Richmond, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

Ratings are up for this pretty boutique hotel dining room close to the river in Richmond, with a “good value” menu from South African-born chef Vanessa Marx, who took over the reins in 2023 (having first arrived in 2021 as an events chef). The modern brasserie menu (steak, catch of the day…) is less aspirational than once it was here, but the format is going down well. (“We ate very well on a fine summer’s evening on the balcony overlooking the Thames” – “portion sizes are now much better than previously, and the food is really excellent and good value”, with “lots of vegan dishes… two of them enjoyed without registering that they were in fact vegan!)”.

“The venues are wonderful to look at, but the food is almost always below average, over-priced from an uninspiring menu, with service that can be pushy and inflexible” – a fair summary of the pros and cons of the sub-sub brand of the famous Theatreland classic, which more generous fans claim provides “reliable comfort food without the hassle of the original”. Many diners have their eyes wide open when it comes to the trade-offs of choosing to dine here: “you likely have a good time; it’s just that, in London, there is always somewhere more interesting round the corner”.

2022 Review: “A lovely pub on Water Lane leading down to the Thames: now more of a restaurant than a pub” – a smart refit now lends a brasserie vibe to the dining room at this traditional boozer, off Richmond’s picturesque waterfront. The makeover – in late 2019 – was by the Ram Pub Co, which is part of Youngs. Few reports as yet on the rather posh-for-a-pub menu (they serve a selection of oysters, for example), but early feedback says it’s “the food is good, especially the fish”, and for a comfy yet relaxed get-together you could do much worse than a trip here.

2024 Review: The “stunning dining room with spectacular views, high above the Thames” at this grand mid-Victorian hotel in Richmond “retains a fine atmosphere”, and it serves “delicious cakes” at afternoon tea. “Many chefs have been through the kitchen here” and where more serious culinary occasions are concerned, verdicts are split: fans say it is “currently undergoing a renaissance”, but others feel (as they have for years) that “the food is only average and the service likewise”.