Tower House In Richmond - All Killer, No Filler

That’s Gold in Notting Hill, which has just opened a sister site in Richmond

Tower House sits right on the river in a 19th-century clock tower, in what used to be the Pitcher & Piano. It’s a big, beautiful building spread over two floors, with a plush design – rich fabrics, deep colours, comfy sofas – plus a terrace that’ll no doubt be a bun fight for seats come summer. Like its sister, the menu is Mediterranean, and there are even a few Gold classics on there too. I mean, why not? Once you’ve struck Gold and all that…

Eat This

This menu is the definition of all killer, no filler. Even the humble spud comes drenched in carbonara sauce and bacon, or in the purple variety topped with mint, pecorino and rosemary salt. There’s that chicken from Gold too – wood-roasted, served with an nduja tomato sauce and Parma ham crisped onto the skin. It’s a banger of a dish. We also loved the milk-braised pork tortelloni with sage, and would go as far as saying it’s one of the best pasta dishes in London.

There are no sides as such, but there is a full veg section – carrots, beetroot, tomatoes, cabbage and more – each one loaded up with a multitude of ingredients. There’s a lot of wood-fire cooking going on, and every dish is a full-on flavour bomb. Sometimes that can be too much, but here it really works.

Drink This

They’ve got a nice selection of ‘Petit Pour’ mini cocktails – literally two sips, which is perfect at lunch if you don’t want to get obliterated but still fancy a martini. We loved the olive oil one. There’s also a strong list of wines by the glass, including some interesting English labels we hadn’t seen before… plus one that’s Bonkers (literally).

Why Go?

It’s a welcome addition to Richmond, which is full of chains, so good independent spots can be tough to find (and book). It’s also the kind of menu that offers something for everyone, as cliché as that may sound. Make a day of it with a walk around Richmond Park beforehand; you’ll need to work up an appetite, because you’re going to want to order as much as you can.