The Best Riverside Restaurants in London

A football stadium is rarely anybody’s first port of call for a great meal, but rest assured, Brasserie Constance offers far more than your standard half-time pie. Forming part of the impressive Fulham Pier development built into the Thames-side stand of Fulham FC’s Craven Cottage, this slightly glitzy brasserie is ironically the kind of place you would find a high-quality pie, along with other traditional dishes such as omelettes, vol-au-vents or ham, egg and chips. As for river views, the terrace is the best spot when the sun is shining.

A move eastwards brought with it a riverside location for this popular Indian restaurant, which now overlooks the Royal Albert Wharf. Run by the charming Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala, it has a relaxed feel to it, and is an ideal spot for sharing thanks to its menu of colourful small plates. The extensive list boasts a choice of samosas, including a lovely lamb option and an intriguing ‘apple crumble’ dessert. For the indecisive, a tasting menu is available to sample a range of the dishes they offer.

If you take a leisurely walk along the Thames’ South Bank, as any self-respecting traveller should, you’ll glimpse a whole host of striking structures, from the reconstructed Shakespeare’s Globe to the London Eye. One of the most distinctive among them is the National Theatre, a heavy Brutalist construction with a divisively grey, angular aesthetic. Inside it is Lasdun, a wonderful restaurant serving pared-back dishes based on quality British produce. After eating, catch a show in the theatre or head across to the neighbouring British Film Institute for some top-drawer cinema.

Co-owners Matt and Jay used their experience in some of the capital’s notable Italian restaurants to set up one of their own – and they got it spot on. Relaxed yet professional, simple yet stylish, this unpretentious spot serves great homemade pasta that you can see being made in front of you by the skilful chefs. It’s not just the fine cooking and quality ingredients to be appreciated either, as the prices are appealingly low too. It sits on the south side of Tower Bridge, in one of the former spice warehouses of Shad Thames.

The Victoria Embankment Gardens may come between this restaurant and the Thames, but if you get the right table then you will still enjoy a wonderful river view. It is one of three Gordon Ramsay restaurants inside The Savoy hotel, with décor courtesy of famed designer Russell Sage and a round ‘raw bar’ serving caviar, oysters and ceviches. The precise and accomplished dishes use the best of British seafood across an extensive menu that ranges from fish & chips to Dover sole à la meunière.

Sam Harrison knows a thing or two about running a London restaurant and he picked a prime Thames-side spot for this venture. It’s situated on the ground floor of the former BBC Riverside Studios, where legendary shows such as Dr Who and Top of the Pops were filmed. Today, it is a hub of seafood cookery, with fruits de mer and a choice of oysters. They have an ‘oyster happy hour’ during the week and Sam’s Larder is around the corner if you fancy buying some produce to take home.

The late Skye Gyngell spent several years forging her reputation further along the river at Petersham Nurseries Café in Richmond, before moving into town and opening Spring at the majestic riverside building that is Somerset House. During her career, Gyngell was also once Food Editor at Vogue and she certainly made sure there was a stylish touch to the dishes and the décor here. Both have a pleasing unfussiness, with the cooking using the finest seasonal produce and following the Italian ethos of letting the ingredients do the talking.

Located away from the city centre's hustle and bustle in the western section of the Thames, The Waterman's Arms is – as its name would suggest – a London gastropub with an enviable riverside location. Characterful and well-kept inside, it's the kind of place where you immediately feel you're in good hands. There’s plenty of flavour in every dish, with cooking over coals forming the backbone of the menu. Ask for a table upstairs, as you're more likely to get a view of the river, which is fringed by trees on one side.