Places to visit near the All Englands Lawn and Racquet Club

Wimbledon Common – 1,100 acres of open grassland and woods. Do as the locals do: walk and relax in the fresh air, perhaps with a picnic. Don’t miss the picturesque windmill with its museum at the northern end of the Common, there is a wonderful village fair in June or maybe rent a bicycle from Smith Brothers on Church Street.

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, Church Road – a must-see museum dedicated to the game that is forever synonymous with Wimbledon and an opportunity to have a guided tour of the home of British tennis, including the world famous Centre Court.

Wimbledon Theatre, The Broadway – a stunning Edwardian theatre with regular top quality productions.

Wimbledon Market, Plough Lane – shop where the locals shop and get bargains in clothing, fruit and vegetables. Open every Sunday.

Wimbledon Village – centred on the High Street, this is the heart of old Wimbledon and still retains some of its semi-rural charm. Wimbledon Village is a fantastic and quaint part of Wimbledon that is often overlooked in favour of the much busier high street. It’s the perfect place to browse boutique fashion and antique shops and enjoy a coffee at one of its many cafes or bars.

Cannizaro Park, a Grade II listed garden covering just under 34 acres is another delight should you wish to make a visit to another of Wimbledon’s more secret destinations. A labyrinth of paths and beautifully cared gardens make it a popular place for picnicking and enjoying a performance or two at it’s open stage venue. If you would like to stay the night, the Cannizaro House Hotel next door is wonderful, highly recommended!

Places to eat

If you’re looking to try typical British food, a good pub is the place for you (we recommend the Rose & Crown) and several recommended examples are listed in the next section. Of course there are other types of food – just follow the locals to Broadway Tandoori and Ahmed on Wimbledon Broadway where reliable Indian food (popular British pastime) is on offer. Also try Chutneys on Hartfield Road – the place to be for curries. If you like your food fiery, I recommend the Ganina Xacutti at Chutneys – a magnificent chicken curry. For Italian food try Alforno on Kings Road or Dolce Vita on The Broadway. The pizza at Alforno is particularly good. My favourite Wimbledon restaurant at the moment is Aya, a Lebanese restaurant on Merton Road with delicious, delicately spiced food and a lovely courtyard garden. Try their charcoal grilled meats and I guarantee you will go there again. The usual chain restaurants are represented too, with Est Est Est and Cafe Rouge on the High Street, The Gourmet Burger Kitchen on The Broadway and Nando’s on Russell Road being the best pick of the bunch.

Where to drink

Visit a traditional British pub and tuck into such hearty delights as sausages and mash and fish and chips, washed down with a pint glass of foaming ale. Try the Crooked Billet on Wimbledon Common; excellent food and beer from the local brewery. Dog & Fox in the High Street, Fox & Grapes on the Common and Rose & Crown in Wimbledon Village are all highly recommended for some good tipple. Of course if you are looking for a slightly more restrained affair then perhaps look into one of the many excellent bars. Bars in Britain are not quite the same as pubs; beer will be ever present, often imported bottle varieties, but you will also find cocktails, wine and tapas or bistro type food. Henry J Bean’s in The Broadway, Hemingway’s in the Village and All Bar One on Wimbledon Hill Road are all good. However, they don’t have the same athmosphere as a pub.