The top floor of The Waterman's Arms
What can you tell us about The Waterman's Inn
This riverside pub re-launched last autumn after a big refurb. It's now owned by Joe Grossmann who happens to be the founder of one of London's great burger joints, Patty & Bun. He brought in chef Sam Andrews, formerly head chef at the Camberwell Arms (and also Ducksoup in Soho), to take on the kitchen here which shows that they're serious about the food side of things. We've been meaning to get down to the pub for a while, but finally made the trip to Barnes to check it out.
This is what you're looking for. On a decent day, you'll want to be out on that terrace.
So where is it?
For those of us in North or East London, Barnes may seem like a pretty long trip, but it's actually surprisingly easy to get to the pub. Just get on a train at Waterloo or Vauxhall and take the 20-odd minute journey to Barnes Bridge. From there, it's a couple of minutes walk along the Thames. If you come for lunch, we'd also strongly recommend the 30-minute stroll back along the Thames to Hammersmith station for working off your lunch.
Where should we sit?
On a normal day, anywhere inside the classic-looking pub would be absolutely fine. Both upstairs and downstairs, it's a lovely-looking pub.
But on a decent day, the terrace is 100% what you should be aiming for. That's up on the first floor which means you have a panoramic view of the Thames (and it's even covered if the weather's a little unpredictable). There are six tables for two here - and even if you can't get a table out there to start with, you can always start inside and move out when one's available (which we saw a few people doing).
A shot of the terrace in the sunshine
So what's on the menu?
The kitchen takes a seasonal approach with a menu that changes regularly, although certain themes are kept. For example, there's always steak and market fish on offer, with a changing list on the board daily. Certain dishes like the curried scallop below have become signatures, but as for the rest of it, expect a selection of snacks, small plates and larger sharing dishes.
We worked our way through a fair bit of the menu and it's clear that there's great talent in the kitchen. Here's a taste of what we had:
Curried scallop (£9) - this has become a signature dish over the months and it's easy to see why with a light curried sauce complimenting the scallop perfectly. Some of the excellent Coombeshead bread is a must to pair with this dish.
Nectarine and speck (£4) - A bite-sized snack making the most of what's in season (and what's good to pair with it).
Peach, Provolone del Monaco, basil (£12) - another good example.
Aubergine, merquez and yoghurt (£14) - Aubergine baked with a merguez crumble on top is exactly the kind of dish we'd want to replicate at home.
Pork collar and pig skin ragu (£23) - pork with a rich sauce. perfectly cooked and a fantastic sauce, but maybe not something to have if you're aiming for the following too...
Hereford steak with smoked garlic butter, with various sizes available on the board. This was a superb steak and it's essential to pair with...
Chips (£6). We've been writing about London's best chips recently and think we're going to have to add these to the list. Incredibly crunchy and they've clearly been tossed before frying for that crumbly but crispy texture.
Flat beans and anchovy (£7) - A perfect summery side with that slick of anchovy rich sauce.
How about dessert?
If you've got this far, you'll have worked out just how good the kitchen is - so desserts are a must (although the Gouda with fennel honey sounded great too).
Baked custard, cherries (£9) - The custard is another staple on the menu, it seems, and if you're after something light you should go for this (and expect the fruits to change).
Choux, dulce de leche, prune (£9) - a triumphant dessert that we 100% don't regret having, particularly knowing we had that walk back ahead of us.
And there's a Sunday lunch?
Absolutely. The menu remains largely the same as the regular daily menu but with extra sharing dishes added. So you might find porchetta with pickled nectarine, lamb shoulder with mint sauce or spit-roast chicken with onion broth (all around £44-46 for two) while roast potatoes replace chips on the sides.
What about drinks?
There's a pretty strong cocktail list here, all at £12, with their takes on classic cocktails like an Enzoni (white grape, sapling gin, Campari, lemon) as well as a decent non-alcoholic showing like an alcohol-free Paloma. As for wines, there's a strong one-pager wine list starting at a very decent £29.50 for a Tapisserie Blanc IGP Pays d’Oc with around 10 wines under the £40 mark. If you're splashing out, it's the 2018 Barolo at £195 for you.
Forest road session IPA (£6.85) and a Gibson dry martini (£12)
Overall thoughts?
As we said at the beginning, we've had our eyes on The Waterman's Arms for a while now and honestly we should have visited earlier. It's a great place to spend a weekend lunch on the terrace, particularly on a day when the weather is good. The food here is very, very good. It's both the kind of menu any local would be thrilled to have, particularly as it changes so much, while also being well worthy of a trip across town. Friendly staff, a beautiful pub inside and out, and a great view if you're on the terrace. It's an strong recommendation from us.
More about The Waterman's Arms
Where is it? 375 Lonsdale Rd, London SW13 9PY
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @thewatermans.arms
Hot Dinners ate as guests of The Waterman's Arms. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
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