East Molesey, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“Yummy mummy hangouts” that have proliferated across the capital and its surrounding high streets over the past few years, with “relaxed and colourful décor” and “friendly waiting staff”. They are very accommodating to families, both “child-friendly” and “pooch central, with snacks and water” – although if you don’t bring your own, you might find there are “too many dogs”. The eastern Med-style cooking varies between “fresh and well prepared” at best to “adequate, sometimes slow” – while “bottomless Bloody Mary or Mimosa on a Sunday can be dangerous!”.

A well-located venue on the Thames at Teddington, where “wonderful views of the lock” remain a standout feature, whether you opt for the glass-fronted restaurant or (better) the riverside terrace. On the menu, competent modern Euro cooking – shellfish platters, steaks, plus afternoon teas – abetted by regular jazz nights.

With its array of “silky-smooth croquetas” and other tapas favourites, backed up by “a great choice of sherries”, this popular gastropub-with-rooms in the Surrey ’burbs from Spanish maestro José Pizarro is “one of the best places to eat for miles around” – and, as you’d expect of this much-fêted ambassador of all things Iberian, “makes a decent stab at a Hispanic vibe”.

2022 Review: Five minutes’ walk from Norbiton station, “a great local” (dating from 1893) which was revivified in recent times by Hippo Inns with a quality food offering including “a fabulous Sunday roast”. “Well worth a visit if in the local area”.

“Sublime location… food’s a little hit and miss” – the pros and cons of this famous destination on the edge of Richmond Park, where meals (including afternoon tea) are served in a series of “beautiful”, “incredibly atmospheric” glasshouses in what was originally a plant nursery. Its gastronomic reputation was made 20 years ago under chef Skye Gyngell; nowadays run by the Boglione family, it offers an Italian-accented menu. Two spinoffs in Covent Garden, La Goccia and The Petersham, closed for good in early 2025 citing rising costs post-Brexit, but the mothership is still packing in the crowds. Top Tips – “service is way better in the winter when there are fewer tourists”; “take a taxi as driving in and out is a squeeze”.

This “lovely old Arts & Crafts property” sits across the road from Richmond Park, near the Thames and was beautifully restored 20 years ago, with a “quiet, uncluttered, country-house ambience”. Chef Kenneth Culhane creates “brilliant food (much of it locally sourced)” from a “rich and decadent tasting menu” (and other, shorter formats), while “very friendly owner/manager” Barny Taylor sets the tone in the “warm and cosy dining room”; he also hosts regular classical recitals, with guest musicians playing an antique rosewood Bechstein grand piano. This is “somewhere special for a celebration” – “not cheap, but worth it”.

2024 Review: The “stunning dining room with spectacular views, high above the Thames” at this grand mid-Victorian hotel in Richmond “retains a fine atmosphere”, and it serves “delicious cakes” at afternoon tea. “Many chefs have been through the kitchen here” and where more serious culinary occasions are concerned, verdicts are split: fans say it is “currently undergoing a renaissance”, but others feel (as they have for years) that “the food is only average and the service likewise”.

Ratings are up for this pretty boutique hotel dining room close to the river in Richmond, with a “good value” menu from South African-born chef Vanessa Marx, who took over the reins in 2023 (having first arrived in 2021 as an events chef). The modern brasserie menu (steak, catch of the day…) is less aspirational than once it was here, but the format is going down well. (“We ate very well on a fine summer’s evening on the balcony overlooking the Thames” – “portion sizes are now much better than previously, and the food is really excellent and good value”, with “lots of vegan dishes… two of them enjoyed without registering that they were in fact vegan!)”.

“The venues are wonderful to look at, but the food is almost always below average, over-priced from an uninspiring menu, with service that can be pushy and inflexible” – a fair summary of the pros and cons of the sub-sub brand of the famous Theatreland classic, which more generous fans claim provides “reliable comfort food without the hassle of the original”. Many diners have their eyes wide open when it comes to the trade-offs of choosing to dine here: “you likely have a good time; it’s just that, in London, there is always somewhere more interesting round the corner”.

2022 Review: “A lovely pub on Water Lane leading down to the Thames: now more of a restaurant than a pub” – a smart refit now lends a brasserie vibe to the dining room at this traditional boozer, off Richmond’s picturesque waterfront. The makeover – in late 2019 – was by the Ram Pub Co, which is part of Youngs. Few reports as yet on the rather posh-for-a-pub menu (they serve a selection of oysters, for example), but early feedback says it’s “the food is good, especially the fish”, and for a comfy yet relaxed get-together you could do much worse than a trip here.

Taken over by Matt Larcombe, ex-of The Crown at Bray, in 2021, and with a kitchen helmed by chef Daniel Lee – this red-brick boozer by the Surrey roadside carries its high ambitions relatively lightly (although they are apparent when you open the heavyweight wine list, with some vintages in the £1000s). Its modern, seasonal British cooking is – by most accounts – “excellent” as is the service “despite being on the pricey side”.

This “buzzy pub/restaurant opposite Hampton Court Palace” is one of the more regally set Brunning & Price outposts, turning out well-priced and noshable gastroboozer grub; “the pub is downstairs, the restaurant above it via a spiral staircase with views of the palace and Thames”. Reporters have nothing but praise for the venue (“love the vibe, love the food, love going there for Sunday lunch”) and “it’s dog-friendly too”.

2024 Review: “Definitely on my list of places to eat” – with its “changing menu and great food”, Sam and Alex Berry’s “noisy” operation is a real favourite with locals, including the business set; the ambitious couple’s mini-empire also includes Surbiton restaurants Cento Uno, No. 97 and The Hideaway, plus gin bar/distillery The Good Life, and (most recently) crowdfunded newbie Bone Idyll Gin School, which launched on Kingston’s riverside in September 2022.