Main image: The Thames Lido restaurant
Matt Siadatan is a passionate and dedicated fixture on the Reading restaurant scene. For nine years Matt was co-owner of the much-loved, and now sadly departed, Mya Lacarte in Caversham. Now he’s restaurant manager at the newly opened Thames Lido, a dining spot that has the potential to become just as well loved in town. In Matt’s own words: “I think over time the Thames Lido will be a very special place to visit.”
In this month’s my perfect Reading weekend, Matt shares his top dining spots in town, his favourite outdoor spaces, where he goes to shop for quality recipe ingredients and the things he loves doing at the weekend.
Food and drink
When I’m not working at the Lido I have to say I love dining at Coppa Club, in Sonning, because it’s fun, spacious and beautiful inside.
If I’m cooking at home, ideally, I’d hit the Farmer’s Market, delis and some artisan producers to pick up ingredients for the night. But I have to be honest, there’s nothing wrong with Aldi. And if I’m looking for a good glass of wine, I’ll go straight to my mother’s kitchen.
Heritage and culture
My favourite historical landmarks in Reading must be any of our old buildings, including the Thames Lido, because they all have a story. And everyone loves a story.
Things to do
I love the fact that Reading has a town centre, suburbs and countryside all within a four-mile radius.
In my neighbourhood of Emmer Green, I love the Bug’s Bottom woodland. It’s right outside my front door, has a dinosaur forest and a hill so steep that when you reach the summit you are in the clouds. That’s what my kids think anyway, and I tend to believe it too.
When I have a free weekend, The Lookout in Bracknell’s Swinley Forest is also superb. I take my son and there’s nothing better than cycling through a tall pine forest and building camps from the available branches and bracken.
The Thames Lido, Napier Road, Reading, RG1 8FR. View website.
