Many doubted whether this large, upmarket bar would survive when Youngs opened it in 2006. Who would find it, hidden deep within the huge St George Wharf housing development at the southern end of Vauxhall Bridge? Clearly, they knew what they were doing: The Riverside was an instant hit and continues to pack ‘em in, especially on warm summer nights when patrons can sit outside and drink in the views of Old Father Thames, just feet away.

The Venue
The decor of The Riverside is still spic and span two years in. Like so many modern bars, it’s stylish but unthreateningly so, with leather sofas, wooden chairs, browns and beiges, and modish lampshades. The double height ceiling lends an airy feel and the floor-to-ceiling windows make the most of the river. There’s plenty of outside space with giant sun umbrellas to stop you burning (or, more likely, keep you dry!).

The Atmosphere
Even on a cloudy weekday lunchtime, The Riverside has more than a smattering of office types, grabbing a bite and a pint. The smartly-attired staff couldn’t be friendlier or more competent. Orders don’t arrive super fast, so you might want to mention if you have only a set amount of time.

In the evenings, the pen-pushers return to drown the woes of the working day, augmented by residents from the surrounding luxury apartments and other smart-but-casual thirty-to-fortysomethings who have somehow found their way here. This isn’t the place for packs of alcopop-necking teenaged girls or solitary old geezers nursing half a bitter.

The Food
There are half a dozen lunchtime specials, all at £7.95, including Caesar salad, pasta, and fishcake with spinach and poached egg. The Caesar in particular doesn’t seem much of a bargain, and neither does the practice of adding an extra pound if you want fries.

A Cajun chicken and salad wrap is light on the Cajun spices but generously stuffed with meat, salad and mayo. It’s fine but unremarkable. A steak sandwich with horseradish cream comes in a large, rectangular ciabatta roll. Again, it’s perfectly OK: the meat is tasty and not tough, although it’s certainly not of a size to make the office workers nod off over their qwerty’s mid-afternoon. The fries aren’t especially ample, either, although correctly slim and crisp. With a pint of beer or glass of wine, and once 12.5% service has been added, your simple one-course lunch will set you back about £15; not perhaps, a lunch offer you couldn’t refuse.

The main menu tries to cover all bases, starters veering from soup of the day (£4.50) to poached pear and blue cheese salad (£6.50) to salt and pepper squid (£5.50). Gazpacho is properly chilled with a reasonable depth of flavour and comes with all the expected accompaniments prettily arrayed. Main course options are similarly eclectic, ranging from burger (9.50) or steak and chips (£15.95) via risotto of the day (10.50) to mackerel with couscous (£10.95) or Thai steamed mussels in coconut milk (£12.50). Fish, chips and peas becomes ‘fish of the day in a tempura batter, crushed minted peas, homemade tartar and chips’ to suit the gastropub setting and justify the £10.95 price tag. It’s a tasty, generous and elegantly – perhaps slightly too fussily – presented plateful. Mercifully, the ‘tempura’ tastes just like regular batter. This is not destination dining, but it’s competent and cleverly priced – certainly no bargain but set just the right side of offputtingly expensive.

The Drink
This is where The Riverside comes into its own. The drink list is extensive with some delightful surprises. White wine drinkers have 13 European and New World choices from a French Grenache at £12.95 to Chablis at £24.50. Over half are available by the 175 or 250ml glass. It’s a similar story for fans of red, whilst two roses, a dessert Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise and a Tawny port complete the list.

If you’re looking for a bargain, turn to the cocktails. A list of eight classics, from martinis to margaritas to mojitos, are all only £6. Alarmingly, three cocktails are available by the two pint jug for only £14.55 - let’s hope they don’t attract the aforementioned alcopops brigade!

Eight beers are available on draught including Youngs bitter, naturally, plus the blonde, Belgian Leffe, Guinness extra cold, oh-so-British Bombardier and Staropramen from Prague. There are plenty of bottled options, too, and cider comes either bottled on or draught. Drivers and teetotallers have been considered too with a range of Fentimans delicious old-fashioned concoctions – lemonade, ginger beer, mandarin and Seville orange jigger, and dandelion and burdock – joining the usual soft drink suspects.

The Last Word
The Riverside is a hit and can only become a bigger one as hundreds more apartments go up at this previously unlovely stretch of the river. Youngs were wise to get in early.

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