The River Café

Guide MICHELIN Great Britain & Ireland 2026: one star

Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray (1939 to 2010) opened the River Café in 1987 at Thames Wharf, a complex of buildings on the Thames in Hammersmith. Over the years numerous cookbooks of its own have appeared, making the restaurant known far beyond London. Ruth Rogers has continued to run it since the death of her partner. At the centre is an open kitchen with a wood-fired oven, and the menu changes daily, following the seasons.

The cooking is simple and close to the produce: grilled sea bass with salsa verde, Cornish monkfish roasted in the oven with Vermentino, linguine with Devon crab, plus vegetables and pulses from Italy. The Guide MICHELIN counts the wine list among the best selections of Italian wines in London. In good weather the terrace by the river is especially sought after, and the guide recommends asking for it. The River Café suits a long lunch, family celebrations and anyone who wants to understand Italian cooking through its produce.