Tower House in Richmond is so beautiful that I’m sure it would hardly matter to most punters whether its food is groundbreaking or not. It spans two floors inside an oh-so-grand converted Victorian clock tower on the Thames, right on the edge of Richmond Bridge. We’re here on an early October evening, so the sun has gone down long before we can appreciate the leafy views over the Thames. But in the summer, the 100-capacity outdoor terrace and those views are surely Tower House’s pièce de résistance.
It’s the latest venue from alum Theo Hill, and has been welcoming diners since November 2025. Upstairs, the vibe is sultry and hushed, with only a few occupied tables. Probably because it’s a drizzly school night, we theorise. Downstairs, though, Tower House is teeming. In fact, it’s full. Well-to-do couples and giggling groups of girlfriends relax into cushioned brass chairs while waiters carry dishes from the open kitchen, ducking under hanging lanterns, slaloming around trees that twist out of the terracotta tiled floor, and setting plates down on tables with unwavering enthusiasm.
Once we’re sat, it becomes clear that the Gold team has stuck to what they know. The dinner menu at Tower House comes wax sealed and is chopped and changed daily according to what’s in season following its Notting Hill counterpart’s tried-and-tested formula of Mediterranean dishes: raw, cheese and charcuterie, salads, vegetables and large plates. It’s also very long. Upon tearing into the envelope, we count 32 plates to choose from. As our evening goes on, that proves to be a few too many dishes for every single one to be totally mastered.
The outdoor terrace and Thames views are Tower House’s pièce de résistance
Our servers recommend around five or six between two people, and we dutifully follow their instructions. Sea bass carpaccio arrives delicate and practically luminescent in a sharp, shallow pool of green verjus and rounds of grape and jalapeno. An oval hunk of aubergine is as it should be – soft, sweet and butter-like – underneath a burgundy sheath of tomatoes and a glob of tsalafouti that we decide is a tad too generous. Chargrilled squid is enjoyably plump and smoky, and flawless slow-braised short rib slides off the bone with ease. The sheep’s ricotta ravioli is less of a hit, with a little too much bite around the edges for it to pass as al dente. The night’s showstopper, though, is a mountainous hispi cabbage. It couldn’t be a more perfect vessel for the garlic and anchovy-infused bagna cauda, which drips luxuriously off every blistered leaf.
Dessert is a simpler negotiation than our main course. Out of five options, we opt to share a slice of basque cheesecake and a serving of the chocolate mousse with olive oil and sea salt. The former is a little dry but the latter is a deep, dark and decadent delight.
When it comes to the menu, it’s a shame that Tower House has played things as safe as it has. But if there’s one thing I can say with certainty, it’s that fans of Gold will leave feeling more than satisfied.
The vibe A crowd-pleasing, glamorous riverside spot.
The food Mediterranean sharing plates giving equal love to veg, fish and meats.
The drink Slick, creative cocktails and a stacked lineup of wines.
Get a seat downstairs if you can – the atmosphere there is far more relaxed than at street level.