Lets Discover · Wimbledon
Best Restaurants, Bars and Things to Do in Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a large south-west London neighbourhood with two distinct characters: Wimbledon Village on the hill, a well-preserved cluster of independent restaurants, pubs and cafes around the High Street and Church Road that serves an affluent residential population; and Wimbledon town centre around the station, which has a more commercial character with a mix of chain and independent restaurants serving the commuting and shopping population. The neighbourhood is globally associated with the All England Lawn Tennis Club and the annual championships, but its food and drink scene operates year-round and at its best in the quieter months when the village restaurants are serving local regulars rather than tournament visitors. Wimbledon Common, at 460 acres one of the larger open spaces in south London, connects the village and town and provides its own walking and eating culture. Creators on Lets Discover have recommended venues across Wimbledon covering restaurants, pubs, cafes and cultural landmarks.
Creator picks in Wimbledon
Verified recommendations from Lets Discover creators
- 1Tampopo Wimbledon
Recommended by Ana Sheppard · @tampopo_uk is a good shout if you're after great value pan-Asian food in a relaxed setting in Central London. The kid…
- 2Wimbledon Quarter
Recommended by kirstyjarvie · Channelling our inner Rory McIlroy this Easter bank holiday at The Golf Groove?#adinvite ?? @thegolfgroove, @wimbledonq…
- 3Centre Court | Wimbledon
Recommended by knightsbridge_ldn · Game. Set. Match. ?? Whether you�re heading for Centre Court or just wanting a taste of the action, we�ve discovered al…
- 4Wimbledon
Recommended by bowlofchalk · What's in a name? Wimbledon. #london #whatsinaname #whatsinaname? #wimbledon #southlondon #swlondon #tennis #wimbledont…
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- 6Tina's Tea
Recommended by samaspeaks_ · * I meant early May bank holiday 🫣 We're taking advantage of this three day weekend by experiencing the world (honestl…
- 7DropShot Coffee Wimbledon
Recommended by kirstyjarvie · Ace your brunch at Dropshot Coffee ?? @dropshotcoffeeldn ?? Leopold Road, Wimbledon Dropshot Coffee, inspired by local…
- 8Milk No Milk
Recommended by kirstyjarvie · Veggie brunch that actually hits the spot (as a meat eater) ?? @milk.nomilk ?? 281 Kingston Road, SW A cosy, independ…
- 9Southside House
Recommended by sebhardinglondon · Built in the 17th century, bombed in the 20th and finally sold in the 21st. This is Southside House, which sits on the …
- 10The Priory Church of England Primary School
Recommended by hauntedhistoryhugh · Took a trip to see the Banksys of @thepriorychurch a couple days back. Graffiti through the ages! Also got the opportu…
About Wimbledon
Wimbledon Village works best in the months when the tennis is not on. From September through to May, the High Street and the streets running off it are a genuinely pleasant place to eat and drink, with independent restaurants, wine bars and gastropubs serving the local population that has chosen to live here partly because of the quality of the neighbourhood's food and drink offer. The village has a compact and walkable character that makes it easy to move between places, and the proximity of the Common gives a walk or a run a natural beginning and end.
The town centre around Wimbledon station is a different proposition — more convenience than destination, though there are individual restaurants worth knowing in among the chains. The area has improved significantly in recent years as the population has grown and demand for quality independent food has increased. The streets immediately around the station and running toward Wimbledon Broadway have the most options.
Lets Discover creators who cover Wimbledon know the distinction between the village and the town and recommend accordingly. Their picks tend to be concentrated in the village but also include the spots in the town centre that stand out from the surrounding average.
Wimbledon Village High Street is the natural starting point, with a concentration of independent restaurants, wine bars, gastropubs and cafes running the length of the street and into the surrounding lanes. Wimbledon Hill Road, descending from the village toward the town, has its own cluster of neighbourhood restaurants and cafes that are worth knowing. The Dog and Fox and the Hand in Hand are among the better gastropubs in this part of south London and anchor the village's pub culture. Wimbledon town centre around the Broadway and the streets between the station and the Centre Court shopping mall has a more varied and mixed quality, but individual standout restaurants have established themselves in the area. Wimbledon Common itself has the Windmill Cafe near the windmill and the Fox and Grapes on Camp Road, both of which have a strong local following for weekend brunch and lunch.
History and culture in Wimbledon
Wimbledon's place in global culture is defined entirely by lawn tennis, but the neighbourhood's history extends considerably further back. The area was settled in the Saxon period, and Wimbledon Manor was a significant estate in the medieval period. The common has been common land since at least the 12th century, and the Iron Age earthwork known as Caesar's Camp on its southern edge suggests settlement in the area from much earlier. The Wimbledon Championships began in 1877 when the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club staged the first lawn tennis tournament on its grounds at Worple Road, then moved to the current Church Road ground in 1922. The transition from a local event to the world's most prestigious tennis tournament happened gradually through the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Wimbledon Village's current character as an affluent, independent neighbourhood was largely established in the Victorian period, when the railway connection to London made it viable as a commuter suburb for the prosperous middle class, and the quality of housing and public spaces built in that era is still largely intact.
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