A Cena

Just over Richmond Bridge, you’re hit by the shock of the suburbs after the Georgian elegance of Richmond proper. Thankfully, A Cena raises the tone with its bistro-like design of wooden bar, stripped floors, pew seats, bare tables and dripping candles. Although getting hard to book, it remains a middle-ranking restaurant providing muscular cuisine. Food has a tendency towards the rich, even in a starter as seemingly light as gem salad with cream, shallot and parmesan. Otherwise, starters might include bresaola with truffle oil and parmesan, or slow-roast rabbit with pancetta, parmesan and bruschetta. Among just three fresh pastas, fusilli with tomato sauce was a large, lush dish. Mains too are solid – more in tune with Anglo-Saxon meat and two veg, than typical Italian secondi piatti. So, leg of lamb with salsa verde (resembling mint sauce) and fried courgette arrived on a mattress of olive oil mash: just like the veal rump with broad beans and ham. After such robust pleasures, desserts like cheesecake and panna cotta were desirable yet not physiologically feasible. The red-blooded Italian wine list fits well with the wholesome cooking. Service isn’t over-indulgent.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008

Services:

Booking: Booking advisable
Child facilities: Babies and children welcome: high chairs
Function room: Restaurant available for hire

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Latest user reviews

We ate here last night and the food was fabulous. We moved to St Margarets last year from Putney and have been looking for a substitute to the Phoenix and we're happy to say we've found it. Staff are friendly, knowledgeable and attentive without hovering. All four courses were superb - better... [More]
Anonymous  Apr 13 2008

LOVE IT! We were introduced to it a few years ago and I find it to be the best italian food in the area. The menu is simple and wonderfully prepared. The decor is lovely, the staff is attentive and warm. The best time to go is for saturday or sunday lunch. No booking required just pop in and... [More]
corina rosca  Apr 11 2008

I just think this is the ultimate neighbourhood restaurant. I also think the food's as good as River Cafe and in a similar vein.
roger gascoigne  Apr 5 2008

The decor is beautiful, but I've found the staff to be disdainful and bourgeoise. Its very difficult to ever get a booking and when someone sometimes answers the phone, they tend towards flippancy, ie. its easier for them to simply say "no" rather than to accommodate you at an earlier hour or at... [More]
Anonymous  Nov 21 2007