Riding House Café

Great place. I've been three times now and cannot fault the look and feel. Stylish lighting, great sound levels -- gentle buzz -- good place for conversation. Food is good but as others have mentioned can be a little inconsistent. Lemon sole was great. Tarte Tatin a little synthetic -- was it really home made? Out waitress told us that the automatically-included 12.5% service charge was not equally distributed to the staff. I asked her if it went straight to the management and she declined to answer so we asked for the service charge to be removed -- with permission from the boss they did so no problem and no questions asked -- and gave a chunky cash tip direct to the waitress. I recommend you do the same.

I've visited many times, but on this occasion it was for breakfast early on a Saturday morning. The service was just as good as usual, and the atmosphere was very pleasant; buzzing but not noisy. The service was friendly and attentive, and we weren't rushed at all. The plates for the hot food could have been warmer, but the food was as good as usual.

Very good restaurant. Service is very attentive and accommodating, they event have a menu specifically for those with gluten allergy. Definitely will be coming back

Underwhelmed. Trendy place but doesn't really deliver.

Riding House Cafe does not disappoint when it comes to food and atmosphere but the staff and service were a bit poor.

Riding House Cafe never disappoints!

I had the delicious Oysters and Prawn salad for a work lunch – my colleague had the Bone Marrow burger which was sensational. Well thought out menu with so much I liked and brilliant atmosphere – the only thing that let it down was slow service

The Riding House Cafe is the sort of place I wish had existed 20 odd years ago as a ‘go-to after work on a Thursday’ venue. It was alive with the perfect sort of buzz you need after a day in the office. The trouble was, the people making the buzz were all so young! Or is it that I'm so old? Apart from the lovely Spanish waitress being a little thrown by the idea of tonic and lime cordial, the service was fabulously attentive and understated. When we asked to switch tables on arrival to one where we could sit closer, only to be able to hear each other above the din, the Manageress obliged without a fuss. Our food took a little while longer than I would have wanted but was worth waiting for – especially the kedgeree. If you're looking for a vibey after work hangout, eclectically but sympathetically furnished (even the hand dryers in the loo had distressed copper surrounds), and your hearing is great and you don't mind shouting then I highly recommend it.

I have been to the Riding House Cafe twice – once for a work event where we had use of their private dining room and once for a meal in the main restaurant. Both visits were thoroughly enjoyable and I would definitely return again. The private dining room is a really interesting room with great décor, you have your own dedicated waiter and have use of the stereo system so you can set the mood yourself! The table is pretty large so you are relatively spaced out so I wouldn't recommend it for a group of less than 10-12 but we really enjoyed our evening and the food was really good. My second visit was a meal for two up in the main restaurant, the atmosphere up there is lively and informal, we had a few cocktails at the bar first and then moved on for some dinner. The waiting staff were friendly and helpful and the food very yummy This and Village East are two of my favourite places in London to eat – they offer great food in a really lovely environment that isn't too stuffy and formal. Highly recommended!

I have been trying to come to Riding House Cafe for about 18 months and so it seems has everyone else. You need to book a couple of weeks in advance for a weekend, which mercifully we had, because on arrival the staff make it perfectly clear you're lucky to be here. Standing behind the large table at the entrance designed to keep clients as far away from “welcoming staff” as possible, a “hostess” will eventually remember her training, break off her huddled conversation, smile and enquire about your booking, whilst another fends off a starved customer who has been waiting at the bar for god knows how long. The space afforded the door staff is not extended to the customers who are crammed in literally (yes, literally, I do not use this term lightly) cheek-by-jowl. Once seated, the serving staff are actually rather pleasant and approachable as well as efficient (and thin, in order to move between tables). It's billed as an “all-day brasserie” and that's just about what it does: expect eggs florentine, burgers, steaks etc. There are a few dishes which break the mould but nothing I found particularly appealing (spiced beetroot fritters?) as well as, wow this is original, some small sharing plates. My burger and chips were perfectly edible but not much to write home about. I had a bottle of coca cola which would normally make me happy (so superior to a can) but as I'd asked for a pint I wasn't impressed. At least warn me you can't bring one. I can't honestly understand what all the fuss is about and I certainly shan't be battling to come back or waiting at 2pm desperately for a chance to sample the food. Yes, the buzzing atmosphere makes it a great place for casual lunch with the girls, but its success lies in it being just a little, tiny bit more great than the other many nearly-great places nearby. If there's room, fab; if not, try elsewhere and don't be disappointed.