The SW19 restaurant on track for a Michelin star
Plus: Merton named as one of London's happiest boroughs
Good morning, Wimblers — I hope that everyone has had a lovely week. I caught the lurgy over the weekend. Horrendous. Let that be a reminder to me to keep up with the vitamin C…
This week we’re taking a look at one of SW19’s finest new restaurants: Merton Abbey Mills’ Black Radish. On a wet Tuesday lunchtime, I sat down with head chef and owner Toby Cartwright to talk about everything from finger limes to the importance of community in the restaurant scene. Scroll down to hear what he had to say.
We’ve also got your usual news snippets, a somewhat cheaper property of the week and some great recommendations for the week ahead to see you through this cold snap.
Happy reading!
This week’s Wimble sponsor ⛳️
Looking to try something new and exciting this year? Fancy improving on your swing without freezing your arms off outside in the cold? Well, look no further than Caddi Club at Wimbledon Quarter. Golf is easier (and often more fun) than you think! At Caddi, you can learn at your own place, get real feedback, play with friends and build up your confidence, one swing at a time. It’s got a fully stocked bar and a cracking food menu, so they’ve got you covered in the food and drinks department too.
News snippets 🗞
🏆 Merton has been named as one of London’s happiest boroughs. The research by Rightmove, reported in Time Out, involved tens of thousands of Brits from more than 200 parts of the country. Click on the image below to see Merton Council’s Instagram post about why they think our borough is just so fantastic.
🗳 A Merton Lib Dem councillor has resigned ahead of the local elections. The resignation of deputy leader of the opposition Jenifer Gould has changed representation in the Cannon Hill ward and has reduced the Lib Dem’s voting strength on the council. Gould’s resignation took place on Monday 5 January. She had served as councillor since her election in 2019 and said her family moving abroad was the reason for the decision. Merton Council confirmed that no by-election will be held, which means that the ward will be represented by Conservative councillors Nick McLean and Michael Paterson until Thursday 7 May, when local elections are taking place. Click here to read more about Gould’s resignation and what this means for Merton.
⚽️ Plans for a new sports hall at Morden Leisure Centre have been announced by the council, along with investments into sports facilities across the borough. The brand-new, multi-million-pound space is just one of Merton’s many proposed plans set to be agreed by the council’s cabinet, outlined in its new, pan-borough Playing Pitch Strategy. The strategy looks at how many facilities Merton has, how well they are used and how easy they are to access for key outdoor and indoor sports. Click here to read the full press release and learn about the other plans the council has proposed.
🏗 Plans for a new 1,250-seat concert hall in the heart of Wimbledon are said to be moving forward despite the recent death of its world-renowned architect, Frank Gehry. The Wimbledon Concert Hall Trust (WCHT) who, with the support of Merton council, are leading on the project, said that the new concert hall will make Wimbledon an “important international cultural destination” and confirmed that the proposals are still in progress despite Gehry’s death at the age of 96 last month. Click here to read more details.
📈 Mitcham has been listed as one of the best places to buy a property in London in 2026. The article, published by the Standard, points out that London’s property market has changed drastically over the past ten years: “Buyers cannot expect to rely on the sort of exponential house price growth that propelled previous generations up the property ladder — according to estate agent Savills’ latest forecasts.” However, there are exceptions to the rule, and Mitcham is one of them. According to the article, Mitcham “is leafy, its schools are excellent, and commuter links are fast.” Not only that, but its combination of value and convenience means that property prices are already on the rise — up 12% in the past year to an average of £450,000. The article does note, however, that the town centre is a little outdated and could do with some TLC. What do we think, Wimblers? Is Mitcham the place to be? Leave a comment below.
Property of the week 🏡
We tend to feature outrageously expensive properties that, while fun to nosey at, very few (if any) of us can afford. But this week I felt like we needed a change. That said, it’s still not “affordable” in the grand scheme of things; it’s just not millions of pounds. This two-bedroom apartment is only a stone’s throw from Putney Common and Southfields station. I’m particularly enamoured by those somewhat art deco windows. And who doesn’t love a little balcony for their morning coffee? But how much does it cost? At £500,000, it’s relatively affordable — at least, compared to some of the multi-million pound properties in SW19. Check out more photos here.
Welcome to the SW19 restaurant aiming for a Michelin star ⭐️
At 15, Toby Cartwright took on a two-week work experience placement at The Vineyard restaurant in Stockcross, Newbury. He never looked back. In 2018, 23-year-old Cartwright launched the first incarnation of Black Radish in Wimbledon Village. That venture closed in 2022, but Cartwright wasn’t finished. In October last year, Black Radish was born again in its new Merton Abbey Mills home. It’s a smaller venue — just 12 seats — but the soul is very much still there. On Tuesday in the pouring rain, I popped into Black Radish to talk with Toby about everything from Michelin stars and ever-evolving menus to finger limes and what makes a proper Sunday roast.
Let’s start with some background about you? How did you find your way into cooking, or, rather, how did cooking find you?
I was absolutely useless at school. It just wasn’t really for me. But I had this passion for cooking. I landed a two-week work placement at 15, and then John Campbell, who was head chef at the time, asked me to join when I turned 16. So that’s what I did. And then I moved around to a few different restaurants, worked under Ben Spalding for a bit, ran a pop-up in Brixton Market and got a taste for doing things on my own. In retrospect, I was quite young when I opened Black Radish in Wimbledon Village. Perhaps I could have worked under a few more people before starting that venture.
Black Radish in Wimbledon Village closed in 2022. What made you want to bring it back again, and why in Merton Abbey Mills?
I left the old restaurant and spent a year thinking that I would never do something like that again. But all the while I was telling myself that, I was also scanning the internet for new location sites — as you do when you’re not planning to open a restaurant! This one came up… and it just stuck in my head for days. It also felt like unfinished business. This is a 12-seater restaurant. I didn’t open it so that it could pay for a holiday to Barbados. I opened it because of the joy I get from cooking, creating a great product, improving that product and just making people happy. I suppose I chose a smaller site because I wanted a smaller project. We’ve got half the number of staff compared to the old venue. There are just three of us, including myself, and we do everything. I think I thought that half the size would mean half the work, but it hasn’t turned out that way [laughs].
This new site is great because all of our old regulars are only a taxi ride or a short walk away. And the regulars are really the backbone of this place at the moment. Our “top regular” has been in five times already, which is just amazing. It’s also interesting to see a different demographic here too. I think this part of SW19 is marginally younger. We get a lot of people coming in for date nights or for that first meal after the first baby has been born.
What inspires your food? Where have your influences come from?
The cuisine is French-British. It’s contemporary, but it’s rooted in tradition. Some of our combinations might sound a bit outlandish, but they’re not really. They still have a classic balance of acidity versus fat. They’re still recognisable classics with variations. In the old Black Radish, we had this dried mushroom ice cream. Once you added sugar to it, the flavour profile wasn’t dissimilar to caramel or coffee. We still get people coming in here and asking us when we’re putting the mushroom ice cream on the menu. It’s a good example of one of those dishes that sounds weird but actually has logic behind it.
The other driving force behind my cooking is produce. Well, produce and seasonality. Everything we do is based around the produce that we get. I have a few key suppliers, and the menu is designed around what they have available. For instance, there are two guys down in Cornwall, and I will WhatsApp them in the morning to see what fish they have and then come up with the menu from there: scallops, Cornish tuna, seabass. We’ve also got this amazing citrus foundation farm in Valencia. Right now, they’re sending us finger limes. Finger limes produce what I can only describe as lime caviar. They have these tiny juice-filled spheres with pips in them. The pips take an eternity to remove. So we’ve been putting the pulp of these finger limes through a scallop sauce at the moment. But if, say, the finger limes aren’t available one week, we’ll change that dish. I don’t think we’ve had a menu stay the same for more than four days.
Would you say local produce is the most important thing for a sustainable restaurant?
I’d actually say traceability is the most important. Where has that food come from? What’s the story behind it? It’s great if it comes from Northern England, but it’s also great if it comes from Northern France. What matters is that you know where it’s coming from, you know its journey and you know just how fresh it is.
You’ve also announced a monthly Sunday lunch club. Tell us a little bit about that.
I love cooking Sunday food, but, like a lot of people, I also enjoy having a Sunday off. But as a business, we absolutely need to be doing Sundays. So that’s when I had the idea to do a Sunday lunch once a month. We’re getting the best cut of beef you can possibly buy and just doing the whole thing properly. A real, proper Sunday roast — trimmings and all. It’s really more of a steak dinner than a Sunday roast.
How would you describe Black Radish’s mission for our readers who have never come across you before?
You know, I grew up in Putney… I live in Tooting now. Southwest London is my home — and Black Radish is part of that. It’s the people that keep us going. And all I can say is that we hope to give them the best experience that we can. They say that a full restaurant and happy customers are the end goal, and I think the people who say that are right. It would also be nice to pick up a few accolades along the way, but the accolades are just the cherry on top. It’s the people that keep coming back that make a place like this.
Black Radish is open for dinner from Wednesday – Saturday and for lunch on Saturdays. Keep your eyes peeled for their upcoming Sunday lunch clubs. Visit their website to make a booking and check out their Instagram if you’re a foodie and want to drool over some photos.
The Wimble’s to-do list
🌳 WNTA talk: Ending Unequal Access to Morden Hall Park: The Wimbledon National Trust Association lectures are held once a month on Saturday afternoons. This January, join Abi McNeil, general manager of Morden Hall Park, as she shared the park’s priorities: unending equal access and inspiring millions. Abi will take you behind the scenes to explore their work with communities, and children and young people, and provide an exciting update on the conservation projects shaping the future of Morden Hall Park. Tickets are £4 for members and £4.50 for non-members. Grab them here.
Where: Christchurch Hall, Cottenham Park Road, SW20 ORZ
When: Saturday 17 January, 3pm
🎭 Open House at the New Wimbledon Theatre: For one day only, the New Wimbledon Theatre is offering an exclusive opportunity to step inside, explore, participate, and experience the magic that makes New Wimbledon Theatre come alive. If you’re a thespian — or if you’re just curious about how the New Wimbledon Theatre works — this event is for you. Tickets can be bought here.
Where: New Wimbledon Theatre
When: Saturday 17 January, 10am
🥕 Wimbledon Village Farmers’ Market: The Village Farmers’ Market is one of Wimbledon’s weekly highlights. In fact, many restaurants use this market to source their produce — so you know you’re in good company. Get yourself along this weekend and pick up some groceries to cook a hearty meal for these cold January nights.
Where: Wimbledon Village
When: Sunday 18 January, 10am – 3pm
💌 Webinar: Supporting Children during Separation and Divorce: This webinar, led by Systemic Psychotherapist Dr Naomi Elton, will discuss positive ways to support and communicate with children during divorce and separation. She will share practical strategies to approach difficult conversations and respond to children’s emotional needs during this challenging time. The webinar will be aimed at parents, carers and professionals. This event is free, but book your spot here.
Where: Online
When: Thursday 22 January, 11am
💀 Hamlet at Polka Theatre: Following the success of Macbeth at Polka last year, Shakespeare in a Suitcase has returned with a new adaptation of Hamlet. I remember seeing a similar production at school when I was about eight, and it remains one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. For this run, two actors and one musician — armed with seven props and a suitcase — bring a bitesize retelling of Shakespeare’s family drama of revenge, justice and moral dilemmas to life in 60 minutes. This show is aimed at children aged 8–12; tickets can be bought here.
Where: Polka Theatre
When: Wednesday 28 – Friday 30 January
Question of the week 🔍
Last week, I asked which church was the oldest in Wimbledon. The answer: St Mary’s.
Q: In what year did the infamous Woolworths fire occur in Wimbledon?
You’re up to date 👋
Thank you for reading this week’s edition of The Wimble. I hope you get to some of those events that we’ve recommended, and please do check out The Black Radish when you have the chance. Other than that, have a great rest of the week and we’ll see you next time.
I have lived happily close to Mitcham Common for 25 years. Mitcham is a place of 2 parts, around the Common area towards Pollard Hill there are some very nice places to live, and the other side of the town centre is more busy and congested but overall it’s a friendly place. The town centre needs a bit of work but it’s gradually improving.
Would be interested to hear what people think about Mitcham as my son and his family are looking to buy a house. They have a three year old and a baby so schools are important