When it comes to staying in London, there are certain aspects where you don’t need to even consider leaving the comforts of your hotel to get the highest quality experiences – like their Indian Afternoon Tea London, for instance, or that you are set for a day of energised exploration after a Park Grand Kensington Breakfast. However, other things like wine or dining necessitate a bit more variety – no matter how much you love the Park Grand Restaurant Kensington (and trust us, you will love it). Here are London’s best wine bars.
Sager + Wilde Wine Bar
This upmarket, urban wine bar on Hackney Road, run by restaurateur and wine expert Michael Sager, has options both by the glass and by the bottle, with suitably delicious snacks as accompaniment. Pair your rich glass of red with a cold meat platter, or your crisp glass of white with a small plate of burrata with tomatoes and olives. The cheese is all from Borough Market’s Neal’s Yard Dairy, and the selection of wine on offer is quite remarkable. They are all about big flavours and great times, while still remaining quaint, quirky and bespoke with regards to each and every menu choice you find yourself making.
Address: 193 Hackney Rd, London E2 8JL
Vagabond
This wine bar can be found in a number of locations around London and is a real crowd-pleaser no matter which branch you pick, offering the kind of sophisticated ambience every wine-lover craves. Sit looking out the large glass windows, watching the world go by as you sip on a fruity rose selected by connoisseurs of the wine trade. Given the small, rustic size of the place, you would hardly expect them to be able to produce such a big wine list – and yet, they manage it with greatly admirable fervor. There are also private tasting rooms, making it a wonderful place to host an event or gather with friends. Your options are varied – you can sit and have one of 100s of by-the-glass wines, you can purchase a bottle to take home from the shop, or you can take in-store guided tours and learn about all the wines on offer. Top tip: if you head to the Battersea Power Station branch, you can see where Vagabond’s own Vagabond English Wine is made in the urban winery.
Address: 25 Charlotte St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 1RW
6a Sheldon Square, London W2 6EZ
18-22 Vanston Pl, Fulham, London SW6 1AX
18-22 Vanston Pl, Fulham, London SW6 1AX
Unit 17, 77 Buckingham Palace Rd, Westminster, London SW1W 0AJ
4 Northcote Rd, London SW11 1NT
25 Cabot Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4AQ
Bottles
Don’t be confused by the name – this is also more than suitable for those just looking for a glass of wine. There are two locations for Bottles, each as popular as the other, but with the Chelsea branch being closest to your spot at Park Grand Kensington Hotel London. Bottles nails the balance between delicious food and wine to go with it – don’t try pairing them yourself, but rather chat to the experts at hand who will make sure you get the perfect complementary combination of flavours. They are all about big, fresh platters and Italian fare, with breads made that day and meats sliced to order, and they maintain a zero waste policy to ensure you get only the best when stepping through their doors.
Address: 67 Brushfield St, Spitalfields, London E1 6AA
100 Draycott Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3AD
Le Beaujolais
There is no question about it: the French know a thing or two (or a hundred) about wine and food, which are the two specialities of Le Beaujolais. They self-identify as “a little piece of France in London”, and there is no denying that tucked away in the historically significant venue (which has remained in French ownership since the war) while sipping on a glass of Bordeaux and nibbling on some Camembert, you feel like you could be sat near the Riviera rather than The Thames. There are two floors – the basement is a members-only club, but the ground floor is a wine bar that is open to the public and is one of London’s oldest wine bars still thriving.
Address: 25 Litchfield St, London WC2H 9NJ
Dalla Terra Wine Bar & Restaurant
The Italians also know their way around a vineyard, so head to Dalla Terra in Covent Garden to enjoy regional wines, small-plates of Italian classics, takeaway bottles and deli produce in true enoteca style. The name “Dalle Terra” translates to “from the earth”, and this is true to the rustic, relaxed, wholesome atmosphere which permeates through every inch of the unique bar on a traffic-free courtyard in Covent Garden. Though Italian in heart (and culinary flavours), the wine list is not limited to only Italian wines and the selection is a hand-picked assembly of wines from Yarra Valley to Cape Town.
Address: 25 Slingsby Place The Yards, London WC2E 9AB
Antidote
This little French wine bar in Soho is the perfect antidote to any ailment – whether it is tired feet after a long day of sight-seeing, or a stressed head in need of a relaxing glass of wine in a charming environment. Cheeses and charcuterie are available all day from Monday to Saturday, which act as the ultimate partner to a tall glass of that sweet nectar. Their selection of 300 organic, biodynamic and natural wines from small independent growers make them stand out as one of the city’s finest wine hotspot.
Address: 12A Newburgh St, Soho, London W1F 7RR
London is certainly not home to only six wine bars – they pop up and multiply by the second, it sometimes seems. However, this selection of six are some of the best the city has to offer and well-worth a wine-lover’s time no matter the weather.
