Harden's says
Restaurant and tapas bar alongside a stylishly revamped Victorian lido
Harden's survey result
Summary
“One of the best places in Reading” (not the double-edged compliment it might appear), this spin-off from the team behind Bristol Lido has an unusual setting around a Grade II listed Edwardian pool. The Spanish and Mediterranean tapas is “consistently great” (by most – if not quite all – accounts) and an oft-changing menu means that “there is always loads to choose from” on a visit.
Summary
“Reading? It feels more like you’re in San Francisco” at this “fantastic” four-year-old venture, where “you can watch the swimmers” in the Edwardian lido, rescued after 40 years’ dereliction by the people behind Bristol’s Lido. “The décor, lighting, setting and service are modern, and the food Mediterranean/North African fusion, with fish and shellfish to the fore”. “We love the lido!” – “anyone with a sense of adventure will not be disappointed”.
Summary
“Reading? It feels more like you’re in San Francisco” at this “fantastic” three-year-old venture, where “you can watch the swimmers” in the Edwardian lido, rescued after 40 years’ dereliction by the people behind Bristol’s Lido. “The décor, lighting, setting and service are modern, and the food Mediterranean/North African fusion, with fish and shellfish to the fore”. “We love the lido!” – “anyone with a sense of adventure will not be disappointed”.
Summary
“Who knew there was something this nice in READING?” This conversion of an Edwardian Lido (by the same folks behind the restoration of Bristol’s Lido) opened in October 2017 and is a brilliant addition to the area. The café serves food from breakfast on, and for meals later in the day there’s “an ever-changing menu that keeps you coming back for more”.
For 31 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 Thames Lido?
Restaurant details
Prices
![]() |
|
---|---|
Wine per bottle | £22.00 |
Filter Coffee | £0.00 |
![]() |
|
---|---|
Bread | £2.00 |
Napier Road, Reading, RG1 8FR
Opening hours
Monday | 8:30 am‑5 pm |
Tuesday | 8:30 am‑3 pm, 6 pm‑09:45 pm |
Wednesday | 8:30 am‑3 pm, 6 pm‑09:45 pm |
Thursday | 8:30 am‑3 pm, 6 pm‑09:45 pm |
Friday | 8:30 am‑3 pm, 6 pm‑09:45 pm |
Saturday | 8:30 am‑3 pm, 6 pm‑09:45 pm |
Sunday | 8:30 am‑5 pm |
Best Spanish restaurants nearby
Spanish restaurant in Amersham
Spanish restaurant in Oxford
French restaurant in Oxford
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in Charvil
Thai restaurant in Guildford
Pizza restaurant in Oxford