My UK trip at the beginning of August was completely impromptu but got lucky having a London girlfriend who had been living there for 5 years (yay to being able to apply for residency!). She gushed over her and her partner's trek out to quaint and romantic Richmond and her fine dining experience at the cutest restaurant located in a nursery. Definitely glad I took my butt out there - an easy train ride and one transfer bus away! It was still quite a warm August but so so beautiful. The nursery kind of comes upon you out of nowhere after walking down some hidden paths that pass by picturesque fields and a beautiful but quiet cemetery. The staff are very friendly and kind. There's a slow but graceful atmosphere with everyone on the nursery grounds. Initially got seated at their café to do a light brunch or afternoon tea, but decided last minute to get up and compare the menu at their restaurant side, which seemed much more intriguing. I realized then that my friend was talking about the restaurant when she spoke of their food. I was seated in the most beautiful greenhouse with very farm-to-table esque vibes, trailing vines and flowers, rustic table setting with delicate decor. The restaurant was packed on a random Wednesday lunch! Highly highly HIGHLY recommend getting reservations well in advance because it was an excruciating wait for almost an hour to get a table as a walk-in (the hosts could not guarantee me seating even if I did wait). The service was impeccable, food was sublime! I ordered the 4 course meal and arrival cocktail for £100 because whenever else would I be able to come out here? Live life with a bang! It was the right choice to get a more well-rounded introduction to the food. Apps started with the Zucchini Fritti and the Melon & Prosciutto. Oh my gosh! The zucchini flowers deep fried were so so so good! I don't think I've ever had this ingredient before and it was a revelation. The dish came out piping hot. The sauce was very good as well. The honey melon was so sweet and juicy. Starters were the Burrata & poached apricots, and the Paccheri with a tomato sauce and mussels. I loved the burrata! The apricots together with the pink peppercorn definitely elevated this dish! The paccheri was good too, but not my favorite (like a rigatoni pasta with very Chef Boyardy esque flavored tomato sauce lol) but it was nice and smooth. The mains were the Pan Seared Stone Bass (highly recommended and fan favorite) and their Haye Farm chargrilled ribeye aged 35 days. The bass!!! Oh my god, the bass!! I could write poems and dedicate songs to it, it was that good and I could have licked the sauce off the plate clean. It was so divine. Ribeye was okay, not worth the extra supplemental cost. I think it tasted like any steak, nothing out of ordinary. But they ended on a high note with the desserts!! I'm so sad but I definitely did NOT take a picture of the dessert menu. I got what seemed like a deconstructed strawberry cheesecake (but with the consistency of flan, and a sugary crust like a creme brulee). It was divine with this basil sauce!! The sorbet was also a refreshing kicker, I think raspberry flavored? But so so good. I have to give it all 5 stars, and dream about coming back whenever I visit London again. read more

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I'll admit, hiking out to Richmond for tea wasn't my plan originally, but the place had gotten such good reviews, and there wasn't really tea to be had on such short notice in the city, so I was happy to head out there. Had a delightful afternoon tea with friends outside. They even spotted some deer on the path nearby on their way! :-) Prices are reasonable, though you'll be hit with the standard-in-London 12.5% service charge, even though they label it as "discretionary" :-) read more

Amazing food, service, atmosphere, gardens are wonderful. I can't say enough good things about this gem of a place! I look forward to returning. read more

I was impressed from beginning to end starting with the warm welcome by several staff members on arrival. Our server, Armand, was friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. I appreciated that he knew the menu & spoke with confidence about the ingredients and preparation of each dish. The food was delicious; the cocktails were excellent and expertly prepared. The surroundings, paired with the superb food and service, make this a spot that's worth the journey. Will urge friends to experience for themselves. read more

Still my favourite restaurant in London. Iona was fantastic as our server last week. Can't wait to return!

Truly the most gorgeous setting. All things considered, I give this place 5 stars as the combination of setting, atmosphere, food, philosophy and service are all top grade. It's no Michelin, but it is a unique gem that should definitely be experienced (especially for romantic situations.) I saw a scene set here in Woody Allen's 'You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger' and immediately tried to google the location, which didn't get me very far, but my husband remembered that and two years later took me here for Valentine's day. Pure perfection. The food was very good, if expected and risk-free. What makes it so memorable is the setting as a gorgeous flower nursery with Indian flare. The hard-packed soil flooring, white string lights illuminating the draped tapestries, and the intimate and private, whilst still atmospheric table arrangement, makes one feel as if they're in a fantasy land, like a surreal-ly perfect movie ;) I went for dinner, but I can only imagine the setting for lunch or tea - in summary, it's a spot that one would never forget as it only can provide romantic memories. read more

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Hidden just outside of Richmond between a church, pub and field of cows is Petersham Nurseries. It's a small garden centre with an array of plants that I have absolutely no idea about. I was dragged here with family after a big pub lunch as a 'walking off lunch' kind of afternoon activity and wasn't expecting to find what I did. What I found was a REALLY nice cafe/restaurant tucked away at the back of a large green house with nice looking tea and cakes and wine flowing freely. There's probably not much point in describing it further when the pictures do the work for me. So peruse the photographs and see what you think for yourself. It looks well worth a visit for it's quirkiness and I'll be sure to visit again soon. It looked pretty expensive mind you, the garden shop was through the roof too. My girlfriend saw a pashmina she liked but I refrained from spending the £700 on getting it for her birthday because I am not clinically insane. read more

Petersham Nurseries Cafe & Teahouse - Petersham Nurseries Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Esher, XGL

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This place could not get any more lovely! And if it could, there would be unicorns and fairies flying out from the flowers. When you walk in, it's lit with tea lightbulbs everywhere and there's shabby chic furniture and different accessories and nic nacs to browse and buy. The floor is dirt which goes with the natural nursery look. It's a really big space and is a green house so the natural light just flows in. The food was really delicious. Pricey too. The portion was good and the flavor was great. I had the monk fish and the lentil and the salsa verde was soo good. I was trying to figure out the ingredients. Could of done with less salt though...same with the lamb, was pretty salty....but it was tasty. The table bread came straight out of the oven and so was super soft and warm. Best bread I've had in a while. The staff was very friendly and attentive. Highly recommend this place! Great to take the parents, dates, or groups. read more

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One star off for the eye-watering prices, but I guess it is a unique sort of place that you should go to at least once! This review is for the cafe, not for the restaurant. Heaving on a Saturday, it is a self-service cafe. The outdoor seating is great amongst the greenhouses and lots of plants. Foodwise, the cakes were average. One of them was dry, and also expensive. Based on the food, it is a 3 out of 5 but based on the location and surroundings it is a 5 out of 5 and therefore my rating balances out in the middle. read more

Not the easiest place to get to however this is a lovely place to visit. Interesting fresh menu and starters were the highlights! Literally as though it was plucked from the garden yards away. Corey and defo a place to visit in the summer if you can get a booking read more

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Richmond Station, than walk in the green Table reservation! 02086053627 Www.petershamnurseries.com read more

Petersham Nurseries Cafe & Teahouse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Esher, XGL

Pretentious, with sour service. Acted like we were weird when we asked if they served cream teas, a reasonable expectation given that they call themselves a teahouse and are in London, after all. Sent us back to the cakes when we went to order drinks, then scolded us for trying to serve ourselves, even though no one was there. Really captured that uniquely London customer-service attitude of being mad at you for not understanding they're poorly designed and labeled system, and for having the nerve to want to pay for the goods or services they're offering. Customers: what a nuisance! The lovely setting would have made up for some of the aggravation but was somewhat ruined by being reminded that the place was closing in 20 minutes soon after sitting, and from loud clanging from the station where dishes are returned. read more

Petersham Nurseries Cafe & Teahouse - Greenhouse seating - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Esher, XGL

Occasionally, restaurants or cafes become bywords for a certain style of entertaining. The Petersham cafe embodies the successful, upper middle class South West Londoner who has a lot of cash, and I mean a lot of cash to spend on their lunch. The Petersham cafe is set behind Petersham house, and takes a corner of the nurseries which sell plants, garden furniture, antiques and gifts. It really is in a corner, by the way, the floor is soil! The restaurant part of the cafe is open from 12pm - 2.30pm for lunch only, Tuesday to Sunday. The food is locally sourced and the onus is on fresh produce. Believe me, the food is delicious, but Oh My God did I wince when I saw the prices. For a starter you are looking at between £12.00 -£14.00. Don't by the way, try what I do which is order a starter as a main to save money, it won't fill you up. Mains, are between £18.00 - £28.00. I had the Scottish girolles on bruscetta as a starter, and pan roasted chicken with lentils as a main, and I can't fault the food. My frugal grandma was looking at little pale at this point, so I didn't push my luck at getting a bottle of wine, although there are plenty of well chosen wines which compliment the food. If you wanted to get the feel of the Petersham, but not at the restaurant prices then pop into the coffee shop which is in the next room. They do a great selection of teas, including the delightfully fresh mint. The cakes are great too, my top choice is the lemon polenta, which just crumbles into your mouth and has such a strong lemon zing to it. I think I will wait until a rich boyfriend takes me out on a date (and pays) before I will go for lunch at The Petersham Cafe again. Which means that I won't be there for a while. read more

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Even in mid winter worth a special trip. In fact, go in winter, it's less crowded and lunch among the thriving plants in the (heated) greenhouse is an early and welcome taste of spring in a gray day. The food is superb, beautifully presented on rustic plates, fresh, imaginative, bright with flavor. A glass or two of wine to prepare for the walk back along the river to Richmond station. What could be better? read more

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A beautiful space & lovely café surrounded by flora. Charming old greenhouses are full of both plants and also serve as seating for the restaurant and the café. The cakes are delicious, and stopping in for tea and a treat after a walk through Richmond Park is a treat! The proper nursery offerings are beautiful and varied from houseplants to bedding flowers to fruit trees. Fully worth a wander round the grounds. read more

I really love this place. Great food and a fantastic place to have tea or coffee and socialize. Beautiful flowers and great ambiance. read more

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I've wanted to go to Petersham Nurseries for quite a while, ever since I saw them at Wilderness Festival and learned of their Michelin star history. But I had no idea it was so accessible; I actually thought it was a lot further out from London! Unfortunately the day we went, the District line was down for maintenance and not going all the way to Richmond so we opted for an Uber, but even that was only 25-30 minutes from South Kensington area. If you take the tube, it's 25-30 minutes and then either another 30 minute walk or a 12 minute bus from Richmond. It's right near one of the entrances to Richmond Park though, so I can definitely see myself pairing a visit with the park on a nice day in the summer! The café is a gorgeous dining room with flower and arches in a covered greenhouse structure, just without the humidity! The ground is a bright dirt, so make sure you don't put your bag on the ground and you are wearing shoes you don't mind getting dirty and dusty. Our reservation was for 12:45 PM, but the room was about half full at the time and it filled up as our meal went on, as people seem to like late Sunday lunches. There was even a small dog at one of the tables beside us! The menu is Italian inspired and perhaps the first thing to note is that it is rather pricey, with mains in the £20-35 range. To start, we ordered flatbread that was not at all what we expected. It was described as spiced but it was really fried and crispy, and served with a small portion of hummus made from chickpeas, cumin, and parsley. I would have liked a more generous serving of hummus to be honest, but it was delicious. We also got two orders of the burrata with grilled fennel and artichokes. They say it's medium sized, but one would definitely not have been enough for five people. For mains, most of us got the venison cacciatora. I didn't really know what it was based off of the description on the menu, but when I asked they said it was venison prepared two ways, one braised and one more of a seared loin, and it was served with a mash of celeriac and potato, and some wilted cavolo nero. It wasn't an overly large dish, but exactly what you would expect from fine dining and actually incredibly similar to my recent meal at Spring, whose chef Skye Gyngell used to run the Petersham Nurseries café. Guess that shouldn't be much of a surprise. After our meal, we took a nice walk around the nurseries and some of my friends bought hyacinths that were only £2 each! They also have a large assortment of other gardening items. We also walked by the teahouse that also seem very lovely and worth a return visit. I'd also like to come from the various events they have at the nurseries, such as wine tasting or the supper club. They also do weddings, and I can totally see this being a dream venue! I think they did it up really well; there are fairy lights and flowers everywhere, and it wasn't cold in the slightest even in the dead of winter. I can't wait to see what it is like in the spring or summer. read more

Definitely a hidden gem of London. A garden plant nursery, cum ethnic furniture shop, cum michelin restaurant, cum teashop. If you look beyond the exorbidant prices for the restaurant and furniture, and restrict yourself to a cup of fine tea, coffee, delicious cakes and/or tasty salad style lunches, then this place cannot be bettered. A perfect place as a pick-me-up during a long walk/cycle ride round richmond park or along the river to Kew gardens. read more

Absolutely loved it. Perfect location to take someone special to you. Great ambiance and great yummy food. Will come back.

This beautiful teahouse & nursery is the perfect stop on a walk from the Richmond tube stop to Richmond Park. Food prices are extremely high, so skip the salads and sandwiches and arrive to Petersham Teahouse early for a pot of tea and a slice of cake. After filling up, wander around the nursery and check out some of the cute shabby chic items, their wide variety of plants or even one of their gardening workshops! read more

Petersham Nurseries Cafe & Teahouse - Such a nice and peaceful escape! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Esher, XGL

we ventured out to richmond, not to walk by the river or even for the stroll through what felt like the countryside with cows grazing. we went out to richmond solely for the purpose of petersham nurseries' chef greg malouf's supper club (originally started by chef skye gringell). dinner is served in the nursery over candles and soft lighting, with the back drop of a rather natural garden and simple, moorish-influenced art. service...they really must work on service. everything you read or hear about the service is true. it's simply lacking in timeliness, consideration, memory and warmth. the menu was less than exciting but there were a couple gems...i had the edible flower salad as a starter and trust me, i didn't taste flowers! the presentation was colorful and soft but the flavor was surprisingly sweet and produce-like. no perfume or bitters. my husband had the steak...which came raw (you can ask for it med-rare). if it was any more raw, it would moo. that is the rarest steak we hope to ever taste although it was definitely memorable and a good experience. one more thing - don't wear high heels. wedges at most. it's a gravel road and tables/chairs sit in dirt. read more

A really magical place, cafe squeezed between garden shops and plants. I've tried a few cakes there and are always delicious. There's quite a large sitting area for the cafe, but expect to queue for a while if coming during a popular time (e.g. Sunday afternoon). There's some parking around but seems to fill up fast. We sometimes park in the Richmond park and it's about 15 minutes lovely walk from there. It possible to walk there from Richmond too. I've taken a few friends there who were unimpressed by my description of a 'cafe in a garden centre' but this place is really wonderful. read more

Wonderful location. Lovely decor. Excellent service. Most importantly absolutely delicious food. To start, the bread and olive oil were perfect. The loveliness continued with the starters, mains and dessert. Basically, it was a faultless lunch. Enjoyed it very much indeed. read more

The best restaurant in London for us. We tried it for the second time recently and we had even a better experience than the first. The food is done exceptionally well, the style used in creating the ambiance is nearly perfect for the setting of the restaurant and the service is terrific! We are from the Bay Area where we go to Chez Panisse, Camino, Bar Agricole and Zuni Cafe regularly. We like food that is not prepared and processed too much while emphasizing the ingredients. It is easier said than done as very few places are able to deliver on this. It is a bit far away from the center of the town but definitely worth the travel. If you go there, make sure to leave some time to walk through the beautiful Richmond Park that is only a few minutes walking distance from the restaurant. We will be back again and again. read more

This place was simply OVER THE TOP!!! The food was amazing, the wine was interesting and delicious, heck there was shopping INSIDE the restaurant -- and the service was beyond five star. Here's why: lunch was so delicious and lovely, and when one of our boys had to wait quite a while for his dinner to be served (but never complained), the waitress comped us two full meals to apologize!! It was so nice of them. But then they outdid themselves ... we left and were driving away and our driver noticed the maître d' RUNNING down the dirt road behind our car to catch us -- our driver asked us why the maître d' might be chasing us(we wondered in horror if we had forgotten to pay?) -- and she was returning a book we had left behind on the table!!!!! Really above and beyond. We LOVE this place; it has now been the highlight of our trip!! We will come back any time we ever return to England!!!!!! read more

Very expensive, but very lovely food! Although I had a baked mouse which seemed slightly burnt and very dry... But I might try to come again when there is a new menu :) read more

Our friends took us here for lunch on our last visit. Not the cheapest place to go but very nice food. Tables are in converted greenhouses. Reassuringly expensive. Very busy. read more