Riding House Café

Brasseries

Restaurants

Types of venues , Restaurants and cafés , Restaurants

Mid-range

Richard Lewison

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Time Out says

Wed Jun 27 2012

It’s pretty hard not to like this funky brasserie. You want breakfast? There’s everything from bircher muesli to omelette arnold bennett. Fancy Sunday lunch? How about a roast (chicken or beef), a reuben sandwich or penne with meatballs for the kids? Lunch or dinner?

The menu runs from Carlingford rock oysters to chateaubriand for two. Nor does Riding House Café come over all faux-French. It’s capacious, with a ‘traditional’ dining room on one side and a bar area with a massive sharing table on the other.

We say ‘traditional’ reservedly; wall sconces are made from stuffed squirrels, a private dining room is made from a horse loose-box, and much furniture is reclaimed. It would all be a bit acid-trip if it weren’t so professionally done.

The café is run by the team behind Bermondsey’s Garrison, and gastropub-style main courses include smoked haddock kedgeree and 10oz ribeye with béarnaise. There are small plates too – on various visits, we’ve enjoyed artichoke dip with crostini, scrumptious macaroni and gorgonzola gratin, cod fritters, and succulent smoked eel with horseradish. End with richly spiced gingerbread with caramel ice-cream. A great wine list plus well-mixed cocktails round things off.

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Address:
Riding House Café London
W1W 7PQ

Phone:
020 7927 0840
Website:
www.ridinghousecafe.co.uk
Opening hours:
Breakfast served 7.30am-noon Mon-Fri; 9am-12.30pm Sat, Sun. Lunch served noon-3.30pm Mon-Fri; 12.30-4pm Sat, Sun. Dinner served 6-9.30pm daily
Transport:
Tube: Oxford Circus tube
Price:
Main courses £10.50-£25 Meal for two with wine and service: around £60
Map
1. Riding House Café
  - London
    W1W 7PQ
  - 020 7927 0840
  - www.ridinghousecafe.co.uk
  - 51.518297,-0.140707

Categories:
Food and drink
Facilities:
Restaurant and bar facilities. Reservations required. Breakfast. Brunch. Accessible facilities. General facilities. Private rooms
Occasions:
Meal times. Best for brunch. Best for breakfast. Hip factor. Eating out
Type of event:
Parties

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Comments & ratings

(24 ratings)

Very disappointing food at dinner Sunday; more like function food and hard to reconcile the glowing reports on some blog sites. Service needs attention quickly; there's lots of better choices nearby. Clientele already looks like they located this restaurant through internet sites....those in the know have moved on ..and the music..were we listening to internet radio? James

phil dettman Mon Mar 18
Rated as: 2/5
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Unbelievably POOR service. Was there for over three hours and only had a Main and a dessert. My main was barely a main, it was more like a small starter. Staff Ignore you. The food was not worth the money at all. Would have actually preferred a Mc Donald’s (and considering I never eat there, that’s saying something) Avoid this place.

Jane Tue Dec 4 2012
Rated as: 1/5
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What a shame, my fourth visit to the usually to-die-for Riding House cafe was a shambles. Five of our diners ordered the burger (three medium rare and two well done for pregnant ladies), five of our diners sent the rare burgers they recieved back. While the rest of the party finished their food, five hungry ladies waited 30 mins for the second round of burgers, only to receive them rare again. Cue some unhappy ladies. One burger went back a second time and still returned rare and the rest of the party gave up and left them. When we complained at the end of the meal the very rude manager refused to take them all off the bill, even though none of them were eaten. Apparently we should have sent them all back a second time and waited another 30 mins for them to come out again. Riding House cafe, where once I recommended you I must now tell everyone that your burgers and your customer service are shocking.

Fran Fri Jun 22 2012
Rated as: 1/5
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Terrible service - we booked for four but ended up as a party of five and front of house were very unwilling to accommodate us. Slow cocktail service. We overpaid the bill by accident +50 quid and no one pointed this out until we realised our mistake. Over all - unfriendly, moneygrabbing, snotty, unhelpful

Harry Sat May 26 2012
Rated as: 1/5
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The quality and presentation of this place was spectacular. The food was excellent and reasonably priced. I would say close to michelin territory. The Service was attentive, warm and friendly and the atmosphere created a trendy classy and buzzing ambience. This restaurant is highly recommended

Irene Beavis Mon Apr 30 2012
Rated as: 5/5
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I really liked this place. Im a big foodie and my bf took me here one Sunday night. I love the decor and atmosphere. Very cool, New York style place. Food was good. Try lots of the small plates. We did and we were not dissappointed. We then also had a main and a dessert. I think this would be a very good place for lunch.And the Bar is also very good! I had a honey cocktail concoction. Try it

R - London Thu Feb 9 2012
Rated as: 4/5
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We were dissapointed to come all the way across London for Brunch on Jan 2nd to be told that they stopped serving brunch at 11:30 (despite the listing here saying 12pm) and that they wouldn't start serving lunch for another hour.

Andy Budd Mon Jan 2 2012
Rated as: 1/5
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The staff were initially attentive but as the night wore on they lost interest due to having obviously overbooked the restaurant. Our waiter was increasingly agitated by his own admittance, having worked since the breakfast shift. The mackerel pate was tasty, well balanced and not too creamy. The FIsh and Chips were disappointing. The fish was greasy and the chips cold and dry by the time they arrived. Friends enjoyed the food, though the pollock, which was enjoyable was a very small portion for a main dish especially considering the price.

Nessa Tue Dec 20 2011
Rated as: 2/5
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great food and a nice relaxed/cool atmosphere

sam Tue Oct 4 2011
Rated as: 5/5
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Charming, patient, thoughtful service and really lovely food. The ceviche was a highlight but all the small plates were tasty and good looking.

Neil Fri Sep 16 2011
Rated as: 4/5
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