Restaurants

Unusual and quirky, Stein’s is a family-friendly riverside Bavarian beer-garden a stone’s throw from Richmond bridge. It was converted from a ramshackle ice-cream parlour in 2004 and consists of a kiosk with a sizeable kitchen behind, surrounded by benches alongside the river – about half of them under cover. There’s a safe, small area where under-fives can play. The menu is 100% German: Wurst, plus Bavarian specialities like roasted pork shoulder with dumplings, and pork meatloaf. The Bavarian cheese and sausage sharing platter was excellent, accompanied by soft, almost sweet bread rolls, and featuring three cheeses, seven cold meats, salad and gherkins. Bratkartoffeln (potatoes sautéd with bacon, onion and spices) was good comfort food, popular with children. Stein’s also serves some mean breakfasts and a vast array of strudel desserts. German beer flows freely (obviously) and the Almdudler, an apple-flavoured herbal lemonade from Austria, is lovely. Service is basic – you order and pay at the kiosk then wait for your food – but this is a friendly, authentic place. You can even hear the chefs singing along to German pop music in the kitchen. Watch out for the weather: at the slightest sign of rain, the place closes.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009