Restaurants in Southwark/ Waterloo (London)

Riviera

This Mediterranean brasserie, sister restaurant to the Gourmet Pizza Company opposite, enchants with enjoyable food and stunning views. The light wooden floors and spaced out tables lend a relaxed ambience to the airy restaurant, and frontage windows giving a 180-degree view of the Thames will soothe any city stress. The food here is simple and tasty, from the Penne with Feta, Black Olives and Sun Dried Tomatoes to Char Grilled Polenta and Roasted Sea Bass. Soups, salads, pizzas, grills and the like also feature on the menu. A beautiful spot in the summer when the doors open and the breeze passes through, but also a casually romantic venue when the lights of the South Bank are lit.

Pont de la Tour

This is a terribly slick venue where things should be perfect - and they nearly are at Conran's most expensive and most grown-up venue. At lunchtime there is a prix fixe option and dinner offers an extensive a la carte menu with mostly French/Modern European and atypically (for a Conran establishment) non-trendy options. The wine list is impressively extensive. The bar and grill is an excellent, cheaper option, offering caviar and oysters as well as the usual steaks.

The Beehive

The Beehive is a welcome addition to this neck of the woods as Walworth is not known for its quality eateries. From the outside, The Beehive's a run-of-the-mill pub, but venture inside, and you'll find yourself in surroundings rather more akin to a rustic bar/bistro. Service comes with a smile and the smartly-dressed waiting staff are friendly and efficient. The food is a mixture of fairly typical pub grub scampi and chips, a variety of burgers and the like but the vegetarian selection is definitely above average. With drinks at pub prices, it's good value all round.

Studio Six

Studio Six is easy to spot, with its bright blue exterior and large al fresco area. It has a light and simple interior which works well, and is known for being a haunt of the stage and TV crews from the riverside studios where Chris Evans used to film his TFI Friday show. The restaurant serves a selection of good, reasonably-priced modern European food, and stocks the standard selection of wines, beers, cocktails and spirits. The music is mainly jazz, soul and disco and the atmosphere is laid-back, informal and friendly.

Cubana

Cubana is one of London's better examples. A cool place to come for a drink or a bite to eat, there's Cuban bits and bobs, including a huge portrait of the bearded one himself and original Communist party electoral advertisements, all over the place. The rest of the décor is quite simple and pleasant, with a few battered wooden tables available, but you'll need to order some food to secure one. If you don't fancy a full-on meal, the super-tasty chargrilled sweet potatoes or black beans in tomato salsa come highly recommended and are only a few quid each. Drinks on offer include Cuban specialities such as mojitos (delicious crushed mint, rum and lemon cocktails) and Hatuey beer, as well as the usual suspects. The atmosphere is relaxed yet vibrant and the clientèle consists largely of friendly arty or professional types in their mid-twenties and thirties.

The Anchor Bankside

Within an easy stroll of The Globe Theatre and next to London Bridge, this pub has a great view out over the Thames and is attractively decorated throughout. Popular with theatre-goers, the British pub food here is highly recommended, although you may have to queue for your meal during the hour prior to a performance at The Globe Theatre. There are some real ales on offer in this cosy hostelry and, due to its prime riverside location, its also popular with visitors to the capital. Why not come and relax for a few hours in the beer garden, or play one of the numerous board games available at the bar.

Tate Modern Cafe 2

The Tate Modern Cafe is a welcomed addition to the South Bank and you don't have to wrestle with coach loads of Rothko enthusiasts to enjoy it. Entrance to the gallery is free, so anyone can dine here if they so wish. Dishes tend to be of the modern European variety, ranging from the retro (haddock, chips and mushy peas) to the sublime (leg of lamb steak with creamed polenta, plum tomatoes and black olives for under a tenner). Also on offer are plenty of lunch-time sandwiches, affordable wines, heavenly desserts and, for the health-conscious, salads and seafood.

Fire Station

This is an imaginative renovation of an old fire station into a lofty, spacious bar. Although devoid of poles, extinguishers, hoses and the like, the Fire Station has maintained its vibrant red and white tiled walls. The ambience is subsequently modern and cheery and always proves to be the perfect antidote against London's typical gloom and drizzle. It is split into two areas. In one, you can sit at one of the thick pine tables and drink some good ales, including Fire Station's Bitter by the pint. In the other you can enjoy their delicious, well-presented food such as warm duck salad, mussels with basil and fries or Fire Station fish cakes.

Archduke

Nestled beneath a Victorian railway arch, The Archduke is a brightly colored haven of exposed bricks, hanging foliage and spiraling stairs. The smooth live jazz and the ramble of overhead trains provide the perfect urban soundtrack for this South Bank hot spot that is becoming as well known for its gastronomic offerings as it is for its groovy ambiance and convenient location. Liz Philips famously started her business 20 years ago, after getting fed up with being crushed by herds of luvvies during show intervals at the Royal Festival Hall next door. Now, she caters for the over-spill as well as regular patrons. The modern British food is excellent and reasonably priced.

Blue Print Cafe

Conran's oldest restaurant has the best views of all his gastrodomes. Gaze at Tower Bridge as you order Mediterranean delights. Booking a table near the terrace window gives a dazzling view of London by night. Everything on a daily changing menu; from fabulous salads to risotto, fish, calves' liver and game is Conran-perfect, but still a bit overpriced for the casual setting. Portions are average in size, so you'll still have room for a delicious crême brulée. Dinner is always a la carte, but at lunch the three-course set menu is the best option.

Bengal Clipper

This fine Indian restaurant within the Butler's Wharf development, close to Tower Bridge, has been a recipient of AA Rosettes for three consecutive years for Best Indian Restaurant. Situated in a former warehouse, Bengal Clipper is not your neighbourhood curry house - its high ceilings, iron pillars, and paintings mark it out as being one of the newer upmarket restaurants next to the Thames. Its proximity to the City makes it very popular at lunchtime with corporate types, but evenings are given over to a 20 to 30 something media and arts crowd. Fish and seafood continue to be the jewel in the Bengal Clipper's turban. The kitchen specialises in Goan and Bengal dishes, such as Sathkari Gosht (lamb cooked in wild lemon juice).

Loft

The Tate Modern has signaled a market for trendy restaurants on the south side of the Thames, and many are joining the original stalwarts like the Oxo Tower Restaurant and Le Pont de la Tour. Among these is The Loft, which is located in the Mercure Hotel, but has managed to distance itself from the trap of serving only the hotels guests. It offers the ubiquitous Mod British/global fare, but flavors are fresh and realization commendable. Dishes have been inspired by global flavors, and include hints of French (Confit Terrine of Rabbit), Mediterranean (Seared Tuna with eggplant and Chinese leaves) and Italian (Plantain Ravioli with Parmesan, sage and chestnut) cuisine. The wine list is similarly diverse and is reasonably priced.