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Summary
Ruth Rogers’ “thrilling” canteen, in an “out-of-the-way” Hammersmith backstreet (originally founded to serve husband, Richard’s, architectural practice) has won global renown on the back of “perfectly seasoned” Italian dishes “of such bare simplicity the quality of the phenomenal ingredients truly sing”. “On a hot day, there’s no better spot in London” than its “delightful” outside terrace near the Thames; and in cooler weather, its “faithfully preserved 1990s-chic” interior, though “tightly packed”, mostly gets the thumbs-up too – “bathed in light at lunch, or with a certain buzzing energy in the evening”. It’s the “ferocious prices”, though, which bitterly divide reporters, and which yet again win it No. 1 billing in our list of Most Overpriced restaurants. To its more ardent fans, the situation is clearcut: “forget the haters” – “if you think it’s overpriced, you simply don’t understand food!” Very many other diners, however, are badly torn: “I know, I know, I know: it’s an institution, a pioneer, an icon! And I value it hugely for its contribution to the London scene. The room is still one of my favourites. The food is delectable. But let’s be honest: we have many excellent Mediterranean restaurants all across town nowadays, and a grilled piece of fish, a slice of lemon tart, and a glass of Vermentino isn’t really worth half-a-week’s wages!!”
Summary
Ruth Rogers’ “thrilling” canteen, in an “out-of-the-way” Hammersmith backstreet (originally founded to serve husband, Richard’s, architectural practice) has won global renown on the back of “perfectly seasoned” Italian dishes “of such bare simplicity the quality of the phenomenal ingredients truly sing”. “On a hot day, there’s no better spot in London” than its “delightful” outside terrace near the Thames; and in cooler weather, its “faithfully preserved 1990s-chic” interior, though “tightly packed”, mostly gets the thumbs-up too – “bathed in light at lunch, or with a certain buzzing energy in the evening”. It’s the “ferocious prices”, though, which bitterly divide reporters, and which yet again win it No. 1 billing in our list of Most Overpriced restaurants. To its more ardent fans, the situation is clearcut: “forget the haters” – “if you think it’s overpriced, you simply don’t understand food!” Very many other diners, however, are badly torn: “I know, I know, I know: it’s an institution, a pioneer, an icon! And I value it hugely for its contribution to the London scene. The room is still one of my favourites. The food is delectable. But let’s be honest: we have many excellent Mediterranean restaurants all across town nowadays, and a grilled piece of fish, a slice of lemon tart, and a glass of Vermentino isn’t really worth half-a-week’s wages!!”
Summary
“An amazing place that’s still full on a midweek winter evening after 30 years” – Hammersmith’s world-famous, riverside Italian shows no sign of running out of steam: “it still feels fresh and contemporary”, “Ruthie Rogers herself is still there doing some of the cooking”, and it remains a standard-bearer for “the simplicity and clarity” of its Tuscan cuisine. The perennial elephant in the room here is “wallet-busting” prices, which regularly win this W6 legend the survey’s booby prize as London’s Most Overpriced Restaurant. Even so, most reporters are inclined to be forgiving: they “love the place despite the absurd cost”, particularly those who appreciate “the very best, carefully sourced ingredients”; who adore the “helpful staff”; or who acclaim “the glorious outside terrace in summer”, which “can’t be matched”. A sizeable minority, though, “know all the arguments as to why the place is worth it… but don’t agree”. A prime gripe for those who feel the most taken for a ride is the “crazy bills you get for sitting in what’s basically a big canteen”: while fans applaud this egalitarian set-up as “a perfect mix between formality and informality”, the less charitable find it “noisy” and “crammed in” (“my chair was frequently banged into by waiters squeezing past”).
Summary
“The sheer genius and simplicity of always-exciting Tuscan food prepared from ingredients of unparalleled quality” have won global renown for this “unique”, “off-the-beaten-track Italian, in the obscure backstreets of Hammersmith. Its prices, however, are “daylight robbery” – and while its army of fans say that “if you believe it’s overpriced, you don’t get its concept of provenance, care and integrity”, an equally large band of sceptics “appreciate the top-quality sourcing, but still think charges are absurd for rustic dishes (it might be cheaper to fly to Italy for the day, dine and fly back...”). And the atmosphere? “On a summer evening you could not ask for a better location” than its Thames-side terrace, but when it comes to eating inside first-timers can be surprised at how “hectic and noisy” its canteen-like set-up can be; service meanwhile veers from “charming” to “indifferent”. Still, it’s always full, so you can’t blame them” and “if I was a billionaire I’d go every week!”
For 30 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The River Café?
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £33.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.00% |
Thames Wharf, Rainville Rd, London, W6 9HA
Opening hours
| Monday | 12:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 12:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 12:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 12:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 12:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑5:30 pm |
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