Wimbledon Common, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: The “very pleasant surroundings” of an “excellent dining room overlooking Cannizaro Park” are let down by the consistently disappointing meals and “don’t care” attitude of staff at this Hotel du Vin outfit. “Someone rescue it – it’s a waste of a fantastic space”.

“The dangers of overextending the brand are writ large at these places” – the sub-sub-brand derivatives from the Theatreland classic, which haven’t taken off like the slightly posher ‘Ivy Brasserie’ spin-offs (perhaps because “they do this better at Côte”). They are not without supporters, who say they have fab locations and “look great” (SW19 is particularly “delightful”); or that although “supper is terribly disappointing, for breakfast they are an absolute joy enhanced by the refined surroundings”. Too often, though, they are dismissed as a “so-so brasserie chain that’s only really aiming for gullible out-of-towners” nowadays.

A “buzzy” atmosphere and “welcoming service” are the strong suits of this “expanding group”, with 16 branches in London and another handful nearby. While nobody disputes that they’re “lovely to sit in” and offer “value for money”, the “Middle-Eastern-inspired cooking” divides opinion, with some reporters “pleasantly surprised by the tasty food” and others bemoaning “underwhelming” dishes that “sound better than they taste”.

2022 Review: “Good outdoor facilities” boost the appeal of this handsome period inn, near the edge of Wimbledon Village. Run by Youngs, the food receives the odd bum rep, but for the most part is recommended as being good for a pub.

“It’s good to have an independent option in Wimbledon village” and for the most part, this two year-old venture from the Gladwin family – their fifth shabby-chic London venue – is welcomed as “a decent venue in the culinary wasteland of the area”; and it espouses their ‘Wild & Local’ ethos, with “locally sourced and seasonally driven food”. Notwithstanding the odd unfavourable comparison with its predecessor The White Onion (RIP), its scores are reasonable across the board.

2023 Review: Formerly known as The Swan, this Wimbledon pub was extensively refurbed by the Metropolitan Pub Co, and reopened with a new name in March 2022. Too little feedback for a rating as yet, but one early-days visitor reported of “superior pub fare”.