Credit: Peggy Jean
5 min read
From brunch on a floating barge to a cocktails on a riverside terrace, these are the best places to eat and drink while you look out over the water.
Picture the scene: you’re sipping a sundowner by the river as ducks and houseboats drift past. Or maybe your ideal weekend plans look more like a morning stroll around a lake, cortado and cardamom bun in hand.
Whatever your preference, there’s something about being by the water that is good for the soul, and living in a land-locked city doesn’t mean you can’t reap those benefits.
The good news is, London’s options for waterside dining are getting better all the time, whether the sun is shining and you fancy an al fresco lunch or you need some shelter without compromising on the view.
Here’s our pick of the best places to eat and drink by the water in the capital, from a floating barge in leafy Richmond to Hackney’s cult canalside café.
Soho River House
An hour’s drive or a 10-15 minute journey from Windsor and Eton train station, tucked in the sprawling grounds of Windsor’s Oakley Court (a 118 bedroom hotel set in 35 acres of gardens) is every grown ups dream playground tucked right on the River Thames. A long approach down a satisfyingly crunchy gravelled drive, followed by a meander through a walled vegetable garden that would make Mr McGregor seethe with jealousy is Soho River House. There you’ll find a canopied restaurant serving Asian-inspired dishes like charred hispi with yellow peppers, yoghurt sauce and pecans, with the kind of interiors you want to shop as you eat – special mention to the stripy couches I considered scooping under my arm on the way out - full of Sunday afternooners recovering from Saturday nights on restorative Picantes. There’s also a pizza pop-up, sushi, a bar and excellent DJ who played the kind of vintage R’n’B that made me feel very nostalgic, table tennis tables and the general feeling that you’re on holiday from life.
But the real draw are the individual jetty’s, each with sofas, heaters and blankets, which have regular visits from the Thames’ resident ducklings. We ordered platters the buffet (featuring crispy chicken salad, panzaenall salad, burrata and new potatoes) and watched the boats whizz by…. My new favourite version of people watching, agreeing we should do this far more often. Soho River House is part of Soho House and you will need to be a member – or know a member! – to visit.
Peggy Jean, Richmond
The restored Victorian barge that’s home to Peggy Jean is picture perfect, with its candy-wrapper blue paint and pink parasols. The Australian-inspired menu does brunch best: graze on crispy sweetcorn fritters, chocolate ganache pancakes and banana bread sandwiches while you take in the leafy views across the Thames.
Crate, Hackney Wick
Sprawled along the bank of the London’s oldest canal, Crate is an independent brewery serving very good craft beers alongside even better wood-fired pizzas. In a huge converted factory, there’s plenty of space to find a seat by the water, although it has got noticeably busier on weekends since Prince William visited this summer…
The Summerhouse, Maida Vale
In the heart of Little Venice sits the picturesque terrace of acclaimed seafood restaurant The Summerhouse. Decorated with deckchair stripes and soundtracked by the swish of narrowboats sailing past, it’s an idyllic spot to enjoy fresh fish – plus the canopy means you don’t need to rely on it staying dry.
Caravel, Islington
The brainchild of brothers Fin and Lorcan Spiteri (whose father Jon taught them well as the restaurateur behind the legendary St John and Quo Vadis), Caravel toes the line between luxury and low-key dining. Based in a pared-back boat on Regent’s Canal, it serves playful takes on European classics, from pouched trout with sea kale and onglet with wild rocket to a silky smooth buttermilk pudding we’re still thinking about weeks later.
Towpath Café, Hackney
One of east London’s most beloved gems, Towpath is run by chefs Laura Jackson and Lori De Mori and tucked under the Whitmore Bridge near De Beauvoir Town. Its vibe is rustic, warm and very seasonal – think Café Cecilia on the water – with plates of crunchy radishes, homemade taramasalata and fried eggs with mojo verde on slabs of freshly baked bread. There are no bookings, so turn up hungry and sip on coffee while you wait for a table.
Pavilion, Victoria Park
Jutting out into the West Boating Lake at Victoria Park in east London, Pavilion is an ideal destination if you like your Sunday stroll with the promise of baked goods at the end. They are masters of pastry, selling spongy turmeric buns, buttery croissants, sourdough sandwiches and warming Sri Lankan dal come the autumn.
The Princess Of Wales, Clapton
Overlooking the River Lea, The Princess takes pub grub to another level with exceptional sausage rolls, scotch eggs and small plates such as mackerel, nduja marrow and burnt hazelnut butter. It’s got a huge outside area with perfect people-watching potential as the joggers and dog-walkers of Clapton pass you by. What better way to spend a sunny afternoon?
Maria G’s, Fulham
If you want to soak up some waterside views but the temperature isn’t quite high enough for dining outdoors, this Fulham mainstay from chef Robin Gill is a winner. The covered terrace is heated to keep you cosy well after the sun goes down, and the menu features crowd-pleasers including burrata, macaroni gratin and pan-roasted chicken.
Images: courtesy of brands
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