The Riverside Brasserie

A last minute plan came together on a gorgeous summers evening last night and all the stars aligned and led us to this magical place!
Husband and I felt like something different and by the water and after a quick search found Riverside Brasserie and having looked at the reviews here and on trip advisor thought it was well worth a try… So grateful that there was a booking …
From making the phone call booking, right through to leaving, Alfie and co made us feel so incredibly relaxed and welcome.
The food was amazing… And husband declaring that his starter of foie gras… The best he's ever had… I opted for a beet root cured salmon which was tantalisingly delicious! We were so impressed by the menu that we had to have a third starter… The delicious pumpkin tortellini with sage butter was melt in your mouth gorgeous! The bread selection was fresh and so much so that I'm embarrassed to say that asked for a second one as I polished it all off in double quick time.

For mains we had a steak cooked to perfection with the most delicious roasted beet root salad and the crunchiest fluffiest triple cooked chips ever. We opted to have wine by the glass and this too was excellent with the recommended Merlot being a sure winner!

Sadly I just could not fit in a dessert but did have my eye on the Valronha chocolate fondant… Next TIME!! ;-)

We ended the evening off with a coffee and a plate of delicious Valronha chocolate… It did of course help that Valronha chocolate is my all time favourite chocolate… So already this gem of a place is a winner in my books!

The location is out of this world… Beautiful relaxed waterside dining experience with wonderful hosts!
Already this morning I've told 3 people that we HAVE to go back!
Alfie… You are a breath of fresh air and we wish you well… And boy are you going to be tired of seeing us there!

A perfect evening! Thank you!,,

A group of friends met here for a long lunch and a good chat. The food was so good quite often the conversation included comments and sharing / tasting the food – a very good sign. The dishes of particular note were: Pork belly, Beetroot, Rib-eye steak and the Pasta with artichoke. In addition, the chips were as Michael Winner says, fantastic. The wine was delicious, nicely cold and regualrly flowing. We appreciated the discreet and attentive service very much. We met at 12:30 and stayed till nearly 18:00! Most had wine some had a few beers, except for the designated drivers. Everyone agreed we should make it a regular venue as we could not fault the day; excellent lunch and sincere thanks to all the staff.

Bar the location – which is admittedly delightful – there was nothing good to report about my lunch at the Brasserie. I booked in advance (though there was no need – except for the lack and inexperience of the waiting staff perhaps), and can only then describe one disappointment after the other, culminating with a HUGE bill for a limp attempt at a lunch. Food – Bland; service – slow and uninspired; cost – severely overpriced even if the food had been tasty. one starter, two beers, two mains = £85 – ouch! Not surprisingly there's no email address for the Brasserie to enble me to share my feedback with the management (i wonder why!!) and no feedback was requested on our departure, hence i've decided to use this route instead.
My advice: AVOID unless you've got a hole in your pocket (or someone else is paying who you don't like very much!).

I agree with Jayne S’s succinct appraisal of Riverside Brasserie (we also like the same Bray restaurants including Hind’s Head). Most of the time Riverside deliver consistently good quality no-nonsense brasserie style food. We sometimes choose to eat here even on cloudy days when some people cancel, so it’s worth trying for a last minute booking. Inside the décor is a bit stark, but the large windows afford a view from just about every table. If you go with good company and love good grub served in a friendly and relaxed way, then the enjoyment factor outweighs that of lots of other eateries within a 10 mile radius, in particular Caldesi in Campagna.
We ate here tonight for the first time this season and Phil Boardman is on pretty good form again. We have been coming here for years and Heston Blumenthal's departure has made no difference…there are a few new additions to the menu plus the great stalwarts such as the Crisp Belly pork starter with fennel salad & caper berries and Rib-eye with roast bone marrow.

We love the Fat Duck and the Waterside Inn in Bray…this is a totally different experience but an equally special experience in its own way. If you can manage to go on a summers day it really is one of the most special places to be, sat on their terrace watching people messing about in boats. It is good, honest food seved in a functional building (the loos have showers for the people living on their boats and you have to drive through the marina to get there) in one of the best setting there is.