to more turbulent weather. Some residents have refused to abandon their homes, fearing looting. Others have tried to return to their neighborhoods, hoping water levels will recede.

“It’s not time to go home,” Mr. Leite told reporters on Tuesday.

The flooding is the fourth weather-related crisis to hit Brazil’s southern region in less than a year. In September, 37 people were killed in Rio Grande do Sul by torrential rains and punishing winds caused by a cyclone.

People rescued from flooded areas in the Sao Joao neighborhood in Porto Alegre.

Floodwaters surrounded the Beira-Rio soccer stadium, home of the Sport Club Internacional, in Porto Alegre on Tuesday.

A flooded street in the Cidade Baixa neighborhood of Porto Alegre.

Climate experts say the region is reeling from the effects of El Niño, the cyclical climate phenomenon that can bring heavy rains to Brazil’s southern regions while causing drought in the Amazon rainforest.

But the effects of El Niño have been exacerbated by a mix of climate change, deforestation and haphazard urbanization, according to Mercedes Bustamante, an ecologist and professor at the University of Brasília.

“You’re really looking at a recipe for disaster,” said Dr. Bustamante, who has written several reports for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a body of experts convened by the United Nations.

For well over a decade, scientists have been warning policymakers that global warming would bring increased rains to this region.

As deforestation advances in the Amazon and elsewhere in Brazil, precipitation patterns are shifting and leading to more erratic rain patterns, according to Dr. Bustamante. As a result, rainfall is spread unevenly at times, drenching smaller areas or coming in torrential downpours over shorter periods.

Severe weather has also become more deadly in recent decades, as urban populations have grown and cities like Porto Alegre have pushed into forested areas that once acted as buffers against flooding and landslides, she added.

The latest floods caught Brazil “unprepared,” Dr. Bustamante noted, highlighting the need to make cities more resilient to climate change and develop response strategies that better protect residents from extreme weather events, which are bound to become more frequent.

“It is a tragedy that, unfortunately, has been coming for some time,” she said. “We hope that this serves as a call to action.”

People linked arms as others rescued from flooded areas arrived by boat in Porto Alegre on Tuesday.

Manuela Andreoni contributed reporting from New York.

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Emeril Lagasse talks about how his tour of Fall River will play into in his new restaurant

FALL RIVER — His culinary talents have taken him all round the world, but a piece of superstar chef Emeril Lagasse's heart will forever remain in his hometown.

So when a new restaurant venture inspired a recent visit by the Fall River native and his Emeril Group team to his old stomping grounds, Lagasse was happy to take the lead. 

"My wife said that I've never had a bigger smile on my face. ... I was truly home," Lagasse said following his multi-day trip to the SouthCoast in late April.

Looks like you can take the boy out of Fall River, but you can't take Fall River out of the boy — not even one who's amassed an impressive career over the past three decades as cooking icon, author, TV show host and restaurateur with 10 restaurants and counting under his apron strings. 

Lagasse's never forgotten where he came from.

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A tribute to the Portuguese culture

His humble beginnings growing up Portuguese in a little house on Baker Street, working the festa circuit in a Portuguese marching band, and cultivating his cooking chops in a small kitchens across the city all serve as inspiration for the upcoming 34 Restaurant & Bar, Lagasse's first Portuguese restaurant, set to debut in New Orleans this fall.

"I grew up eating that sort of food and experiencing that kind of culture, so a lot of my influences in my cooking is not only my mom but where I grew up," he said.

A collaboration with his son E.J. Lagasse, who has taken over as chef patron of the flagship Emeril's, 34 is described as his family's love letter to Portugal. "It's a tribute to my mom and to the Portuguese culture and people," he said.

According to Lagasse, he began cooking with his mother, Hilda Medeiros, at an early age and credits her for fostering his interest in the culinary arts. Now he's looking to share those Portuguese culinary traditions that were passed down to him with a wider audience — and with a "modern twist."

Research and development for his new restaurant began roughly a year ago, and included trips to two Portuguese cities, Lisbon and Porto. But Lagasse knew their culinary quest wouldn't be complete without a return to his roots. 

"I really wanted them to experience Fall River, New Bedford, Westport," Lagasse said of his Emeril Group team, which manages his restaurants in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Miramar Beach, Florida, and at sea aboard Carnival Cruise Lines. "To breathe the air and see the people, be around the people, where I grew up, where I went to school, where I lived. ... It was really cool to experience that with the team."

Over the years, the Johnson & Wales University graduate has remained very involved with his alma mater, returning to Providence for various events, which sometimes leaves him enough time to swing through Fall River "just to get a smell of the air."

"And there's nothing like going over the Braga Bridge, you know?" he said.

It's been several years since he last made a quick stop in Spindle City, so Lagasse said it was a nice treat to be able to make this trip a more extended visit.

Emeril's whirlwind SouthCoast tour

Seeking a wide variety of authentic Portuguese cuisine, Lagasse's whirlwind SouthCoast tour took him to popular restaurants, bakeries and businesses across Greater Fall River and Providence.

The multi-day visit became a virtual game of "Where's Emeril?" for those following his culinary adventures on social media. His jam-packed itinerary, which kicked off at O Dinis in East Providence, featured stops at Portas da Cidade in Westport, Fall River's Sagres Restaurant, T.A. Restaurant, Caldeiras Restaurant, Europa Pastries and Coffee Shop, Portugalia Marketplace, Mello's Chouriço and Linguiça and Sarmento's Imports, as well as Saraiva Enterprises in New Bedford.

Their mission: to sample as much traditional Portuguese cuisine as they could, from the sweet — pastel de nata, massa and malassadas — to the savory — grilled octopus, bacalhau (baked cod), pork and littlenecks, and more. And according to Lagasse, his crew probably tasted 150 Portuguese wines along the way.

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The verdict?

"They absolutely loved it," said Lagasse.

The chef was particularly impressed by his first visit to Portugalia Marketplace, where he met with owner Michael Benevides, as well as Natalia from O Dinis, to peruse their wine area and unique, glassed-in bacalhau (salted cod) room.

"What an amazing place," Lagasse said, noting that he plans to do a lot of business with the Fall River market for various products.

Emeril's new 34 restaurant 'the real deal'

Lagasse's restaurant portfolio is diverse, with concepts ranging from Cajun to steakhouse. 34 will be centered around Portuguese tapas.

"It's going to be the real deal," Lagasse said. "I don't know any restaurant like it in the South."

The restaurant name "34" represents the partnership between him and his son, Emeril Lagasse the third and fourth.

The predominantly Portuguese menu — with a hint of Spanish influence — will feature traditional dishes such as clams, shrimp Mozambique, bacalhau, codfish cakes, pork and littlenecks, "but with a modern twist," Lagasse said.

Some personal favorites that likely pop up on the menu at 34 include Lagasse's version of a Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá, and his mom's favas recipe.

When in Fall River ... gotta grab some chow mein

While Portuguese food is what brought his team to Fall River, his culinary tour wouldn't be complete without a taste of nostalgia.

So Lagasse made sure his itinerary included detours to some of his childhood favorite eateries. One such must-stop for the chef, who has long expressed his love for one particular Fall River specialty that draws foodies far and near, was to the South End staple Mee Sum.

"I have memories as a child going there at least once a week to have a chow mein sandwich," Lagasse, who pointed out that their take on this beloved southeastern Mass./Rhode Island dish is unmatched.

"The chow mein in Fall River is unlike any place else. ... There's something about the noodles, and something about what Mee Sum's does with the gravy." Lagasse said.

And while, sadly, King Philip Lunch is long gone, Lagasse was able to introduce his team to another famous Fall River Coney Island hot dog institution: Nick's Hot Dogs.

"They were blown away with that," he said.

Spindle City memories

Born in 1959 in Fall River, Emeril John Lagasse III — whose father, Emeril John Lagasse Jr., was from Quebec, and his mother, Hilda Medeiros, was from Portugal — grew up "very Portuguese."

During his recent visit, Lagasse's trip down memory lane included a drive by his former family home on Baker Street, located the next street over from St. John's Athletic Club, where the aspiring chef learned the ropes in the kitchen.

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Lagasse recalls having a busy childhood. 

He was a percussionist in a Portuguese band, the St. Anthony's Band, starting at age 8, and spent a lot of time at Portuguese feasts throughout the region.

"Those Portuguese feasts were always something very unique," he said. "I can remember being very young and trying to understand the difference between Portuguese soup made at this church in Providence versus Portuguese soup made at this church in New Bedford."

When he wasn't playing music and enjoying festa eats, he had part-time jobs at local restaurants and played sports.

"I have memories of Maplewood Park, Columbus Park ... got a lot of grinders at Marzilli's, that's for sure," said Lagasse.

"It was really neat being back," he said.

How did growing up in Fall River inspire Emeril as a chef?

According to Lagasse, his mother Hilda was his first influence, helping to ignite his passion for food.

"I started very young in a Portuguese bakery — Moonlight Baking Corporation (now Barcelos Bakery) on Bedford Street, washing pots and pans there when I was 11," he recalled. 

He eventually worked his way up to doing deliveries on the weekends, before bakers at the shop took a liking to Lagasse and started teaching him how to bake. 

His first foray into the culinary world began with breads and pastries. Then he shifted to savory, working at local restaurants like St. John's Athletic Club, where he came to know another lifelong mentor.

Lagasse credits the late Ines DeCosta, longtime chef at St. John's Athletic Club on Rodman Street in Fall River, with playing a significant role in his life both inside and outside the kitchen, regarding her as a second mom.

"Ines and I were very close," he recalled. "She had been on 'Emeril Live' several times. I grew up in that kitchen helping her, whether it was with Portuguese food or Friday night with fried clams and scallops."

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He honed his talent for cooking in Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School's culinary arts program, and upon graduation turned down a full scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music to pursue his dream of becoming a chef at Johnson & Wales University.

He worked his way up through kitchens at various Fall River area establishments, such as the Quequechan Club and the Venus De Milo in Swansea, held various summer jobs in Rhode Island, before eventually broadening his culinary horizons.

Lagasse's travels have taken him to Paris and Lyon, France, where he honed his skills and learned the art of classic French cuisine, as well as fine restaurants in New York, Boston and Philadelphia before being drawn to New Orleans to helm the kitchen at the legendary restaurant Commander’s Palace.

Lagasse set out on his own in 1990 opening his flagship, Emeril’s Restaurant, in New Orleans’ Warehouse District, and ultimately building his restaurant empire.

"It just kept evolving and evolving, and it's still evolving today," he said.

Lagasse was recently named Honorary President of Bocuse d’Or Americas for the international competition taking place in New Orleans this June, adding to his long list of accolades.

While his collection of recipes is much more expansive and refined since his early Spindle City days, you'll still find Portuguese comfort foods like caldo verde and piri piri chicken on the Lagasse family table at home pretty regularly.

Any advice you would give aspiring chefs/restaurateurs?

"My advice is that everybody needs at least one mentor," Lagasse said. "It's not easy. You have to work hard at it. All these years later, I'm still working very hard at it and trying to get better every day. That's the philosophy in my organization. We're just trying to make people happy."