Riverside at Thames Rowing Club

Riverside Charm with Top-Class Ambiance

Ah, the Thames Rowing Club restaurant, that hidden riverside gem in Putney, where the Yorkshire puddings are as grand as the Sunday sun glinting off the water. I must say, stepping into this cozy corner feels less like dining out and more like joining an agreeable date with destiny, soaked in joviality and roast beef perfection. The interiors—homey yet dripping with a sense of grandeur—paint just the right canvas for a spirited Sunday feast surrounded by folks as enthused about Button King pork pies as they are about their on-tap tales from yonder days. And the view? Absolutely picturesque; there’s something innately calming about watching rowers glide along the river as you sip on a beefy merlot.

The service mirrored the food—robust, warm, yet not without its occasional hiccup. A gentle reminder perhaps that even love letters often come with typos. We were a boisterous group, so it could be commended by some that our plates seemed a touch hurriedly whisked away. Others in tune with their Oliver senses might have raised a polite brow at the dessert shortage fiasco, echoing the tale of sharing sundaes with a discount nowhere in sight. Yet, despite its brush with imperfection, the experience stirs a certain belly contentment amidst the charm of it all. Riding high on nostalgia, I daresay should they resurrect this hidden culinary delight, let all Putney raise their pints in eager anticipation. After all, we dine not just to eat—to mingle, laugh, and occasionally ponder the ceiling’s mysterious allure—before granting that ever-elusive ‘very good’ nod. — Milo Tastemaker