Tampopo Wimbledon — Restaurant in London

If the review had a title it would be "An expensive Wagamama".

We visited this restaurant for a second time because the first time we went there it was excellent. So, the first time, in October 2023 shortly after the place had opened, everything was perfect. The food was excellent and cooked to perfection, service was good atmosphere too... So we though we'd go again and we visited yesterday (January 2024).

Unfortunately, within three months the place has gone massively downhill. For a start, there's no duck on the menu anymore. Upon enquiring about that, we were told that the restaurant was losing money on every duck plate that was going out... And that we can have duck on any Chinese restaurant but that's not what Tampopo offers... Well, seriously? The place has "Far Eastern Eating" on the name! That's literally what it says on the tin. But what it says on the tin, is not what you get. So, the duck has been removed from the menu and has been replaced by chicken. So... The value proposition of "far eastern eating" is not true anymore. You can have chicken anywhere. It's more like fusion now... Or eastern cooking on a budget for the restaurant but selling it at expensive prices. I've noticed on the pictures on Google that there are photographs of the old menu and the new menu... Tamarind duck was 15 and now tamarind chicken is 13... Beef rendang was 12 and now it is 13. Outrageous... That's in 3 months time... Give it some more time and it will be worse still and at even higher prices.

Anyway, moving on from that, the other difference was that the portions had shrunk significantly. My wife had ordered Thai Curry Noodles which was mainly soup with just a few noodles and a few slices of chicken. The beef rendang was described as having egg but in reality it had only half an egg and it was flavourless (the whole dish, not just the egg).

Service was below par this time. We had to chase a couple of times for drinks and when we were done with the main, we were not asked if we wanted dessert. Generally I'd say the service was not very attentive. And in the end, the "discretionary" service charge was in fact obligatory as it was automatically added in the final sum... For a service we didn't get much of mind you...

Would we go again? I'm not sure. It's an expensive Wagamama so, I'd rather go...

Been there twice first visit was with my mother and brother. Everything went well absolutely perfect.

Second visit was a large table. Went ok but not smoothly.

Positives: great vibe, polite staff, delicious food. The food is top tier. Recommend going for the small plates and just trying it all. Wish the sharing platter allowed you to make choices from the small plates. My wife and I ordered many small plates and two carbs (plain udon noodles and rice). Was delicious. Recommend sweetcorn fritters and roti.

The issue was there were two large hairs in one of my children's meals. As he is a child he just kept eating until he found the second hair and said “argh I keep finding hair”. I was so annoyed. They offered to replace it at no charge. Yet on the final bill we were still charged but the waiter had it removed. My other child’s meal was overall fine but had grated carrots on top. Not a good idea as children can be fussy. Stuff like that place on the side. My child didn’t want to eat it so my wife had to remove them.

Also felt the waiter was slightly overwhelmed by the table size and some assistance would have made it smoother.

Final issue was after the meal I fancied a coke and amaretto, they had none. Even a cheap tesco/lidl brand would have been fine. I think if you fancy a few drinks after your meal you may disappointment by the collection. Also found the cocktails underwhelming.

Overall recommend as the food, decor and vibe is amazing just disappointed by the hair in my child’s food. But if that is addressed and drinks menu is improved I will gladly visit again as they are well equipped for large parties and the food...

What a fantastic Friday evening at Tampopo in Wimbledon! We came as a group of six and caught happy hour—turns out that was the best decision of the night. The cocktails were nothing short of brilliant, especially the Japanese Old Fashioned made with Hibiki whisky. It was smooth, rich, and beautifully balanced with just the right hit of bitters and caramel. We polished off five rounds between us—and each one was as good as the last.

The bartender didn’t skimp either. The ladies in our group tried a variety of the punchier cocktails, and every one was full of flavour and generously poured. You could tell real care went into the drinks here, which isn’t always a given during happy hour.

As for the food—spot on. The mains were generous in portion and delivered bold, satisfying flavours. Tampopo’s menu takes inspiration from across Asia, and you can really taste the attention to detail. The curries were rich and aromatic, the dishes had great texture and seasoning, and everything arrived piping hot and well-presented. Perfect for a group, especially if you enjoy sharing dishes.

Service throughout was excellent—attentive, friendly, and paced just right. We never felt rushed, which gave us the chance to enjoy the evening properly.

All in all, Tampopo delivered on every front. Great drinks, great food, great atmosphere. It’s rare to find a place that gets all three right, but this one does—and with style. We’ll definitely be...