Far too expensive for a regular visit. I used a £120 gift voucher and still had to pay an extra £60 to cover a 3 course dinner for two including one bottle of wine & 2 aperitifs. At the end of the day Italian food is based on a peasant cuisine - 2 or 3 basic ingredients freshly prepared and simply presented. RC does it extremely well, don't get me wrong, but save it for a special occasion! read more

Wonderful cooking and admittedly fantastic ingredients but I always leave feeling like I have been mugged. The staff work the tables like sales managers work accounts. Nothing isn't charged to it's maximum, so a request for a sliver of the chocolate cake on the side of a to-be-shared panacotta was charged at full price. Pasta requested as a main course was charged at a premium add on of 20% despite the request of the 'primo' portion. This is a local restaurant and needs to remember that small giveaways can reap rewards, though looking at the usual at-capacity dining room, they are not about to suffer if they don't make me feel special - but then, I can always go back to Riva and often do, if the choice comes up. read more

I was here not so long ago for a family do and boy how good food makes for a celebration. It was one of the best menus I've had in recent memory. Well worth a visit. Expensive yes. Worth it? Without doubt. Although that said the wine list is very keenly priced, lots under £50. read more

I guess like a lot of folk The River Cafe, along with The Fat Duck, has been on our wish list for what seems like an age. The lovely weather at the end of March, the chance of a cheeky Friday off work and a little cash left in the bank meant that a long awaited pleasure could finally be realised. The short trek, no more than 15 minutes at an ambling pace, along the Thames Path from the tube station is a nice enough way to arrive at the restaurant although I'm not sure the majority of punters would find this to their taste we didn't spot many of the walking classes on our visit. When we arrived around 2pm we found that the gods were really looking after us when we were offered the choice of a table inside or one on the terrace which had a little shade to protect from the early Spring sun which was out in full force. It was a no brainer. If you are lucky enough to turn up on a sunny day and can bag a table on the terrace this is the place to be the inside space is fine but I found it a bit uninspiring and lacking in vibe. It put me in mind of a canteen space not surprising really as that was its original function for the architectural practise next door. Once we were seated some very fine bread and the good looking paper menu arrived without much delay. We were eating from the set lunch menu, four courses for £39, which had plenty of mouth watering dishes on offer (much better than the choice of 2 starters and 2 mains which is what you often find on the set menu in high end places). After a bit of banter with the young, friendly waiting staff we felt we had enough information to go on and made our orders (when you have been waiting this long to go to a restaurant it can be a bit nerve racking making a choice the last thing you want is to blow it and find you have a bad case of the dreaded food envy). Perhaps it was the sunny day and the fine white wine from Sicily that we were drinking but this was a meal to savour from beginning to end. My lovely antipasti of chargrilled squid with chilli and rocket was tasty and perfectly cooked but was put into the shade by B's choice of prosciutto with smashed broad bean bruschetta which was just wonderful. Things got even better with the primi plates; my agnoli with rabbit, bay and pieropan soave was a dish to die for and the risotto con asparagi was simple yet delicately cooked and seasoned. The secondi had been recommended by our lovely waitress and did not fail to deliver: the Cornish monkfish with slow cooked fennel and rocket was perfection and the beef sirloin with salsa verde, cannellini beans and roasted medina tomatoes was a meat lovers paradise. Despite being stuffed by this point we took a bit of a breather to finish our wine and soak up the atmosphere service had almost finished and most of the staff had decamped from the kitchen to sit outside and devour a well earned late lunch. Their energetic and engaging conversations made a nice contrast to the two very well groomed ladies sitting next to us who had spent a couple of hours discussing central London house prices and their next rental investments. After this short break we pressed on with some tart: pear and almond for me and lemon for B. Both were very tasty and went down well but if you are on a budget or have a small appetite my advice would be to have the antipasti and skip the dolci. By the time we had finished our coffee it was gone 5pm, the sun was starting to lose its heat and the journey home beckoned. The bill was not cheap but compared to the a la carte menu it was a bargain. I'm not sure that I would have found this such a delightful meal if I had been dining at full price, inside the restaurant, in the evening but I would recommend this for a lunch date without hesitation to anyone who has a love of good food. read more

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We came for a celebratory dinner. Although we made reservations far in advance and at least half the tables were empty when we arrived, the hostess announced we should be taken to table 92 or 93. We were 4 people and one of our guests had a view of waiters checking out and bread being sliced. The restaurant later told us they usually only seat 2 or 3 people at that table. Then why did they seat us there? Beware if you are 4. (We were offered a glass of champagne if we return, but first impressions last.) Food was good, not fabulous. Expensive. Attractive, modern decor. read more

Amazingly wonderful food , excellent service by everyone EXCEPT our blatantly rude waitress. Who showed her great disdain for us with every word, expression and irritated sigh. Would love to return but if I saw that waitress coming our way I would demand to be relocated. Our table was two females and one male. The dinner was a special occasion and we were jubilant. She nearly ruined it- had we not been in the spirit of moving past it and without the exceptional sommelier (who's warmth and talented selections shined bright) and of course the lobster which somewhat offset the otherwise bad taste. read more

I went expecting the best, and it is true that the food , service and general atmosphere are all exceptional. The pasta was excellent and the chocolate nemesis desert definitely stood out, however, the big let down with the river café is the price. With virtually all starters £15.00 and mains £35.00 + this is not a cheap eat. However, if you have the right reasons (or the budget) to splash out, go on a beautiful day and the river cafe is an excellent choice. read more

Visited the River Cafe for lunch for the first time a few months ago and it was fantastic. My chocolate dessert was outstanding. I'm sure the garden is lovely in the summer but it looked a bit grim for obvious reasons. I will certainly be going back again. read more

We went here for a celebratory dinner and loved the ambience and service but the food was bland and mediocre. For what we paid it was definitely not worth the price of admission. read more

The River Café never let me down, before and after the fire. It is opened by Ruth Rogers and the new renovating is done by Richard Rogers. A superb setting with extraordinary food. The consistency of this restaurant is probably worth noting as each time I visited the place, I am satisfied. Although, it is quite costly but it is worth the money. The River Café will always be my choice whenever I need to impressed someone. I highly recommend this place. A 5-star rating. read more

Very good place to sit and enjoy the day passing by. I do not come here very often but when I do I always enjoy it. There is atmosphere here, you can feel it in the air :) The prices a little above average for Fulham but worth it. read more

Best italian in London, period. Unpretentious, honest, hearty italian cuisine, and yes it is expensive but they do use premium fresh ingredients. (They actually change their menu DAILY based on ingredients!) The cafe itself is designed by the owner's husband, whose office is right next to the restaurant along the river. When the weather permits its obviously best to sit outside and enjoy the view, but the interior is also cool and casual with the huge wood burning oven and exposed industrial furnishings. Service is super friendly and knowledgable. Best things to have here is anything that comes from the wood burning oven( the turbot was to die for), the lemon tart, and the chocolate nemisis. (probably the best chocolate cake in the world!) read more

Took my husband here for our wedding anniversary and we had a really fantastic meal. Superb service, great food, fab room, cool people watching! Was jammed packed on a Tuesday evening, I can see why. Will be going back. read more

I should say only 'Perfect' ! This Italian restaurant must be an example for other restaurants. Everything is clean as it should be. You can watch the cooks preparing your food and you will see they care of every detail. The service is also excellent. I recommend Sogliola al forno (amazingly prepared fish). It is little bit pricey but you won`t regret. read more

Serves some of the best Italian food in London. The outdoor tables need to be booked way ahead of time but worth the wait. Outdoor play area is unique feature, but the Hammersmith location makes it a bit out of the way read more

A wonderful meal in a wonderful city! The place is a little hard to find but it's a gem. The food melts in your mouth and the staff is always happy to greet. I highly recommend if you live in London or visiting to check them out. They really put great thought in the menu, which does change frequently. read more

I can't rate this restaurant high enough! Service, produce, atmosphere, flavours, wine, bread, pasta, dessert were all divine. For the best in simple, fresh and exciting Italian, there is no substitute. Go and visit the original - The River Cafe. read more

There are three important criteria for a good dining experience: Ambience,Service and Food. My experience at River Cafe was that it was noisy and over crowded.The service was very poor ( we sat at our table for 15 minutes before being attended) The food was average at best. . It did not present good value.It was over priced . read more

A wonderful meal in a wonderful city. The location is a little out of the way and if it weren't for uber we would have gotten lost. The staff was perfect, the food was so good it melted in my mouth and the atmosphere was perfect. They don't rush you when you eat either which is a plus! I loved being able to watch the kitchen staff in the back and see the desserts on the counter! read more

Great expectations of eating here after surmounting considerable difficulties in getting a reservation ( only at 9.15 pm four weeks ahead). Weather not yet nice enough to eat outside, and tables inside were maximally packed. Full house on Friday meant almost unbearable noise, so much so I could not hear what the sweet waitress tried to communicate about menu dishes being out of stock. Nice, all Italian rustic menu, mostly northern Italy, little truffle, little risotto. Great, really great wine list and very knowledgable sommelier, but pricey, certainly for very average supermarket quality Montepulciano in carafe, that should have been 20 pounds instead of more than double that. Food was excellent, charcoal grilled calimari esp nice, home made fine, fresh ravioli recommended, HUGE portion turbot almost justifying its HUGE price, wonderful desserts. But 465 pounds for three as final bill requires much more comfortable seating, larger tables, more sophisticated dishes, and much better open wines for more decent prices. Go, if you want to splurge, on a warm evening, take a taxi or Uber for the 50 min ride from central London, take one bottle of wine and don't let them pour it out too quickly, share dishes and don't stuff yourselves on bread and olive oil that gets served first while you wait some 30 min for your appetisers!! read more

I've been to The River Cafe before and wanted to share the experience with the husband and...not so happy I did. Gorgeous setting of course - that never changes, but other than that not a memorable experience. Ordered drinks and then dinner (appetizers - scallops and carpaccio and mains - monk fish and dover sole -- all good but not exciting). Appetizers arrived and...no wine yet. Waited, and waited. No one checked on us -- finally called over the waiter who said "Oh -- let me check on that!" Finally got my wine when almost done with my appetizer (said waiter blamed kitchen for late arriving wine - not sure I buy that). No one asked how our meals were, checked on us at all. Almost had to follow our waiter into the kitchen to get a second glass of wine. Even the water carafe was placed so far out of reach that we had to stand up and reach to refill our own glasses (cause there was no effort to do that by any of the staff). As they have two seatings and we chose the 9:00 we already knew that patrons need to be finished by 11. Around 10:20 the waiter came over as we had coffee and fairly forcefully repeated that fact. Yes, we know -- can you get us a taxi? He agreed to do that and then never checked back to tell us the taxi had arrived. We stood out in front of the place until a lovely man asked where we were headed and told us our taxi had been waiting at the side of the building. Meh -- a lot of money and a lot of attitude for not much return. Maybe I'm used to a higher standard, being from San Francisco, where this would NEVER have happened. Won't be back and won't be recommending. read more

This is a truly spectacular restaurant. Whilst I am not fortunate enough to visit too often due to the hefty price tag, I am amazed by the quality and flavour of the food on every visit. The service is excellent, the actual setting is very low key and relaxed. It's a truly marvellous dining experience, and every penny is worth it. read more

Amazingly fresh and good food in a beautiful setting and reminded me of Zuni cafe in San Francisco. The atmosphere is casual but chic and was great for our group 7. Expensive but I would rush back if given the chance. read more

i've eaten at the river cafe a dozen or so times and once since it reopened a few months ago. the food is unbeatable, it has a reassuring quality that reflects the seasons and the menu is simple, built on the best ingredients, cooked and served up to showcase the flavours. read more

Excellent service, very organized staff, amazing food. We took a taxi from Hammersmith Station since it's quite a hike from the station. The design of the restaurant was bright, cheerful, and beautifully colored. We went with our 7 year old and she also loved the food. We started with appetizers (steak tartare, grilled scallops with anchovies, and grilled artichoke with mozzarella), all were delicious starters. For entrees we had tagliatelle Ruth vongole, gnocchi with Langostine, Branzino sea bass with baby artichokes. All were excellent. We can really taste the high level fresh ingredients, especially the evoo. Best Italian food ever. We were stuffed but still managed to experience chocolate nemesis and gelato. The staff were very attentive. They even called a Mercedes Benz taxi for us when we got the check so we didn't have to wait long and got to the station safely. We'll definitely come back next time we are in London. read more

Been following the chefs for 15 years and own/use several of the cookbooks. Food was ~4 stars (disappointingly not 5); service 1 star. Left unattended for ~25 minutes after seating; ordered wine WITH DINNER and it was brought before salad/apps and even before the cocktail; requested pasta minus the mint -- not only did the pasta come with the mint, we weren't advised of this or offered to order a different dish. Total bummer. Would not return considering the price and distance city. read more

had sunday lunch here and it was just wonderful. mouth watering risotto of langoustine to start followed by sea bass baked in herbs with potatoes finished off with the best panacota in london. friendly and efficient service lovely light airy building makes for a great informal atmosphere . in short we were all thrilled with the experience. read more

Love the modern setting, the simplicity of the menu, the Italian inspired food, service and the cookbooks; it's pricey but all is delicious. Sorry that on my last visit to London it was being renovated! read more

This place is great! the food is great! if you are in London and you want a great meal, def stop by. Our waiter was so nice. The food was amazing. I was in london for business and a colleague (in the london office) suggested we go here and I was very satisfied. I really like this place! read more

the river cafe menu and food to me is very overpriced. The location is great by the river but the ambiance isnt quite right. stuffy somewhat. I had the scallops, and at £33 this was well overpriced. dont get me wrong they were tasty but not that tasty or filling. My girlfriend ordered a starter spaghetti vongolase for £15. again this is well overpriced and was pretty bland to be honest. On a positive the staff were attentive and the food came on time. read more

A fantastic place, where the atmosphere more than makes up for the occasional failure to wow with the food.

This establishment is over-rated and over-stated. If you are the gullible type then go ahead and visit. The desserts are both very expensive and unimpressive. I have had better service and food in Hungry Horse public houses. The so called Lemon & Pistacchio cake was dry and greasy. The portion was small and not a hint of garnish except a dollop of pistachio nuts. At £9.00 per portion this is taking the mickey! The sorbet works out at £4.00 per scoop and a very small scoop at that. The strawberry sorbet was passable but the raspberry sorbet was bitter and was more citric than sweet. There was no attempt whatsoever to garnish with mint leaves and fresh raspberries which is the norm. I am sorry but my impression of this establishment is not good and a visit by a genuine food critic would likely agree. It was not a good idea either to see the staff eating in the public view at a bench in the garden and then bring back quite large quantities of uneaten food. If the staff can't eat it then it doesn't bode well. read more