In Wimbledon Village, where London loosens its grip and the air carries the gentle rhythm of somewhere just beyond the city, Orion arrives with quiet assurance.
The first restaurant from ‘MasterChef: The Professionals’ winner, Alex Webb, is built not around spectacle or trend, but around memory, generosity and the enduring pleasure of cooking that makes people feel at home.
Set among independent boutiques, cafés and long established local favourites, it feels immediately in tune with its surroundings, offering the kind of warmth and ease that encourages diners to settle in, slow down and let the evening unfold naturally.
The Man Behind the Constellation
Webb’s journey to Orion has been shaped by a classical and disciplined path through some of the most respected kitchens in Europe and London. His career began at The Savoy before he refined his craft at Michelin starred Restaurant Haerlin in Hamburg, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal.
He later worked alongside Michel Roux and Adam Handling, led the kitchen at Square 1 and stepped into the national spotlight as the winner of ‘MasterChef: The Professionals’. This breadth of experience brings precision and confidence to Orion, yet it is expressed here with restraint, warmth and a clear desire to cook not for accolades, but for people.
Written in the Stars
The restaurant takes its name from the constellation whose three stars form a guiding line across the night sky, a deeply personal tribute to Webb’s late father and his two grandfathers.
That sense of legacy shapes the entire space, where light woods, soft textures and a calm, understated palette create a dining room that feels quietly elegant rather than formally styled.
There is an ease to the atmosphere, the low hum of conversation, the gentle rhythm of service and the sense that this is a place designed for long lunches that drift into afternoon and dinners that linger long after the final course.
Opening Moves: Small Plates, Big Intentions
The menu is French inspired but grounded firmly in British produce and seasonality, with seafood leading the way and sharing at its heart.
The opening dishes balance delicacy and comfort. Cranberry and dill cured salmon feels bright and precise, while a whole baked scallop served in its shell with burnt chilli and miso butter brings warmth and depth. Webb’s now signature lobster and prawn toast with black sesame, lime and chilli captures the spirit of the kitchen perfectly, combining nostalgia, technical finesse and a playful sense of generosity.
These opening plates invite conversation and curiosity, encouraging the table to share, taste and compare, and reinforcing the sense that Orion is less about individual courses and more about the pleasure of eating together.
The Main Event
The larger dishes bring a deeper sense of comfort and quiet indulgence, where classical technique meets generous flavour and the focus shifts from curiosity to satisfaction.
Hispi cabbage wrapped cod arrives tender and delicate against the richness of a slow cooked white bean cassoulet, while Cornish monkfish, firm and almost buttery in texture, is lifted by earthy celeriac, coastal herbs and a warm tartare sauce that adds brightness without interrupting the dish’s calm balance.
For those drawn to something heartier, a beautifully judged fillet steak is paired with silky mushroom purée, wild garlic mushrooms and a deeply savoury roasted beef jus, the kind of plate that feels reassuringly timeless rather than showy.
Buttered new potatoes scented with mint or slow-cooked thyme potatoes finished with Parmesan bring the table together, and at its centre sits the daily-baked Dad’s bread with whipped chicken butter, a simple but deeply personal gesture that anchors the meal in the restaurant’s story and reminds diners that, here, the most meaningful luxury is care.
The Sweet Finish
Desserts at Orion are thoughtfully restrained, offering pleasure without excess, and it is the passion fruit parfait that quietly takes centre stage. Light yet silky, its bright tropical sharpness brings a refreshing lift to the end of the meal, striking that elusive balance between indulgence and clarity that great desserts achieve.
For those leaning towards something more nostalgic, there is also Alex’s playful take on a Twix, alongside warm cinnamon sugared doughnuts that arrive soft, comforting and quietly irresistible. It is a finish that feels generous but considered, leaving the table content, relaxed and just a little tempted to linger.
Something Good in the Glass
The wine list follows the same thoughtful philosophy as the kitchen, balancing Old and New World producers and evolving monthly to reflect both seasonality and discovery.
Bottles are chosen for their versatility at the table as much as their character. A discreet fine wine collection is available in limited quantities for those seeking something special, while Coravin allows exceptional bottles to be enjoyed by the glass.
Service moves with calm assurance, attentive but never intrusive, reinforcing the sense that Orion’s true ambition lies in consistency and care.
A Neighbourhood Restaurant, In the Best Possible Sense
Following a warmly received soft launch, Orion already feels woven into the fabric of Wimbledon life.
It is the kind of place where locals settle into familiar tables, where midweek dinners turn into celebrations and where visitors from further afield make the journey not for spectacle, but for the rare pleasure of a restaurant that balances polish with genuine ease and the comforting sense that it will be just as good the next time.
The Luxury of Warmth
In a dining landscape often driven by noise, novelty and fleeting attention, Orion offers something far more enduring.
Thoughtful sourcing, careful cooking, sincere hospitality and an atmosphere that values comfort as highly as craft come together to create a restaurant defined by emotional warmth.
Like the constellation that inspired it, Orion does not demand to be noticed. Instead, it becomes a steady and reassuring presence, quietly lighting its corner of Wimbledon Village and giving London diners something increasingly rare, a restaurant that feels, from the very first visit, like somewhere they will return to for years to come.
To discover more, visit Orion by Alex Webb
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All imagery courtesy of Orion by Alex Webb.