In the middle of nowhere, chefs Rose and Ruth run The River Cafe, serving up some of the best Italian food in the capital.

The Venue
Situated behind residential housing in the middle of Hammersmith, The River Cafe boasts views of the Thames, with seats outside in the summer. The restaurant itself feels like a posh cafe, with high ceilings and a long bar that acts as a sort of stage for really well groomed kitchen staff and barmen. Along the bar sits an array of colourful bowls and plates with vegetables and tempting desserts that they have on offer that day. There’s also a flaming wood-burning oven that the chefs fill and empty frantically and constantly.

The Atmosphere
The restaurant seems to hum with waiters and waitresses weaving in and out of tables with gorgeous plates of food, but the bustly and vivacious mood is teamed with a rather too cool for school clientele. Sloanies are packed to the brim and the restaurant has an extremely large celebrity cult following. Although the River Cafe’s reputation might be pretentious, the food is anything but.

The Food
The menu changes twice a day here but still sustains quality in all its dishes. The ingredients are so seasonal – don’t be too surprised if you find out that menu items like zucchini flowers and blackberries were picked that very day. The menu is set out in a traditional Italian way: antipasti, primi, secondi, i formaggi and dolce e gelati. Each dish is so charmingly described, you want to order everything on the menu.

Rustic bread is served with peppery olive oil to get you started, whilst antipasti can include options such as an unbelievably elegant and fine prosciutto with perfectly ripe marinated peaches, as well as mozzarella with grilled vegetables and a sprinkling of fresh oregano picked from the restaurant’s small garden. A signature dish of meltingly tender chargrilled squid with rocket and chilli is light, with a slight spice from the chilli and peppery rocket that gives a kick to subtle squid. Primi offers a selection of handmade pasta and a zucchini soup with their flowers.

Main courses are a great selection; new season’s grouse from the Yorkshire moors and a wood-roasted Dover sole (taken off the bone) with capers and garden oregano and a colourful mix of green and yellow beans with tomatoes and basil. Chargrilled fillet of wild sea bass is a mouth-watering, flaky fish with a crispy charred skin that comes slashed and stuffed with summer herbs and lemon, with an amazingly lively wood-roasted verdura mista of violetta aubergines, peppers, zucchini and tomatoes.

Desserts all have to be tried – the plum and almond tart is soft-centered and sweet and baked blackberries with mascarpone and a caramel ice cream has a slightly burnt sugar flavour that works extremely well. All the dishes are so light and fresh and not weighed down with any rich sauces, presented with sophistication on extremely stylish plates.

The Drink
If it’s available, try the prosecco with fresh peaches, but the specials change depending on the best fruit for the season. The wine list has been amazingly created to source the best from all regions of Italy.

The Last Word
A seriously break the bank type of restaurant, but the quality of food and drink at The River Cafe overtakes the heart palpations you will get from the ridiculously high prices.

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