Wishing Well
2-4 Grove Lane SE5 8SY Tel: 0207 701 4944
The Wishing Well is something of a Camberwell secret. Lurking elegantly inside what is Seymour Bros cafe by day, and signposted only by an unassuming blackboard, this Thai restaurant is a real treat. Its wide range of tasty, homemade Thai food is served at candlelit tables over which you can sip your own wine (no charge for corkage) or partake of their jasmine tea that perfectly complements the subtle flavours and textures of their consistently excellent dishes. The vegetable tempura are crisp and hearty, and the pad thai main course transports you straight to Chiang Mai. With waiters that seem to genuinely care about ensuring you have a good experience, the service manages to be enthusiastic without being intrusive. The decor is shabby chic, and with a roaring open fire in winter, the restaurant has a cosy, personal ambience which makes you somehow feel as though you’re sitting in the owner’s front room. Camberwellians who have made the discovery feel surprised as the evening progresses and this unassuming restaurant gradually fills up with couples and groups of friends (particularly popular with the gays of Camberwell), all feeling as though they have discovered a hidden gem.
Food: 4
Service: 5
Ambience: 5
Gay-friendliness: 5
