If you can - this is one of the tables to get, overlooking the Thames. It's worth noting that this is several feet above the pavement, so celebs can still get the best tables with a good view and not get passers-by gawping at them.
What can you tell us about Scott's Richmond?
As you might guess, it's the sister restaurant to Mayfair institution Scotts. That seafood restaurant (from the same man behind Sexy Fish and The Ivy) has been entertaining the well-heeled and A-list celebs for many years although this is the first time that they've expanded things with a second restaurant. This new Richmond outpost still concentrates on seafood, but it's a much bigger space than the original.
Where is it?
You'll find the restaurant in a prime position right beside the Thames - about a 10-minute walk from Richmond station. It's in an area which has seen a few new places open in recent times, the most recent being the Peggy Jean barge (parked almost outside Scott's) and Tapas Brindisa (right next door).
As you can see - Scott's has a prime position overlooking the river.
Where should we go for a drink first?
While there is a counter bar in the upstairs dining room at Scott's that you can pop in for a drink you might prefer to try at least one of two nearby pubs.
The first would be The Prince's Head, famous mainly because it's the outside of the pub that Ted frequents in the TV show Ted Lasso. And yes, we did get a picture of ourselves in front of it (along with a slew of other telly tourists). But other than that, if you can grab a table, we think the nearby Britannia is an excellent pub. While it's primarily for dining, there are a few tables (and the bar) for drinking and they've an excellent wine list - well worth a look.
So, onto Scotts - how is this different from the original?
First off - it's absolutely huge (it's taken over what used to be Revolution Bar). Apparently, they're serving about 400 people a day, with a potential capacity of up to 600 a day. So yes, it's a pretty big operation.
Downstairs is a cavernous room with mirrored columns and plenty of art throughout. It is quite the spectacle, all looking out onto the Thames too. If you can, you're going to want to grab one of the tables by the window (see the photo above) as they're the prime spaces. Literally on top of that, there's another spacious dining room upstairs with its own secret weapon - a terrace looking out onto the river. Expect that to be one of the places to be from next spring.
Both spaces are good for counter dining too, with the downstairs counter in front of an impressive raw bar.
Looking into the room - it's definitely a "no expense spared" operation.
Onto the food then - what to expect?
Behind the menu here is their Chef Director of Caprice Tim Hughes along with Head Chef Tom Fraser who's in the kitchen (and who was previously senior sous chef at the original Mayfair Scotts).
While there are meat options here (they include ribeye steak and spiced roasted duck), it's really mainly about the seafood and that's the bulk of the menu. So there are options of oysters (from £19.75 for six), caviar and plenty of shellfish (primarily as starters). In addition to that, there's lobster (Thermidor, grilled or as lobster mayonnaise) and various larger fish dishes as mains.
Here's a taster, based on what we had:
Tempura prawns with spicy cocktail sauce (£14.75)
Tempura fried oyster with ponzu aioli (£5.00 each). River view optional.
Sautéed monkfish cheeks and snails, bacon and bone marrow Bordelaise (£13.75) - this is a classic from the original Scott's in Mayfair
Yellowtail and salmon sashimi, seaweed salad, truffled ponzu dressing (£15.75) - one of the brand new dishes on the menu.
Fillet of hake, braised octopus, white beans and mojo verde (£25.00)
Roasted cod, cauliflower, crispy potato and chorizo dressing (£25.00)
White chocolate oyster shell, yuzu curd, apple and shiso sorbet (£11.50) - it's worth pointing out that we genuinely thought that the shell hosting the sorbet was actually a real oyster shell instead of chocolate. It's new to the menu here and incredibly well done.
Lemon madeleines cooked to order (£5.00). If you've only room for a small dessert, then these warm madeleines are the way to go.
And how is it for vegetarians?
Despite being primarily a seafood restaurant, there is actually a separate vegetarian menu with six dishes available, like wild mushroom risotto with truffled ripped buratta (£21.00). Pescatarians are better served here, as you might expect.
What about drinks?
It's definitely worth a look at the cocktail list, with both classics from the original Scotts and a few new drinks for Richmond. Our Vesper martini was excellent (£14) and from the "cups" section, the below was a winner too.
As for the wine list, entry-level is £32 (Macabeo - Molino Loco - Yecla, Spain) but primarily the wine list is in the £50-£60+ range (with a Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru - L. Le Moine at £1700 if you're so inclined). It's primarily European, with a strong Burgundy section, most of which should be a good match for the menu (we went for the entry-level Burgundy which was a 2021 Bourgogne Chardonnay - J.B. Jessiaume at £66.
The Scott's Cup - Chivas Regal 12 yo whisky, Creme de More, camomile, passion fruit, cardamom, ginger ale (£12).
Overall thoughts?
Scott's have found a gap in the Richmond market and are filling it very well. The room here is undeniably spectacular (as long as you're downstairs) and we can certainly see it attracting Scott's regulars who live out west as well as being a perfect special occasion place. Even grabbing a space at the bar for some shellfish and wine would be very appealing. All that and it serves an excellent seafood menu too. Another undeniable hit for Richard Caring and Caprice Holdings.
Hot Dinners ate as guests of Scott's. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
More about Scott's Richmond
Where is it? 4 Whittaker Avenue, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1EH
How to book: book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @scottsrichmond.
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