Saturday 14 November 2026
The Savoy has one of the finest positions of any hotel in London, standing between the Strand and the Thames with views across Victoria Embankment Gardens to the river. That view inspired Claude Monet and James McNeill Whistler, and today the best way to enjoy it over a meal is at The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay, the hotel’s river-facing dining room. Behind it lies more than a century of history, from Escoffier to a royal first appearance. Here are five things to know about riverside dining at The Savoy.
1. The River Restaurant Is the Savoy’s Room With a View
The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay describes itself as a classic yet relaxed all-day dining room in the heart of The Savoy, with panoramic views across the River Thames and Victoria Embankment Gardens. Its light, polished interior was designed by Russell Sage, the same designer behind the hotel’s Art Deco Savoy Grill. The menu specialises in top-quality fish and shellfish from UK waters, and the Michelin Guide recommends sitting at the seafood counter if you’re after caviar, oysters or ceviche. The kitchen is led by executive chef Matt Worswick, and the menu is shaped by the seasons and the tides. For the best of the view, ask for a table by the windows when you book.
2. Over a Century of Dining by the River
The river side of The Savoy has been feeding Londoners for well over a century. The River Room traded under that name from 1890 to 2013, the era when the legendary chef Auguste Escoffier joined The Savoy’s kitchens and helped make the hotel famous for its food. In 2013 the space was relaunched as Kaspar’s Seafood Bar and Grill, named after Kaspar, the Savoy’s famous black cat sculpture from 1926, who is placed at tables of 13 to ward off bad luck. In autumn 2021, Gordon Ramsay’s team brought back the original river name. Today’s River Restaurant keeps a nod to that heritage, with seafood still very much at the heart of the menu.
3. Breakfast, Sunday Roast and a Champagne Trolley
You don’t need to wait for dinner to enjoy the river view. The River Restaurant serves breakfast every morning, with Savoy classics such as the Omelette Arnold Bennett and grilled kippers, before lunch and dinner service begins at midday. On Sundays, the roast features 28-day dry-aged Aberdeen Angus beef from a butcher just across the Thames, served with all the trimmings from £42 per person. For a touch of theatre, a Champagne trolley brings Perrier-Jouët to the table, where sommeliers uncork it for you, and a glass of Perrier-Jouët Blanc de Blancs comes with three complimentary Maldon oysters. Diners eating from the à la carte menu after 7.30pm can also enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbles for up to seven people.
4. Christmas and New Year’s Eve by the Thames
With the festive season approaching, bookings are now open for the River Restaurant’s three-course Christmas prix-fixe menu, which features new festive dishes. For the ultimate way to see in 2027, the restaurant is hosting a seven-course New Year’s Eve dinner at £295 per person, with Oscietra caviar, dressed oysters and a Salmon Wellington wrapped in lobster and scallop mousse. Dining by the river as the city celebrates would make for a truly memorable night. If you’re after something more casual, the hotel’s all-day restaurant, Gallery, sits in the former Thames Foyer under its glass dome and still serves The Savoy’s famous afternoon tea. You walk through it on the way to the River Restaurant.
5. The River Room’s Royal Secret
Above the restaurant on the mezzanine is the River Room, originally The Savoy’s river-facing reception area and part of its banqueting suite since the early 20th century. This double-height space looks over Embankment Gardens towards the Thames and holds up to 300 guests for receptions, making it a spectacular spot for a Christmas party or private celebration. It has a remarkable history too. In 1946, the Royal Family gathered in public for the first time since the war at a wedding reception here, and press photographs showed the then-Princess Elizabeth with her future husband, Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, the first time the pair were seen together in public. In 1957, Marilyn Monroe made her first official appearance before British press photographers in the same room.
Book
The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay, The Savoy, Strand, London WC2R 0EZ
Breakfast: Monday to Friday 7am–10.30am, Saturday and Sunday 7.30am–10.30am
Lunch and dinner: Monday to Saturday 12pm–midnight, Sunday 12pm–11pm (last bookings one hour before closing)
Sunday roast: from £42 per person
New Year’s Eve: seven courses, £295 per person
Nearest Tube: Embankment, Charing Cross or Temple