Blueprint Cafe

We loved our experience at the Blueprint.. The food was very well prepared and extremely tasty – so much so we were still talking about it a week later. The service was attentive, friendly and helpful, especially when we had specific questions about items on the menu. Convivial atmosphere, one of our favorite views on the Thames, looking at Tower Bridge. We went because of the Evening Standard Offer and we will be going again.

I'm not prone to negativity when it comes to dining out and I'm no service snob, nor a self-professed foodie. But it would have taken someone still more forgiving to let the seriously flawed service at Blueprint pass them by. I went with 2 friends on the Evening Standard special offer, and should have heeded the warnings of other reviews. We were only asked what wine we would like 15 minutes after sitting down, having tried hard to catch a waiter's eye for some time. None of the menu remotely resembled that advertised by Evening Standard. We were never once offered bread, side dishes or asked how we were enjoying our food. The starter of pork rillettes was tiny, utterly bland and served on toast burned to a crisp. The main course was very pleasant but a lone fillet of fish with no sides or accompaniments (for which we would of course have had to pay extra). I left feeling distinctly hungry and realising I could have paid that £15 on one much more satisfying course elsewhere. We were overcharged on the bill for our bottle of wine, and were lumped with a 12.5% service charge for our non-existant service which I complained about. The manager was apologetic but this is clearly a recurring incident based… More

Its been a while since I ate here, but the memory lingers on. I can't believe this place constantly gets rated so highly. Truly abysmal food on the night we went. Razor clams were completely cold, so we sent them back. Out came exactly the same plate 5 minutes later (you could tell by the bite marks!). The result was rubbery and almost inedible. The roast beef was so well rested it had a cup of tea and a lie down. The only accompaniments were horseradish sauce and a few bits of spinach. All in all, completely overpriced.

However we did like the touch of putting a pair of binoculars on the table, great for having a birds eye view of the river and surroundings. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who really rates their food and if you're after a view, try the Oxo tower instead !

Having sprinted over Tower Bridge somewhat late and a little red in the face, I was immediately greeted by a smiling lackey sporting a cold beer. I could have kissed him. Anyhoo, rather fussy, prissy food and very loud dining room populated by people who whinnied dulled the overall experience, but a really strong contender for best Conran