Richmond Restaurant Tips by sue_stone Top 5 Page for this destination

Petersham Nurseries Restaurant: Petersham Nurseries Restaurant

Just back from an idyllic lunch at Petersham Nurseries Restaurant (not to be confused with the café). The restaurant is open for lunch, six days a week, and is housed in a pretty nursery greenhouse. Your rickety chair wobbles on the dirt floor as you eat some very pricy food, surrounded by pot plants and creepers. But the food was very good, and the gorgeous setting seemed to numb the pain of the bill a little.

We timed our visit to coincide with a 'chef swap' that was taking place - Petersham's regular head chef, Skye Gyngell, had traded places with top Sydney chef Sean Moran for a month.

Favorite Dish: The menu was small, with only 5 choices per course. We started with the Beetroot Ravioli with Ticklemore Aged Goats Cheese. I really loved this dish - not only did it look fabulous but the flavours worked really really well. Main course was the Milk Fed Veal Chop barbequed with peperonata, sage, runner beans and anchovy butter; and the Hampshire Pork, roasted with fennel, greengages & butternut squash. Both meals were generous in size and flavours. Really happy with our choices.

Unfortunately there was nothing on the dessert menu we fancied, so we paid up, and wandered back across Petersham Meadows, dodging cowpats along the way, and stopped off at our favourite chocolate shop for a sweet treat.

Address: Off Petersham Road, Richmond TW10 7AG

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Nearest station: Richmond

Phone: 020 8940 5230

Price: US$41 and up

Rating: 4

Theme: Eclectic/International

The Bingham: The Bingham - stylish hotel near the river

Well, it was our wedding anniversary so it seemed like the perfect excuse to go out somewhere nice for Sunday lunch! We decided to stay close to home and wandered down to the Bingham, which is located close to the river in Richmond.

The Bingham is a boutique hotel, restaurant and bar, housed in a Georgian townhouse which dates back to the 1700s. It is a very popular place for weddings and functions due to its classy interior and river views.

When we arrived we were ushered into the gorgeous bar area where we relaxed for a while with a drink and enjoyed the luxurious room. While we had our drink we also looked at the menu and even ordered our meal. A little while later we were escorted to our table in the dining room.

There was a two piece band playing some relaxing music and the service was professional but relaxed which all really added to the enjoyment of our meal.

Favorite Dish: To start, I had the Baked River Trout with new potatoes & rocket salad, and Alex had the Seared Scallops with cauliflower puree. Both were very tasty with interesting flavours.

Main course for Alex was the Scotch fillet with shallot and red wine butter & Duchess potato. He was particularly keen on the Duchess potato - it was mashed potato piped into a swirly cone-shaped pile and then baked. I had the Filet of Venison with honey roast parsnips & Savoy cabbage - the flavours were good and I do love a parsnip.

We somehow managed to fit in dessert - I had the Lemon Tart (nothing to write home about) and Alex had the Chocolate Trio of fondant, cream and sorbet. Wow - it was pretty amazing....and he managed to eat it all, with only a little bit of help from me ; )

We had a really fabulous lunch, the whole experience was great and we will definitely return to the Bingham.

Address: 61 - 63 Petersham Road, Richmond TW10 6UT

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Nearest tube/train: Richmond is 10-12 minutes walk

Other Contact: info@thebingham.co.uk

Phone: 020 8940 0902

Price: US$41 and up

Rating: 4

Theme: Eclectic/International

Lass O' Richmond Hill: Lass O' Richmond Hill - Old fashioned Gastropub

An impromptu visit one Monday evening to friends who live in the lovely area of Richmond lead to a meal at the Lass O' Richmond Hill, a friendly pub with good food, not far from their place.

The Lass O' Richmond Hill looks like a pretty typical London pub - cosy feeling inside, with plenty of wooden ceiling beams and a good selection of beer on tap. The staff were friendly and there was even non-smoking areas!

**We have since returned for lunch one Sunday. The atmosphere was great but the food wasn't too good. Oh well, sure we will be back as it is a great pub**

Favorite Dish: There was a huge selection of food to choose from, from the printed menu and also a large specials board. So, Chris and Nik ordered the Gammon Steak, Tandor had the tasty looking Beef & Speckled Hen Pie, I had a special of Duck Breast with crushed potatoes and Pak Choy, and Alex had the Halibut with vegies and a yum sauce. All the meals were quite good, except for mine which was below average.

We had 2 desserts between us - a Sticky Figgy Pudding and a Treacle Sponge. Both disappeared very quickly. Drinks consisted of some beer and various glasses of wine.

An enjoyable evening with great friends.

Address: 8 Queens Rd, Richmond, TW10 6JJ

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Nearest tube/train: Richmond station is around 15 minutes walk, or catch the 371 bus from Richmond Station. The trip should take about 5 minutes and the bus stops 50 metres from the pub

Phone: 020 8940 1306

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Pub/Brewery

Thai Elephant: Thai Elephant - family friendly Thai

I fancied a Pad Thai, and checked the 'Scores on Doors' website to see how the Thai restaurants in Richmond fared. Hmmm…. let's just say there are a couple of them I won't be going to again. Thankfully Thai Elephant scored well enough so that is where we headed one Sunday for lunch.

Thai Elephant, located next to the Richmond Bus Station, looks old-fashioned from the outside and the inside is much the same. Simple, comfortable decor and family friendly from the looks of our fellow diners. We were greeted at the door by a smiley waiter, though our waitress was less smiley, more surly. Loved their elephant t-shirts though.

Favorite Dish: I ordered the aforementioned Pad Thai, with chicken, and Alex had the Beef Jungle Curry with Coconut Steamed Rice. Dishes were served piping hot, portion sizes were good and flavours as expected. Nothing amazing, but honest.

Address: 1 Wakefield Road, Richmond TW10 6SD

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Next to Richmond Bus Station, 5-10 minutes walk from the train station (or a short bus ride)

Phone: 020 8940 5114

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim

The Dukes Head: The Dukes Head - cosy pub and dining

Finally set foot in the Dukes Head after living up the road from it for a couple of years. The interior is cosy, with a bar in the middle and the seating area divided in half, with what appeared to be a dedicated dining area on one side. I think there may be a small beer garden too.

It was Sunday lunch, and it was fairly quiet when we arrived, so we took our pick of tables in the dining area. The tables were fully laid, complete with serviettes sticking out of wine glasses, and cute Dukes Head placemats. Our table, which was set for four people, was surely too small for four to eat at comfortably, thankfully there were only two of us.

The barmaid/waitress who served us was very smiley and friendly, and it didn't take long till she came over and took our order. There was a very short Sunday lunch menu, with three starters, three roast options, and four desserts. You may have been able to order off the regular menu as well, but we didn't enquire as we wanted a Sunday roast anyway.

Favorite Dish: We started with a bowl of Homemade cream of tomato soup with freshly baked bread. The soup was very creamy and had a good roasted tomato flavour. Some of the bread we were given, although it did seem freshly baked, was seemingly not freshly cut as it had dried out a little.

For main course we both had the 21 day hung extra mature roast beef with all the trimmings. The roast was served on a very large plate, which was filled with a decent serving of nicely cooked beef, a good Yorkshire pud, tasty roasted parsnip, carrots, potatoes, creamy cauliflower and even some red cabbage.

Oh, just a couple of complaints - the music was terrible, to my taste anyway, some sort of classical/opera which I found too heavy and depressing for Sunday lunch. And I think it is time to get some new toilet seats in the Ladies, and a toilet paper holder wouldn't go astray either.

Minor issues aside, we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and the relatively cheap prices, and may well put the Dukes Head on our Sunday lunch rotation.

Address: 42 The Vineyard, Richmond TW10 6AZ

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Nearest station: Richmond

Phone: 020 8948 4557

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Pub/Brewery

Swagat: Swagat Indian

I rarely eat Indian food. I like it, but it doesn't like me. But when I kept reading good reports about a new Indian restaurant called Swagat, located just down the road from my place, curiosity got the better of me.

We arrived to a warm greeting from the smiling staff, and enjoyed their friendly, courteous service throughout our meal. The menu was more up-market than your standard curry house and there was plenty that caught our eye.

Favorite Dish: In the end we ordered one starter, two main courses, rice and naan. My favourite dish was the starter, Aloo Tikki Chaat, which was Spiced potato cake served on a bed of tangy chickpeas, very delish. In fact, all the food was excellent, the chicken and lamb curries were not at all oily, with well marinated, very tender meat.

The portion sizes were generous, and as we waddled home we were very pleased to have discovered another excellent Richmond restaurant.

Address: 86 Hill Rise, Richmond TW10 6UB

Comparison: about average

Directions: Nearest station: Richmond

Phone: 020 8940 7557

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 4

Theme: Indian

Orangery: Orangery - cafe/restaurant in Kew Gardens

The Orangery is a café and self-service restaurant located in Kew Gardens, hence only accessible to those who have paid to access the Gardens. It is housed in an attractive Grade 1 listed building, with a sunny terrace at the front for those rare, drizzle free days.

I recently visited Kew Gardens with a friend and we stopped by the Orangery for some morning tea. The self-service area is very clean and well fitted out. The food they were preparing for lunch looked and smelt good, and I was pleased by the large selection of fresh-looking cakes.

Favorite Dish: My friend had a coffee and a slice of Lemon Drizzle Cake, while I had a pot of tea and a slice of Chocolate & Coconut Cake. As it is self-serve, we could choose which slice we wanted which was particularly useful in this case as the size of the slices varied greatly! Believe it or not, I didn't choose the biggest slice.

Inside is a large, bright dining area, but as the autumn sun was shining we headed for the terrace and enjoyed our morning tea, along with a gossip and some squirrel spotting.

Address: Kew Gardens TW9 3AB

Comparison: about average

Directions: Nearest station: Kew Gardens

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Eclectic/International

Website: http://www.kew.org/visitor/fackew.html

Fishworks: Fishworks Seafood

Fishworks is one of those (supposedly) more upmarket chain restaurants that you have meant to go to for ages but have never made it there. Well, a 50% off food offer finally inspired us to give it a try for lunch one Sunday.

We headed to our local branch in Richmond. I liked the look of the place - it was nice and bright with a large sky-light helping to brighten up the grey and rainy last day of summer.

Favorite Dish: We shared a starter of South Coast Crab Cakes, which had an interesting texture and some tasty dipping sauce. For main course we had the Organic Salmon Fillet with hollandaise sauce; and the Baked Monk Fish with ratatouille.

The most positive thing I can say about the food was that the fish seemed to be good quality - and rightly so as there is a fish mongers attached to the restaurant.

But we thought the food was overpriced, particularly when you have to order sides with many of the dishes. My £14.50 salmon became expensive once I ordered side orders of greens and potatoes, as the menu price just gets you the piece of fish. Coupled with this, the meals were unattractively presented on grotty looking, greasy plates. Not good enough.

Address: 13-19 The Square, Richmond TW9 1EA

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Nearest tube/train: Richmond station is about 3 minutes walk

Phone: 020 8948 5965

Price: US$41 and up

Rating: 2

Theme: Seafood

Website: http://www.fishworks.co.uk/richmond

Red Café: Red Café - on Richmond Hill

Red Café is our local café though we never go there. It looks inviting enough, with lots of tables out the front on the shady terrace. There are always plenty of people drinking coffee and reading the paper, along with 'Old Mate' with his year round tan and never-ending cigar. Ok, we have been a couple of times over the years, but the very average coffee and unenthusiastic service had put us off.

Recently, friends who live nearby kept mentioning that they often pop in for a weekend fry-up if they are feeling a little worse for wear, so when a sunny Sunday dawned and we didn't feel like the usual bowl of cereal for brekkie, we ventured up the road to give the local caff another chance.

Favorite Dish: Thankfully 'Old Mate' and his cigar hadn't arrived yet, so we settled down with the paper and ordered the Full English and a pot of tea (still not game to chance the coffee). Food was good value, though eggs and bacon a bit too greasy for my liking, but do-able occasionally. A nice place to sit and read the Sunday paper though…well, until the cigar smoke becomes too much.

Address: 19 Friars Stile Road, Richmond TW10 6NH

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: On Richmond Hill, about 12 minutes walk from Richmond Station

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Coffeehouse

Cote: Cote - French Bistro

Cote Richmond is the 3rd restaurant to open in what is looking like being a chain of French Bistros. This Richmond offering opened at the end of June 2008, and I watched the renovations with interest, venturing in for lunch a couple of weeks after they opened.

Favorite Dish: We started with some Pissaladiere (flat bread) to share, which had Reblochon cheese & thyme on top. Whilst still eating this our main courses appeared (when I complained they said that the bread is not counted as a starter, hence the mains are not delayed). Main courses were the Mushroom Crepes; Steak Frites; and the Half Roast Chicken (the latter two being Weekend Specials).

Had a couple of different wines by the glass which were nice and decently priced. No room for dessert this visit. Liked the stylish décor and the relaxed atmosphere. Service was a little stilted, but it was only early days. Prices were reasonable and food quality good.

Address: 24 Hill Street, Richmond TW9 1TW

Comparison: about average

Directions: Nearest station: Richmond

Phone: 020 8948 5971

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 3

Theme: French

Website: http://www.cote-restaurants.co.uk