Whether you like your wines from small, lesser-known producers or you’re partial to organic or biodynamic wines, this is our guide to the best wine bars in London.
The idea of a traditional wine bar has, thankfully, changed for the better over a recent years and London is now brimming with cool bars specialising in small producers, biodynamic or organic wines, and pairing each glass with good quality food.
Read on for our guide to the best wine bars in London.
Clarette, Marylebone
Alexandra Petit-Mentzelopoulos, daughter of the Château Margaux family, launch Clarette in a gorgeous renovated pub on Blandford Street in Marylebone.
There’s a wine bar downstairs with a more traditional bistro upstairs, alongside a French heavy wine list with a chance to try some exceptional wines.
Cabotte, The City
Cabotte is an intimate, cosy yet elegant restaurant serving classic French cuisine alongside a large collection of fine wines from Burgundy and beyond.
The food is indulgent, the atmosphere convivial, and the wine list – curated by the restaurant founder and master sommeliers, Xavier Rousset and Gearoid Devaney – is exciting.
Where’s Fred’s, The City
Where’s Fred’s, a day-to-night café and wine bar serving specialty coffee, low-intervention wines, brunch and a Mediterranean-inspired evening menu has opened just next to Bank station in The City.
For brunch, try the pan con tomate with fried eggs, truffle egg croissant and Fred’s Loaded Banana Bread.
Sandwiches are available for lunch and a selection of charcuterie and cheese boards for dinner. More details here.
The Remedy, Fitzrovia
The Remedy is a convivial and cosy neighbourhood wine bar, just a few minutes from Great Portland Street.
Inspired by the traditional enotecas of Spain and Italy, The Remedy features an excellent wine list and a short European menu of charcuterie, cheese and Oysters.
The wines here are sourced from small independent producers and range from old world classics to up and coming young producers.
The Mulwray
Tucked above The Blue Posts in Soho, The Mulwray is a wine bar specialising in natural wines.
Wine Director, Honey Spencer, has selected and curated the wine list and focuses on interesting niche varieties from new and exciting regions and less known grower,
The list is split into different wine styles, that changes to reflect the seasons, including cool climate whites, silky reds, and a few wild card options for the more adventurous.
Try ‘The Mulwray Sundowners’, which offers a choice of three glasses of wine from a carefully curated list of rosés, oranges and light reds for £15 per person.
Porte Noire, King’s Cross
Porte Noire is a wine bar and wine shop founded by actor Idris Elba and David Farber, founder of Connaught Wine Cellars.
Located in the Coal Drops Yard development in King’s Cross, the dining room and bar seat up to 70 guests, with extra space for walk-ins.
The wine bar has over 800 wine bins as well as one of the largest fine wine rooms in London.
The menu at Porte Noire offers a selection of small plates to share, including terrine, cornichons & toasted sourdough; Truffle fries and pecorino; and a large selection of European cheese and charcuterie.
Hector’s
Hector’s, a new wine shop and wine bar opened in De Beauvoir in July.
Influenced by the cave à mangers of Paris and watering holes of San Sebastian, Hector’s Wine Bar and Bottle Shop is a warm, hospitable neighbourhood spot to pop in to buy and try interesting wines, and enjoy a short menu of small plates in the evening and at weekends.
Shepherd Market Wine House, Mayfair
Shepherd Market Wine House has undergone a major refurbishment after opening as a pop-up in November 2015 for 6 weeks, re-opening at the end of February.
Up to 20 wines, including sparkling and Champagne, are served by the glass with platters of cheese, olives, pate, terrines and charcuterie to share.
The venue comprises a wine retail space with a tasting area and seating for 16-18 on the ground floor and tables outside. There is an intimate semi-private tasting room for 8 alongside a seating area for 12 – 14 in the cellar.
Sager & Wilde, Hackney
Sager & Wilde is a sleek wine bar on Hackney Road offering a daily-changing selection of wines by the bottle or glass at reasonable prices.
The friendly, relaxed and welcoming atmosphere and the excellent range of wines make this bar a destination for wine lovers.
The bar also offers a small food menu offering a changing set of small plates.
A second outpost on Paradise Row has a great terrace for outdoor dining.
Antidote, Soho
Tucked away on a quiet street just off Regent Street, Antidote is an all-day wine bar with a menu of charcuterie, cheese and small plates, with a first floor ‘proper’ restaurant upstairs, which is open for lunch and dinner.
The wine list is largely from France, but it focuses solely on smaller producers of biodynamic and organic wines.
The space has a fairly industrial look of bare wood tables and steel chairs, with some tables on a terrace outside.
10 Cases, Covent Garden
10 Cases is a small, unpretentious Bistrot in Covent Garden with wine as its main focus.
Reminiscent of a typical French wine bar – wooden chairs and tables spill on to the pavement beneath a wide blue awning – the bar is small, simple and always buzzing from the chatter of the drinkers.
There is a decent food menu comprising of three starters, mains and desserts, as well as a list of daily specials with a wide-ranging menu of little plates to have at the bar.
The restaurant only ever buys 10 cases of wine so there are always new wines to try.
110 des Taillevents
Les 110 de Taillevents London is the sister restaurant of the Michelin starred Parisian restaurant, Le Taillevent.
Featuring 110 wines by the glass, paired with contemporary and seasonal French dishes, guests experience the spirit of Le Taillevent Paris in a relaxed, bistrot-style setting on Cavendish Square.
28°-50°, Various Locations
28°-50° has several venues across London, includign the one pictured below in Covent Garden.
Each venue features over 30 carefully chosen wines, available by the glass, carafe or bottle, as well as a seasonally changing modern European menu.
Vagabond, Various Locations
Vagabond is both a wine shop and wine bar so, you can pop in to buy a bottle (or a case!) to take away or you can stay and enjoy a glass of wine with a platter of cheese and charcuterie.
The difference between Vagabond and other wine bars is that they have a 100 or so wines on tap, which means you can get a sample of wine (25ml) or a glass of wine (125ml) from any of the 100 wines.
56 West Smithfield
Family-run Wine Bar & Shop, 56 West Smithfield, offers award-winning wines from boutique producers at cave prices.
You can grab a bottle to go, stay to enjoy a glass at the bar, or buy online. All the wines are sold at their original, local winery prices, and there’s just a £5 corkage fee for those enjoyed at the bar.
The Best Wine Bars in London…
If you enjoyed this guide to London’s best wine bars, read some of our other guides such as the best restaurants in Soho or the best Japanese restaurants in London.
If cocktails are more your thing, read our guide to the best cocktail bars in London or the best speakeasy bars.
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