21 High Street,
Wimbledon Village,
London,
SW19 5DX
0871 971 3754
The ViewLondon Review
Giraffe’s comprehensive menu is perfect for the kids of Wimbledon.The VenueGiraffe is based in the plush and expensive Wimbledon Village, surrounded by busy bars and expensive restaurants that cater to the WAGs, tennis players and high-fliers. The restaurant is large and you can see into the kitchen at the back. If you’re looking for a quiet meal, arrive before 8pm when it’s generally less busy.
The AtmosphereWhat’s nice about Giraffe is that the chain really cares about the environment and is always donating to causes like Action Against Hunger from its profits, and in these days of the government battling obesity it’s always good to know that there’s a good range on the menu that promotes healthy eating. The music choice is international and it’s not blasting out or forcing you to strain to hear your fellow diners.
The FoodGiraffe is a good place to go for breakfast or lunch with the kids. The roomy benches mean you can fit in a pram and the menu includes scrambled eggs, beans on toast or sausage, egg and beans for the little ones.
For starters at lunch and dinner go for the asparagus in the zesty yakitori dressing - the tangy taste beats hollandaise sauce any day. Giraffe does burgers but in a more creative way, not just the usual, bog standard dry burger with a bit of garnish – these are huge and taste absolutely gorgeous. The herby chicken schnitzel burger has a mixture of cheese and mayonnaise that just melts in the mouth, and there’s not a gherkin in sight! The crispy goat’s cheese burger is enough of a meal in itself - if you’re thinking about ordering, forget a starter otherwise you won’t finish it.
To end, the Rocky Road ice cream sundae will remind you of a knickerbocker glory – it’s stuffed with marshmallows, vanilla and chocolate cake. If you want something to share the red cherry and apple crumble is worth the 15 minute wait for it to bake – it comes packed with fresh fruit.
The DrinkThe smoothies are worth the £3.25 and are great for kids rather than boring soft drinks. The Giddy Giraffe is a house speciality with papaya, fresh mint, banana, orange and lime juice. The cocktails are also generous, and the best in the house is the Mellow Yellow Mojito with Bacardi, fresh passion fruit, fresh mint, lime and soda. There’s a good range of whites and reds… the Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is delicious and for a good red try the Cabernet Sauvignon Wholeberry from South Africa. There are also some great beers including the Brooklyn lager which is worth a try.
The Last WordGiraffe is good for a family meal. It may not be the place for a date, but it’ll keep even the fussiest of kids happy and entertained.