The riding house cafe

Fitzrovia is one of my regular the riding house cafe for coffee and brunch in London. Opened in Mayby the owners of Village East and the Garrison in Bermondsey, the Riding House Cafe sounds like something you would expect in the rolling English countryside, rather than the middle of the city. But this venue is a welcome escape from the clutches of horrible Oxford Street and its inevitable pedestrian rage and warfare. Spacious and airy, the venue is elegantly styled throughout with its mish-mashed antique furniture, the riding house cafe, lamps and tarnished cupboards.

In amongst the glamorous set of Soho after-work media types typical of a Tuesday evening, you might encounter some more unusual dining companions; a stuffed squirrel, a blue plastic Smurf or a pigeon frozen mid-flight, a light bulb clutched in its beak like an olive branch. A little pretentious perhaps, but somehow the overall effect is on-trend and very enticing; you definitely want to eat in this restaurant. So what about the food? Does it stand up to the quirky, contemporary design or is this restaurant a matter of style over substance? Atlantic prawns with lemon and mayo were cool, creamy and fresh, sea bass ceviche light and bright with a kick of chilli, while salt cod fritters packed a weightier fishy punch, beautifully battered in bite-sized nuggets.

The riding house cafe

T his "small plates" thing is getting out of hand. I don't remember a restaurant craze quite like it. The trend is obviously going to date, as all trends do, and one day it will seem as absurd as any other bygone fashion — the culinary equivalent of shoulder pads or the mullet. For the moment, though, small plates are where it's at. There's no mystery about why the trade likes them: they're a great way of using low-seeming individual prices to run up a surprisingly big bill. It's easy to Meldrew on about small plates, but there's a lot to like about them, too. Yes, it's frustrating to order something nice only to finish it in two bites, and the ordering is a bit of a palaver — there are so many variables to think about that a prolonged hush falls while everybody plays three-dimensional chess with all the options. But the counter-arguments seem to me stronger: variety is a virtue, and you never get stuck with a huge main course with which you've fallen out of love halfway through. Part of what restaurants do is what you can't be bothered to do at home. As I've said before, eating out is like a mild, benign form of adultery towards your own cooking, and small plates are part of that. Who can be bothered to make eight dishes for two people, or 16 for four? The team behind it have two other restaurants already — the brasserie Village East and the gastropub the Garrison , both in Bermondsey — and know their trade. That "cafe" in the name is meant to send a signal that they're open all day, a "modern-day brasserie", the website says, serving breakfast and tea and drinks as well as main meals.

Inventive all day dining and a handsome cocktail bar that brought our Fitzrovia neighbourhood to life.

We're always looking for talented people to join our team. Apply here. Our heated terrace seats up to 50 guests. Book your table or just walk in anytime. When more than a couple of friends tag along for dinner, we can seat you around our Sharing Table, which accommodates up to 21 guests all together in the main restaurant. On a regular day, we use this table like any other and encourage our guests to shoot the breeze with fellow diners. Maybe you learn a new joke; maybe you share a secret haunt; maybe you just pass the pepper.

Dishes and drinks for all occasions, and all times of day. We're always on the look out for the right person to join the team to reach out! Our outdoor terrace can seat up to 50 guests. Book your table or just walk in anytime. Monday to Saturday 5 - 7 pm Join us for a changing selection of barrel-aged classics, house aperitivi, guest wines and beers, to help you start your evening in style, alongside delicious skewers and small plates. Our Dining Hall can accommodate up to 80 guests seated across large trestle tables. When more than a couple of friends tag along for dinner, we can seat you around our Sharing Table, which accommodates up to 18 guests all together in the main restaurant. On a regular day, we use this table like any other and encourage our guests to shoot the breeze with fellow diners. Maybe you learn a new joke; maybe you share a secret haunt; maybe you just pass the pepper. The Stage is a raised area at the rear of the restaurant that can host up to 30 guests for a seated dinner.

The riding house cafe

Looking for the perfect spot for your party? Browse our range of flexible spaces here. We're always looking for talented new people to join our team. Apply here. Our terrace is perfect for an al fresco meal or drinks. Book a table or just walk in anytime. For something a little more private, we can host up to 16 guests for a seated dinner, behind a curtain, creating a semi-private dining space with plenty of natural light from the floor to ceiling windows.

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Guide to what's on in London in February Small plates are very much the big thing these days, but when they're done as competently and as affordably as this, you can't really complain. Moving on from a disgusting aside, the pancakes were really not that bad. The Stables. Does it stand up to the quirky, contemporary design or is this restaurant a matter of style over substance? This article is more than 12 years old. I was warned that lunch with a 2 year old can be an enlightening experience. Buttermilk pancakes with berries, vanilla clotted cream and maple syrup. Breakfast is served until noon on Sunday, and then Sunday lunch after that. The Lounge. The pancakes were just a tiny bit overcooked so a little bit crispier than I would have liked, but generally tasted fairly good. Looking forward to try your lunch! Mon-Fri, 8ampm; Sat-Sun, 9ampm. T his "small plates" thing is getting out of hand. Enquire about this space.

Whether you are looking for somewhere to host a business meeting, family occasion or memorable event, let our events team find the perfect space for your gathering.

Jan The eggs tasted of nothing, the peppers like they were sacks of water and the potatoes, like they had been extruded from some machine. Homemade Ferrero Rocher ». The menu, is predominantly Modern European with a great traditional mix of all things eggs, pancakes and smoothies of the fruity variety. Loading Comments Book your table or just walk in anytime. Served with dry rose petals, the drink was less sweeter and more dry than I anticipated. Mon-Fri, 8ampm; Sat-Sun, 9ampm. Location Fitzrovia Seats 21 When more than a couple of friends tag along for dinner, we can seat you around our Sharing Table, which accommodates up to 21 guests all together in the main restaurant. Join the team. Inventive all day dining and a handsome cocktail bar that brought our Fitzrovia neighbourhood to life. Which is convenient as I happen to live on the same street! Subscribe Subscribed. The wine list is reasonably priced with options by the glass, carafe and bottle, making it easy to match the various different dishes and flavours on offer. We have an ideal space for groups of any size.