Candle-lit Bistro Opens at Former Blades Site
Ruth's co-founder named new venue after his grandmother
Ruth's is on the junction of Lower Richmond Road and Rotherwood Road. Picture: Instagram
November 6, 2024
A new neighbourhood restaurant and bar has opened on the corner of Lower Richmond Road and Rotherwood Road, taking over the site previously occupied by Blades, the popular Italian restaurant which closed last November after 47 years in Putney.
Ruth’s, which had a soft launch over the Christmas period, is now fully open and accepting bookings for its dining room throughout January. The bar area operates on a walk-in basis, with the team strongly encouraging locals to drop in.
Ruth’s is the first joint project from founders Ed Baillieu and Callum Ross, who have worked together in restaurants around the world but have never before opened a venue of their own. Ed grew up locally and spent a decade living and cooking in New Zealand, where he and Callum first worked together. Callum, originally from New Zealand, was previously general manager at The Camberwell Arms and Forza Wine at the National Theatre. Ed’s career includes roles at Pitt Cue, Kitty Fisher’s, Sager & Wilde and The Pelican in Notting Hill, and he was most recently Executive Chef at The Hero in London.
The restaurant is named in honour of Ed’s grandmother, Ruth, whom he describes as an inspirational figure. Her guiding mantra — “Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it true?” — is one he says will shape the ethos of the new venue. “We want to be a really nice neighbourhood restaurant serving the sort of food we like to eat,” he said.
The menu at Ruth’s is bistro-style and built around seasonal British ingredients. Bar snacks include oysters, cocktail sausages and fried pickled mussels with curry mayonnaise. The main menu features a strong emphasis on chops, alongside freshly caught fish from British waters. The team promises a regularly changing and accessible wine list, with a particular nod to New Zealand producers. Among the bottles diners can expect are Man O’ War Island Blend from Waiheke Island, Maison Ventenac Tête en L’Air Chardonnay and the first release of Flor de Kotui, a collaboration led by winemaker Alex Craighead.
Cocktails include an enzoni and a cucumber and chilli margarita, and the restaurant has commissioned a bespoke lager from Cheltenham brewery Deya.
Ruth’s seats around 40 diners, with a candle-lit dining room available for reservations and a separate bar area reserved for walk-ins. The full menu is available throughout both spaces.
The new venue features a candle-lit dining room. Picture: Instagram
The restaurant is located at 94 Lower Richmond Road, London SW15 1LL.
Opening hours are from 5pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and from 12 noon Thursday to Sunday, with the last booking on Sundays at 4pm.
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