Vegetarian restaurant overlooking the Thames river, with terrace seating available. Menu offers many choices, including daily specials. Book ahead to ensure a table. Open Mon-Sun 12:00pm-11:00pm.
Category: Vegan-friendly, Indian, Beer/Wine, British, Catering, Fusion
![Photo of The Riverside Vegetaria by <a href="/members/profile/ilinca">ilinca</a> <br/>Bread (not the best I've had) + aubergine = OK
African stew with sweet potatoes, looks OK but tastes horrible. We couldn't finish it.
[both vegan] <br/> May 8, 2015 - <a href='/contact/abuse/image/724/256409'>Report</a>](https://d32d43o6swa2lo.cloudfront.net/venue_images/07/24/hcmp724_256409_s3.jpeg)
Reviews (33)
First Review by Saddler
Contributions +995
Enjoyed our meal - Edit
Saw this place on happycow and read the reviews. Had a pretty good lunch: soup was yummy, platters consisted of healthful grains & salad. The setting is peaceful and the view is lovely.
Pros: vegan friendly
Contributions +22
Beautiful location - Edit
Staff were very friendly and the views are beautiful and it's nice and clean. Food however tastes watered down and there's no depth or real flavour to any of it, we didn't stay for dessert.
Contributions +14
Good menu and location - Edit
Good menu and our food was fine. Decor bit dated and some staff a bit indifferent.
Contributions +103
Vegetarian business - Edit
Having heard many good things about this place, my partner and I found the menu unimaginative, filled with one-pot dishes such as curries and stews, which were overpriced for something we could make at home. The complimentary bread was served with butter and was so dense and mealy it was inedible. When the dishes came out, half the plate was filled with a plain salad which gives the illusion of a huge serving but tasted highly uninteresting. For dessert, there was no vegan ice cream (we were told they had run out) and the crumble was utterly dry and tasteless. We didn't find service overly pleasant and haven't returned since, despite living locally.It might make a nice impromptu lunch stop as the location is stunning.
Pros: Location, Vegetarian business
Contributions +64
Aubergine in Peanut Sauce = Mmmmmmmmm - Edit
I've been coming here for about 15 years , and after initially trying nearly all the items on the menu, I finally settled on my favourite, which I have had every time I've been for the last decade: Aubergine in peanut sauce (slices of battered aubergine fried and served with a peanut sauce, brown rice and salad). The location is beautiful too - right by the Thames, and on a sunny day you can sit outside.
Pros: Location, Aubergine in peanut sauce
Contributions +116
Great meal - Edit
We nearly didn't go to this lovely place due to the negative reviews on Happy Cow.
Not sure how much more than this people actually expect?
So glad we went.
Great service.
Tasty food.
Healthy portions.
Will most certainly go back.
Pros: Fabulous location , Peaceful ambiance , Generous portions
Cons: Maybe a cheaper House Wine, No more cons
Contributions +107
Nice place - Edit
The place is very pleasant with river view and big choice of vegan meals (it is not a vegan place but most starters and almost all mains are vegan). Food was tasty and not very expensive but a little bit to oily.
Contributions +16
Lovely Vegan Lunch - Edit
Beautiful views of the river, inside or outside.
An extensive and delicious vegan and vegetarian menu.
Friendly and helpful staff.
Pros: Vegan Choice, Staff, Ambiance
Cons: Accessibility for disabled
Contributions +26
average - Edit
I had the bean and avocado salad to start: canned beans, a bit of avocado, iceberg lettuce and a few olives in a tasteless dressing which was heavy on the oil. Followed by potato curry with brown rice.
Pros: nice location, pleasant staff.
Cons: decor, in need of a refurbishment
Contributions +14
Riverside Delight - Edit
Wonderful food and lovely, warm-hearted service. Personal favourites are the potato and cashew nut curry and the masala dosa. Being vegan and gluten free, not sure how I could live without this place!
Contributions +123
Vegan food options - Edit
Was pretty excited to find this place and the plentiful vegan options, however I did not enjoy the food that much. I had Tofu Teriyaki and my partner a green lentil curry. Both meals were acquired taste, kind of heavy.. Somewhat oily ... Somewhat spongy taste ... somewhat bland .. Even though it had lots of veggies. It didn't radiate health ... Veggies either were not fresh or cooked poorly. Disappointing experience for award winning restaurant ...
Pros: Vegan food options , River view
Cons: small place
Contributions +21
Riverside, Baby ! - Edit
Very sweet restaurant overlooking the river. Squash & Chickpea curry is to die for.
Contributions +20
Great Food and Great View - Edit
Really enjoyed this place. I had the organic spicy vegetable balls to start, then the organic potato, cashew and spinach curry. Washed down with two vegan mango lassis. Didn't have time for pudding but noticed several vegan choices for next time, all with the option of vegan custard or vegan ice cream. The food was really tasty without being too oily or salty, and I think this is the first time I've ever seen organic options in a restaurant.
Note, there is a restaurant called "Riverside" in the local John Lewis store with very mediocre food and hardly any vegan options, so please take care not to confuse the two !
Pros: Great food, Numerous organic and vegan options, Great view
Cons: no table cloths, quite tight for space
Contributions +46
not as expected - Edit
After reading good reviews when I went was surprised at lack of vegan food, had a large samosa and a few tapas style dishes between me and my Omni sister, good for a snack but not a meal, and was surprised that there was no vegan dessert as heard there was cake
Contributions +169
Nice view but overpriced - Edit
It is one of those vegetarian places that seems to support some religious cult and don't have anything close to a professional chef. We got excited by the variety of vegan options and ordered 6 things. None is something I would want to eat again or try it at home. We were actually less impressed than this but it won't be polite to say more. The prices were totally unjustified by the quality of the food & the way the restaurant looked.
Contributions +19
Lovely place - Edit
They have a great menu both vegan and vegetarian. Menu layout is very clear as to what is and what is not vegan, gluten free etc. Also a very large variety of dishes available which is great but always makes it more difficult to chose what to eat! haha. I popped in here with some friends after hearing about it and apart from the food listed in the 'snacks' section everything seemed to be overpriced for what we got. Don't get me wrong, food was good but it seemed a bit expensive. Still a very lovely place, nice staff, I'm sure in the summer it would be even more amazing sitting along the riverside. Would recommend in a heart beat.
Pros: Large variety of choice, Tasty, Friendly staff
Cons: Overhyped
Contributions +51
The food was nice - Edit
We went here for valentine's day. It's was £25 for 3 courses and an appetiser. The food was nice, however it was quite basic for the price and wasn't laid out particularly special either. We were expecting much more for the money we paid. We saw the takeout menu and couldn't understand why it was so much cheaper, less than £5 for a main. In terms of the atmosphere, the staff were very friendly but the tables were so tightly packed in what is quite a small restaurant anyway, it was near impossible to take your coat off without it flinging over the table behind.
Pros: fresh food, friendly staff, take out menu
Cons: tightly packed seating
Contributions +276
Wide Variety Of Vegan Foods - Edit
The majority of the menu is suitable for Vegans, and there is a huge list to choose from-which can take a little while! There're a great fusion of flavours, and we've never really been disappointed. They have dishes to suit most tastes-hot, mild, subtle, and more intense flavours. They even have a Vegan chocolate cake, for desert!
Pros: Wide variety of dishes, Most dishes are Vegan, Good portions
Contributions +182
Nice for a lunch by the river - Edit
we popped in for sunday lunch. it's a lovely location overlooking the river. Service was a bit slow. They have a huge menu (mostly Indian and some Mediterran - and lots of gf and vegan options). Food takes a while (maybe they should shorten their menu?)- there was a main menu, a lunch menu list and then a (long) chalk board of specials. We had falafel in a rice pancake (loved the pancake, the 'falafel' were tasty but were more of a bean patty), a chickpea curry and a veg lasagna. Portions were big and came with a large side salad. Quite a range of vegan cakes too - the chocolate one was a little dry, the apple one was pretty yummy. It's a little pricey for what the food is, but it's a lovely spot and portions are big. It's not very refined dining, but for a filling, slow lunch, looking at the river go by, it's a lovely spot.
Pros: huge menu, lots of vegan and gf options , lovely location , portions are big
Cons: not that refined menu , can be a bit slow
Contributions +32
Great place, would return regularly - Edit
I've been here twice, and I must say the food is really well-done. The vegan mango lassi is my favourite drink, especially after riding at nearby Richmond Park.
Food we had included sweet potato curry, stuffed avocado, red lentil and avocado kedgeree. The portion sizes were very generous, and I couldn't finish it all! The rice was very tasty, I felt like I could actually eat it plain. The owners were very nice, helping us to pack the leftover food to eat again.
Fantastic view of the river as well, and the owner (Ritchie) is really friendly. Highly recommended!
Pros: Excellent food , Generous portions , Fantastic view
Contributions +18
Fantastic food - Edit
A great menu of vegetarian and vegan food.
There are different options of lentils, beans, salads, soups, vegetable dishes, curries; you name it, they have it.
Decent food at decent prices, however I always found the service a bit lacking.
This is usually always due to the fact that they are incredibly busy though!
A lovely view of the river if you manage to get an outdoor table. They are incredibly popular!
Contributions +39
Beautiful setting, excellent food - Edit
We dined here in August and it was a wonderful experience. First of all, make a reservation so as to be assured of a table outside on the balcony with a stunning view of the Thames. The food was quite good - we ordered the assorted starters (potato balls, vegetable balls, garlic mushrooms) which was a good choice. The waiter was very nice and at our request changed one of the options for us. Others ordered the soups - Tuscan (vegetable) and carrot, which were excellent. The main courses were also quite good - I ordered the Masala Dosai which was good (and spicey!) as was the House Lasagna, Tofu teryaki and the Pasta. It was a very enjoyable experience and the waiter was very accommodating. i would only differ with what others wrote as to the prices - we found it to be on the expensive side, but worth it (lunch is less expensive).
Pros: Excellent food, Lovely setting, Excellent service
Contributions +26
Good Food and Atmosphere - Edit
A lovely restaurant near the center of Kingston, there are loads of specials (which I guess makes them slightly less special) up on the chalk board. There is a separate floor to accommodate larger numbers but has never been used when we went. Usually only a few groups at a time, and most of the dishes are of foreign influence although it seems that they go with the ingredients they have - nothing particularly exotic.
Pros: Nice vibe, Good portions, Reliable standard
Cons: Slightly pricey, Nothing extravagant, No artisan bread
Contributions +132
Wide variety of ok food - Edit
Been here a couple of times now. They are very vegan friendly, the staff are nice and its at a beautiful location on the river. Just wish the food was a bit better. It's all good but I feel like the menu could be slimmed downed and updated. My omnivore friends were underwhelmed when I took them there - which isn't always the case with a good veg restaurant. My husband and I might return as we do like to support veg restaurants over just veg friendly ones.
Pros: Vegan friendly, River view
Cons: Food could be better
Contributions +89
Reliable, vegan-friendly and open Christmas Day! - Edit
My family have been going here for Christmas lunch (as well as on other occasions) for years and we always have a great time. The food is not presented in a fancy way but it always tastes fresh and good and they are completely clear about what's vegan (a lot of it is) and don't mix things up. This is also a place you can take a conservatively-minded omnivore to because it doesn't rely on unfamiliar ingredients. Great view of the river which means it is also lovely on a summer evening.
Pros: Vegan friendly, Good value, Suitable for omnivores
Contributions +1873
ok food - Edit
So I would not say that the food is amazing but with a menu that large, it's hard to make amazing food really!
I would say the food is a little bland, but there are many choices for vegans and vg options are clearly marked.
The service was by no means great and we just left feeling that we wouldn't rush back but yet there wasn't much quizzing to be done about the food, like in regular restaurants. It feels that they are cruising on the Best IK vegetarian restaurant from 1995 or something but they sure aren't the best anymore.
Contributions +33
Good food, a little run down - Edit
There is a great selection for vegans here and on the few occasions I've been, I've always enjoyed the food.
The restaurant itself is a little run down and cramped. It feels a little tacky, but it's worth overlooking this for the food!
The service can be hit or miss depending on the owners mood - we've found him to be happy, grumpy and everything in between :)
Pros: Great choice for vegans, Decent value
Cons: Run down
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