The story
The Waterman's Arms, London, serves Modern British food at 375 Lonsdale Road in Barnes, with views across the River Thames. The Michelin Guide lists it as Recommended for 2026.
Sam Andrews leads the kitchen, bringing experience from the Camberwell Arms and Ducksoup in Soho. The menu is short and changes with the season, and daily specials are chalked on a board, such as market fish with saffron. The Good Food Guide describes the cooking as direct, drawing out strong flavour with little fuss.
Dishes reviewed include confit pork with white onion on toast, gurnard with kohlrabi, coriander and yoghurt, and duck breast with Provençal onions, olives and blood orange. Sunday brings roasts alongside the regular menu.
Exposed brick walls, wooden benches with claret velvet cushions and candlelight set the tone. Tables overlook the river, and a balcony has six tables for two, offered first come, first served.
The wine list starts at £28.50, with draught beers, bottled options and cocktails chosen with the same care. Desserts on the current menu include chocolate mousse with poached pear and Langres with spelt digestives, a pairing close to the cheese course the Good Food Guide praised.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
At a time when so many pubs are closing down, it's heart-warming to see the revival of this riverside hostelry. The revamped Waterman's Arms now sets out its stall as a neighbourhood pub-cum-restaurant where exposed brick walls, wooden benches softened by claret-coloured velvet cushions, candlelight and views of the Thames across the way make it the perfect spot to unwind. When we called in, a bluesy soundtrack added to the mood, making it so cosy that we were reluctant to leave. Eager young staff also gave the impression that they just wanted us to hang around and have a good time. The kitchen is headed by Sam Andrews (ex-Camberwell Arms and Soho's Ducksoup), who has created a concise seasonal menu with daily specials chalked up on a board – market fish with saffron, for example. The cooking is direct, with few excesses, and the kitchen teases out maximum flavour with the minimum of fuss – as seen in our starter of gutsy, satisfying confit pork with white onion on toast. Mains are equally impressive, from big flakes of gurnard tangled with kohlrabi, coriander and a dash of yoghurt to juicy duck breast served with Provençal onions, olives and a blood-orange segment. After that, a wedge of mature Comté, accompanied by prunes and spelt digestives, paved the way for a pleasing sweet finale involving poached pear with dark chocolate and crème anglaise. Weekday lunches on Thursdays and Fridays are great value, and Sunday brings a choice of roasts in addition to the usual repertoire. Like everything here, the choice of beers, cocktails and the diverse wines (from £28.50) has been put together with care.
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