Richmond’s Pitcher and Piano is the place to be for evening drinks and food
One of the things most people do on holiday is find a good spot for a drink and a bite while they watch the sun go down. This does indeed sound lovely if you’re on the Med, but what about on the Thames at Richmond? Well, I have found the perfect spot for a sundowner at the Pitcher and Piano, on Richmond bridge, where even on a cloudy evening in July, I was rewarded with an absolutely glorious purple, pink and orange sky to go with my dinner.
There is a good vibe at the Pitcher and Piano, where even on weekday evenings the terraces are healthily busy with couples, friends and office colleagues enjoying cocktails, glasses of wine, birthday parties and a bite to eat. There are three floors to choose from, with an extensive garden terrace, conservatory, bar areas and – my favourite niche – the narrow balcony on the top floor where the view of the sunset really is top-notch.
In terms of food choices, there is something to please everyone. If you just need some nibbles to go with your early evening (or indeed late evening) drinks, then the sharing platters are ideal with a choice of nachos, a trio of fries, chilli fries, and the P&P sharer, which includes calamari, chicken skewers, smoked bacon and parmesan popcorn, and sausages. All guaranteed to soak up any excess alcohol.
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Matt Green
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Matt Green
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If you’re thinking more along the lines of a meal, then there are lots of options – just be aware that you might need to break out an elasticated waistband as the portion sizes are generous. We were there to try out three courses, though we didn’t actually manage a dessert in the end. This came as no surprise to our waitress who had actually raised her eyebrows as I ordered a starter AND a main course.
Of the dishes we tried, there was salt and pepper calamari with a tarragon tartar sauce and beetroot hummus, accompanied by toasted pitta, butternut squash and feta. The latter in particular could have served as a snack as there was an abundance of pitta. The calamari was light and crispy and the tarragon was a nice spin on the traditional.
We then moved on to our main courses, which were fish and chips and a mushroom and sticky red onion burger. The fish was enormous, but fresh and flaky. My burger came with a red cabbage coleslaw and the bar’s yummy rosemary skinny fries. Reader, I manfully waded through most of the bun and all of the fries, but, boy, was I stuffed!
We didn’t try any meat, but carnivores are well catered for and happily there is plenty of choice for vegetarians here, too, with a good selection of meat-free salads as well as other dishes, such as leek mac and cheese, cod loin and two veggie burgers. With main courses from £9.50 and sharing platters starting at £8.95, it’s good value, too.
The cost of the Pitcher and Piano sunset? Free to all guests; what a bargain.
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