The Riverside, Vauxhall  

Another new pub on the Thames from Young's, and just like the Boathouse in Putney it's been built by the developers St. George as part of a complex of luxury flats. No surprise then, to find a venue that feels not unlike an exclusive All Bar One in terms of design, and shares with the Boathouse, the usual Young's beers plus the rather un-Young's offerings of Peroni and Pimm's on tap. As you'd probably expect, the prices at this one are higher than average, and whilst it's never a chore to drink beside the Thames, it's rather an odd experience to knock back a few here: not often will you leave a pub to see a sign directing you one way to the tube station and another to the concierge. Indeed, the mix of wealth, high-rise living and security - MI6 is the next building down river - does add up to something from the pages of a J. G. Ballard novel. Our main gripe though was with the antics of some of the staff: we could have done without the lemon juggling (especially as it increased our wait to be served). At heart then, this feels like a Docklands bar that - akin to that whale from earlier this year - has floated upriver.

reviewed:
04/08/2006

pub features:(click on an icon to see an explanation)

outdoor seating

seating and standing room by the river

live music (jazz)

separate dining area

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