This Brentford newcomer offers a warm welcome, brilliant beer and a menu that will appeal to everyone. Vicky Smith reviews One Over the Ait, a British restaurant near Kew Bridge

When we visited One Over the Ait (a play on the old reference for having ‘one too many’, combined with a nod to the nearby islands, or ‘aits’, that sit in the Thames), it hadn’t even been open a week. That’s pretty early days, even for an establishment owned by pub stalwarts Fuller’s, but the warm welcome, good food and buzzing atmosphere suggested this impressive new riverside destination had settled into its Kew Bridge location very comfortably indeed.

Situated in the middle of a smart new development of flats and offices right on the edge of the Thames, patrons of One Over the Ait will be able to make the most of its waterside location in the summer months, however the stylish and cleverly-designed interior (that feels a lot cosier than one might expect for such a vast space) leant itself well to a warming weekday lunch, made even toastier by a couple of glasses of wine from
a pretty thorough list.

The menu features a stack of old favourites – fish and chips, burgers, steak pie – alongside the less standard pub choices of shellfish chowder, crispy duck cassoulet and butternut squash arancini. There are also platters on offer, and a good range of sandwiches at lunchtime. We shared a starter of London Porter smoked salmon, which was fab – the fish lightly smoked with a sweet tinge, refreshed by cubes of gin and tonic jelly and crème fraîche.

For mains, I went for the One Over the Ait sandwich, which was truly brilliant – outrageously juicy spice-rubbed pulled beef brisket topped with Caerphilly, sweet dill pickle and thousand island dressing. A true lunchtime treat. My companion’s burger paled in comparison somewhat, and could have done with a little less time on the grill, but the exemplary house chips made up for it.

A definite top lunch spot, and one to head for when the sun returns!

8 Kew Bridge Road, Brentford TW8 0FJ; 020 3581 5700; oneovertheiat.co.uk