Fitzrovia’s all-day drinking and dining institution, Riding House Café has been giving a swanky new makeover with a remodelled interior and menu.
Originally opened in 2011, if you’ve ever worked in the area you’ll be familiar with RHC as it’s the perfect breakfast meeting/after-work drinks venue. It still fits that bill, with a particularly gorgeous, central long bar for late-night drinking.
Head chef Henry Omereye has curated a series of newly introduced progressive evening menus, including a very reasonably priced five-course tasting menu (£30) paired with wine flight, sitting alongside the new a la carte evening menu.
They have introduced skewers, known as ‘sticks’, that come off a barbecue – such as duck gizzard, octopus or cauliflower that can be paired with the new bowl section containing curries, salads or pasta. We kicked things off with a few light bites including the panko-crusted halloumi which came with a smudge of mojo rojo, octopus with nduja and lime yoghurt and the oh-so-naughty ‘cheese volcano’ – a marmite sourdough bread roll bubbling over with melted cheese and smoked anchovies.
From the more substantial main section we tucked into a mild coconut chicken curry served on top of white rice and finished with scattering of coconut, peanuts, herbs and sliced chilli. A large piece of grilled swordfish came in a creamy brown shrimp sauce alongside crushed new potatoes. We really liked that dishes had a helpful wine pairing suggestion, offering a few exciting styles to push you outside of your comfort zone. Desserts aren’t made on-site so if you have any food allergies it might be tricky to order these as we found out.
Looking for a nightcap? Bar manager Antonio Del Monte, previously from the Ned, has created twists on classic cocktails, mixing florals and distilling his own spirits.
If you haven’t been to Riding House Café for a while, you might not be able to spot the revamp but rest assured it’s still a safe bet for the area.
43-51 Great Titchfield Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7PQ
