Best brunch for: Riverside munching
Dish to order: Mars Bar Cheesecake
There’s no denying Londoners are suckers for a unique new opening. Whether it has a sprawling rooftop terrace or walls lined with twinkling lights and thousands of bottles, we’re there – phone in hand, ready to capture it. One of the latest such openings comes courtesy of Daisy Green group, upon a renovated barge gently bobbing in the Thames for all of Richmond’s residents to see.
Aussie classics are on the menu for early risers, such as smashed avocado on charcoal toast, sweetcorn fritters and full Bondi breakfasts with bacon, eggs, sausage and mushrooms. Enjoy these dishes atop the barge over coffee, or get your glad rags on in time for the lunch menu. Gargantuan pizzas are generously littered with toppings and can quite easily be shared during late brunch sittings under the sun. We paired our pizza with a handful of side plates; while the squid wasn’t to our taste, the halloumi fries were some of the best we’d ever tried, accompanied by tangy lemon and mint yoghurt. Frosé is in, judging by the popularity of the icy drink during our visit, and we slurped on glasses of the fruity tipple garnished with vibrant dried raspberries. Full from our spread of sides and pizzas, we opted to share the Mars Bar cheesecake after encouragement from the table next to ours. We were thankful we did – the spherical creation filled with cheesecake filling, molten caramel and chunks of Mars Bar rocketed to the top of the tastiest desserts we’ve ever had after just a mouthful.
One warning – keep an eye on the tides. Richmond’s riverside is no stranger to being submerged as the Thames breaks its banks, and – while the lure of such tasty fare means it’s no real deterrent – you’ll want to be well prepared for wading through the water when disembarking, hand rubbing your belly post-feast. Connor Sturges
Address: Peggy Jean at Riverside Green, The Boat, Bridge Boathouses, Riverside, Richmond TW9 1TH
Website: daisygreenfood.com
