For those whose pockets don’t extend deep enough for a meal at Ruth Rogers' legendary River Cafe, we have good news. The institution has spawned a more casual sibling – The River Cafe Cafe, no less – adjacent to the main restaurant, with a lovely riverside terrace that’s destined to be hot property in summer. We visited in the evening, when the lights are turned low and dinky tealights decorate each table, but it’s pitched as an all-day affair, and we’d argue that lunch is the optimal time to visit.
Its canteen-style interiors are clean and bright, and punctuated with strategic style choices that nod to its original site, like electric blue flooring and a shimmering stainless steel bar. Similarly to its sibling, we find ourselves surrounded by a crowd of well-heeled residents and trendy types who, we assume, want to experience River Cafe-quality cooking without actually having to pay the price.
Quips about cost aside, the food is the real deal here. Dishes are cooked by River Cafe chefs themselves and pertain to the traditional Italian way of cooking - quality ingredients served with little embellishment. Vegetables, for example, are a highlight: slow-roasted datterini tomatoes served ‘as is’ on a plate are sticky and juicy, while beautiful chunks of aubergine with velvety innards have been charred until perfectly crisp and caramelised. Good house focaccia, fragrant olive oil, cured meats and cheeses are all delicious, but you’re paying for quality rather than cookery here. For the latter, look to the 'primi’ section where you’ll find a handful of excellent pasta dishes, all about £20-25 each. Portions are dainty, but flavour and execution can’t be faulted. Al dente rigatoni with Italian sausage meat, cream and chilli, then sprinkled with tangy Parmesan, is a joy to eat. While spinach and ricotta rotolo arrives as three, soft medallions, flavoured with a subtle hint of nutmeg, and more of that Parmesan.
Dishes arrive quickly and in an odd order, which isn't a huge problem if you’re only popping in for a swift bite, and the cooking is so good, with warm Italian service to boot, that one almost forgets they’re in a ‘cafe’.