The River Café, Ruth Rogers’s iconic Italian restaurant overlooking the Thames near Hammersmith, has opened a café next door – and yes, they’ve called it The River Café Café.

The new café, which launched this week, is open every day from 9am until 10pm (4pm Sundays, closed on Mondays), serving an all-day Italian menu prepared by River Café chefs of pastries, small plates and desserts, along with coffee and alcoholic drinks until late.

It has its own terrace and most importantly is walk-in only, allowing passers-by the opportunity to share a taste of the food and atmosphere of an institution that is notoriously difficult to book – and expensive.

Launched by Ruth and the late Rose Grey in 1987, The River Café shot to fame with its hugely influential take on ultra-fresh seasonal Italian cuisine, becoming the pre-eminent UK restaurant through the 1990s and beyond. It remains among the top 10 most commented-on London restaurants in the annual Harden’s survey, with a dedicated local fanbase supplemented by a constant stream of food-loving tourists from around the world.