Greenhithe, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: This September 2019 yearling in the heart of the town (occupying a former NatWest bank, hence the name) is notable for its owner: Stuart Gillies is the former CEO of Gordon Ramsay's restaurant group, and has launched this venture with the help of wife Cecilia. Previously a chef, Gillies has devised a ‘European small plates’ menu for the two-floor wine bar.

This modernised village inn “never fails to please” with an attractive brasserie-style menu that’s “great for a casual lunch”. A covered garden adds to the package.

2022 Review: Darren Bennett’s stalwart, serving up creative modern British cooking (including a well-regarded afternoon tea) “continues to be reliable in all respects”, whether you stop to take advantage of the set menus or its popular side act as a wedding and events venue.

2022 Review: ‘A welcoming hub for the local island community’ is the aim of this new all-day neighbourhood dining spot – the first to open on the developing London City Island, opposite The O2 and a short stroll via pedestrian bridge from Canning Town Tube & DLR. Launched at the worst of times – in late 2020 – it started as a deli/take-away but opened its bar and restaurant as lockdown eased.

A spectacular riverside setting, directly opposite The O2, sets the scene at this Grade II-listed Docklands tavern, ten minutes’ walk from Canary Wharf. Run by Fuller’s, its “enjoyable food and lovely cocktails” are best enjoyed from the large modern terrace in summer.

“Have been walking by literally for years… tonight we took the plunge for dinner... my goodness… the food was superb! Every dish used herbs to provide intense bursts of flavour. Thoughtful, exciting cooking, both tasty and well presented…” – Thumbs up for this brick-lined bar/restaurant between Deptford High Street and Deptford Bridge, which is heavily influenced by the Eastern Med, with lots of preparation over fire. “The charred aubergine is a must!”

With the “lovely decor” replicated from the Theatreland icon for which they are branded, Richard Caring’s “always buzzy” spin-offs have found a gigantic audience nationally. But “these places live off the name for sure” and “it’s the ambience that keeps them going” – while fans say the food is “reliable”, more sceptical types dismiss it as “conveyor-belt cooking”; and say service is merely so-so. Some branches are better than others: best in London is ‘Chelsea Garden’, which has the same “distinctly average” standards as the others, but reliably offers an “uplifting” atmosphere and “great people watching” (and “on a sunny afternoon there is literally NO WHERE ELSE TO BE but its large garden. HEAVEN!!”). Also worth mentioning is the outlet by The Thames in SE1: “excellent views of Tower Bridge”, “even better if outside in summer and convenient for The Bridge Theatre”.

James Dawson’s wine shops/clubs/bars are “great places to catch up with friends over a bottle you might never ordinarily have tried”. “The staff are super-helpful, with lots of suggestions” of bottles from independent and sustainable producers. The food is “OK if a little uninspiring”, but “who cares when there’s one evening a week when you can drink wine at retail prices”.

2022 Review: A marvellous waterside location, plus large terrace – in the heart of Canary Wharf overlooking Middle Dock – is a key strong point of this early 2020 newcomer. It’s not a foodie hotspot, but a good-looking after-work rendezvous or somewhere to head to at weekends for a bottomless brunch.

2023 Review: A welcome 2021 relaunch after being closed for years – this roadhouse on the South Circular between Sydenham and Catford serves “generous” dishes that “elevate it beyond pub grub, but without pretending to be a gastropub”. The food comes courtesy of Jamie Younger, who runs Peckham’s Begging Bowl and was formerly at the Palmerston in East Dulwich; his “smoked and slow-cooked options are a triumph (red chicken, short ribs)”. The “huge outdoor areas” make “weekend lunch en famille with toddlers a jolly affair” – a market sector enticed by a discount club for parents with young kids.

“In the heart of Essex, this fabulous fish restaurant” (est. 2010, and revolving around the “plush conversion of an old pub”) “offers amazing dishes and attentive service in a truly beautiful setting”. “It can be fun watching the TOWIE types amongst fellow diners”, but if that loses its appeal, divert your eyes to the “pleasant views from the terrace on a sunny day”.

Patrick Powell’s “adventurous and well-crafted” cuisine on the 7th floor of this glossy design hotel (part of the Manhattan Loft Gardens apartment block) “is something far beyond other restaurants in the area, with real delicacy and touch, particularly in the fish cookery… if it were more central it would be constantly packed to bursting”. On the downside, “despite the pleasant decor and the great view you can’t quite shake the feeling that it’s part of a hotel… which of course it is…”

2023 Review: “Great views” are by all accounts the main highlight of a meal at Gordo’s Limehouse pub overlooking a bend in the river. But perhaps we expect too much of a chef happy to dish out a roasting to his peers: “I know a lot of people don’t like it, but it did what it said on the tin – it’s good pub food, and it’s only if you anticipated more that you’ll be disappointed”.

2023 Review: Very limited feedback (but all of it upbeat) for Douglas McMaster’s more-eco-than-eco, zero-waste project, above Crate in Hackney Wick’s canalside White Building, which – in its drive for ‘quality through purity’ and ‘a more primitive diet… born from clean farming’ serves a menu of wacky, meat-free small plates and very off-piste wines.

2022 Review: Leyton deli and bottle shop that’s a fave rave for anyone living within striking distance (but we also received a very good report on it from a reporter living in SW19!). In autumn 2019, they opened an adjoining café serving snacks and small plates.