Stein's

Time Out says

Mon Oct 24 2011

You’re in Richmond, just south of the bridge. You’re hungry. Make your choice: spend £150 on premium steak and red wine for two at Argentinian restaurant Gaucho, or less than a third of that on sausages, spuds and lager.

But Stein’s, an alfresco-only riverside joint that’s been serving Bavarian fare since 2004, is not to be sniffed at. When you’re in the mood, the fantastically unfashionable dishes (goulash, wursts, dumplings, white cabbage, potato salad) put the comfort back into cuisine.

A sausage platter and side will serve two handsomely, and cost about £30. Desserts are superfluous, but if you’re in a group, do sample a single apple strudel or sachertorte – they’re scrumptious.

First-rate beers include Erdinger Weissbier and cool, refreshing Paulaner Helles. The form: pick a numbered table, queue, collect your beers at the hatch, sit down – imagine you’re in a leafy, riverine suburb of Munich – and pay at the end. Weather and daylight determine opening hours, so check Stein’s iPhone app for opening times.

There's now a second Stein's - by the water in Kingston upon Thames.