London Brentford Restaurant Guide

2023 Review: This “charming waterside café/restaurant” headed by Ben Rand, former head chef at The Dairy in Clapham (RIP), is set in a new development in Brentford, where the Grand Union Canal connects with the Thames. “The food on the small menu is lovely”, but it’s a largely daytime-only operation, with occasional supper club evenings.

“A traditional pub with great ales and good food” – this madeover free house in Brentford claims justifiably (if ungrammatically) to be ‘a backstreet boozer doing it different!’. This includes an ‘eclectic’ food offering (from Moules Mariniere + fries to Sichuan Spiced Pork Ribs) and 14 kegs on tap (four with real ales, three with real ciders and the remainder natural wines).

“Just what the local area needed!” – Sam Harrison’s “newly opened outpost of Sam’s Riverside makes the most of a relaxing waterside setting as part of the substantial new residential developments” in downtown Brentford. But it’s “sufficiently separate to have its own identity and atmosphere”, and is “really buzzing” as “there’s nothing in the area serving food of this quality”: a selection of approachable but interesting brasserie fare. Top Tip – “good- value set lunch menu”.

At the foot of a block a short walk from downtown Brentford, in an attractive waterside location, this unexpectedly smart venue with large outside terrace is mostly a local amenity, but – once discovered – would make a useful destination for an ‘away from it all’ meal, especially in summer. It provides a competently prepared selection of Turkish dishes.