Way up on leafy Wimbledon’s windy heights, The Lighthouse caters to the good burghers of Wimbledon with friendly service, a sensible wine list and an international menu.

The Venue
In terms of decor The Lighthouse is less than inspired, its Ikea furniture and loud canvases calling to mind a mid-Nineties pizza restaurant; but the nice long open bar and kitchen give it a friendly, brasserie feel.

There’s a striking arboreal area at the back and there may be something to be said for eschewing the avant-garde when your custom comes from loyal locals rather than from hard won passing trade.

The Atmosphere
As you’d expect, eating at The Lighthouse is a relaxed experience, with a mixture of post-work diners, neighbourhood mums, friends catching up on gossip and local businessmen. The service is welcoming and knowledgeable, and there’s no pressure to leave.

The Food
The Lighthouse is definitely from the more is more school, with each ingredient lovingly detailed, making each dish seem a lot more complicated than it needs to be. In actual fact, what you get is pleasingly uncomplicated, hearty food, well cooked, well presented and not a million miles from what you might expect from a very good gastropub.

The selection of dishes may be a little schizophrenic, stretching the concept of fusion a little further than one might expect, but what The Lighthouse loses in coherence it no doubt gains in having most bases covered.

The Last Word
You’d have to be offering something pretty spectacular to persuade most Londoners to head this far south of the river for their dinner, especially if you’re nowhere near a major transport hub. The Lighthouse, though, isn’t aiming to be a destination restaurant, and as long as SW19 is happy, that’s all that really counts.

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