Alex Webb’s Star is Rising in Wimbledon Village with Orion
- James Massoud
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
In Wimbledon Village, a quietly confident new opening is drawing serious attention. Orion, the debut restaurant from MasterChef: The Professionals winner Alex Webb, brings French-inspired cooking and British seafood to the forefront, underpinned by Michelin-level pedigree, seasonality and a deeply personal narrative. It’s a restaurant that balances refinement with warmth, one that feels as much about people and place as it does about the plate.
The Knife pays a personal visit to find out more.
Guided by the stars
There’s something quietly poetic about Orion. Named after the constellation, its three stars represent Webb’s late father and two grandfathers – a tribute that grounds the restaurant in something far more meaningful than another chef-led opening. It’s a personal compass, guiding both the food and the feeling of the space.
That sense of purpose carries through immediately. This isn’t a restaurant trying to impress with theatrics; it’s one designed to welcome. A neighbourhood dining room where guests come to eat well, stay a little longer than planned, and return often. Following a soft launch that quickly built local buzz, Orion officially opened in January, already feeling like a natural fixture in Wimbledon Village.
Michelin roots, relaxed execution
Webb’s CV reads like a tour through some of Europe’s most respected kitchens: The Connaught; Dinner by Heston Blumenthal; and Restaurant Haerlin in Hamburg, before winning MasterChef: The Professionals in 2020.
That technical grounding is evident, but what’s more interesting is how lightly it’s worn. Orion doesn’t lean into fine dining formality; instead, it channels that precision into something more generous, more approachable. The cooking feels confident without ever being showy. It's classical technique applied with a modern, relaxed hand.
British seafood, French soul
At its core, Orion is a seafood-led restaurant, but not in a way that feels narrow or predictable. Webb’s menu moves fluidly between delicate, flavour-led small plates and more substantial, produce-driven mains.
Dishes like citrus and dill cured salmon or a pan-seared scallop in the shell (lifted with chilli butter and miso) set the tone early: clean, bold, quietly assured. His lobster and prawn toast, finished with black sesame, lime and chilli, has already emerged as a signature; it's rich, indulgent, and built for repeat orders.
Mains take a more grounded turn. Hispi cabbage-wrapped cod arrives with a white bean cassoulet that leans into comfort, while Cornish monkfish is paired with celeriac purée, sea herbs and a warm tartare sauce that feels both classic and refreshingly elevated.
Throughout, the thread is clear: British ingredients, handled with French sensibility, always anchored in seasonality and local sourcing. Suppliers like Badgers Garden and Sanford Orchard reinforce that connection to place.
A wine list with intent
The drinks offering mirrors the kitchen’s approach: thoughtful, flexible, and quietly ambitious. A curated mix of Old and New World wines sits alongside a rotating selection that evolves monthly, encouraging repeat visits.
There’s also a subtle confidence in offering fine wines by the glass via Coravin, alongside corkage for those bringing something special. Small details that speak to a restaurant designed with real diners in mind.
A neighbourhood restaurant with serious purpose
What makes Orion particularly compelling is its positioning. It’s not trying to be a destination restaurant in the traditional sense, yet it very quickly becomes one.
Instead, it occupies that rare space: a true neighbourhood restaurant with the calibre of something far more elevated. It’s warm without being casual, refined without being rigid, and ambitious without losing sight of why people go out to eat in the first place.
In a part of London not always associated with this level of cooking, Orion feels like a shift. A signal that serious food doesn’t need to sit in central London to matter. And if this is Webb’s opening chapter, it’s a strong one.
