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Summer wouldn’t be summer without one of the most historic and prestigious sporting events in the world – The Wimbledon Championships!

Taking place from the 1st until the 14th July, this wonderful and exciting event is steeped in tradition with a history dating back to the 1870s. 

Most of us are familiar with its iconic traditions but did you know that Wimbledon is the largest annual sporting catering operation in Europe?

The tennis club’s grounds have 7 areas in which to enjoy food and a choice of restaurants, cafes, food outlets and scenic picnic areas. Indeed, The All England Tennis Club itself states “Wimbledon isn’t just a celebration of tennis, it’s a celebration of great food and drink”.

So that’s what we’re going to take a look at right now!

Let’s start with the one food we associate most strongly with Wimbledon:

Strawberries and Cream (of course!)

That beautiful combination of strawberries and cream is said to have originated from the 1500s when Thomas Wolsey first served it at a banquet.

It’s been served at Wimbledon since 1877.

The plump and sweet WImbledon strawberries are grown on a Kent farm, a family business since 1893, and are handpicked, delivered and inspected on each morning of the Championships.

Did you know 23 tons of strawberries are devoured each year at Wimbledon (along with 445kg of rasberries)? That’s more than 140,000 punnets!

And, another happy fact – the price of a Wimbledon portion of strawberries and cream hasn’t changed since 2010, according to the official caterers!

Pimms

Pimm’s Cup, that delicious fruity, summery, gin-based drink, was first served at Wimbledon in 1971.

It was created by James Pimm at the Oyster Bar in London and quickly became popular especially within high society.

Pimms and Wimbledon go hand-in-hand, you can’t imagine being there without a glass of this British summer classic! Last year around 150,000 glasses of it were served (who doesn’t crave Pimms when the sun’s out?).

Champagne

17,000 bottles of champagne are enjoyed at Wimbledon (we love a statistic!).

One of the oldest Champagne Houses in the world dating back to 1760, Champagne Lanson, has been the official supplier of champagne to Wimbledon since 1977 and is regarded as part of ‘the Wimbledon experience’.

Fish and Chips

30,000 portions of fish and chips are enjoyed each year at Wimbledon!

How British can you get?!

Sandwiches

Afternoon tea is popular at Wimbledon – it would be wouldn’t it?

A variety of deliciously fresh sandwiches are available - in fact around 190,000 sandwiches were consumed last year at the cafes or as part of a picnic.

Picnics

Picnicking on ‘The Hill’ whilst watching the tennis is a very popular way of dining during the Championships. Splendid ready-made picnics for two can be ordered in advance or take one of our gourmet picnic hampers and enjoy a hassle free dining experience.

Our Picnic Recommendations

• Scones: Hot or cold, with jam and/or clotted cream from Cornwall. Enjoy in the various restaurants or as part of your picnic.
• Eton Mess: You’ll find this British dessert being enjoyed at Wimbledon.  Some say it was created to serve at an annual cricket match at Eton College during the late 1800s. The ‘mess’ is a reference to the way the delicious ingredients are basically thrown together but don't let its apperance fool you - it's truly a treat!
• Ice cream: Refreshing and tasty ice cream is an essential for a sunny July afternoon.
• World dishes: International dishes are also enjoyed such as spiced Texan bbq cauliflower bites, sushi and sausages.

Whether you’re heading to SW19 this year or watching from home, we have a wide range of hampers ready and waiting for you to enjoy.

Afternoon tea hampers, cream tea hampers, Pimms hampers, Champagne hampers, and more. Packed with top quality sweet and savoury treats, can you think of a better way to celebrate good food and tennis?!

What a wonderful combination!