London goes wine!
The gastronomic revolution that has been going on for a few years London has spread, how could it be otherwise, to the world of wines . Many critics highlight the city as one of the best places in the world for wine lovers.
We invite you to discover six wine bars that are setting the pace in the British capital.
Wine lovers, let's pilgrimage to London
BRAWN _(49 Columbia Rd, London E2 7RG) _
This restaurant is located in quiet Columbia Road -quiet every day except Sundays, when there is a flower market and the street becomes bustling and colorful-.
Brawn started out as a wine bar and is now a restaurant that, in addition to a wonderful natural wine list, also has a very talented team in the kitchen. At Brawn the service is very attentive, everyone has extensive knowledge about the wines they serve, the varieties and the best pairings.
The wine list is very extensive. , for many unfathomable. From sherry to champagne, its menu is divided into several sections. The offer focuses a lot on french and italian wines , but it also has room for wines from the rest of the world. **Whites and reds from France** have a special role in the list and are divided by region into individual sections. In fact, an entire page of the menu belongs to the wines of the Ganevat family (Jura) . **Italy** also has its own national section. Among the wines from the rest of the world we find a couple of Spanish wines, As the Braid of Luck of the Marquis.
To eat, its menu presents modern European recipes and is strictly based on seasonal produce. On Sundays between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m. they serve a three course menu less than £30 (about 34 euros) which is a delight.
SAGER + WILDE _(193 Hackney Road) _
Founded by Michael Sager and Charlotte Wilde, the inspiration to open this wine bar came to them when they lived in San Francisco .
Michael worked with the renowned Sommelier Raj Parr and the wine list offered at Sager + Wilde leaves no room for doubt: the careful selection is made by wine fans and changes daily.
This bar has wines from all over the world, many of which can be ordered by the glass and at reasonable prices for the London standard. The list is quite extensive and all the people who work in the bar they have encyclopedic knowledge of wine and they can guide both a sommelier and the initiated.
In addition, it also has an i interesting offer of snack dishes , such as Marcona almonds, cheeses and charcuterie -their menu includes Spanish representatives with blue cheese from Picos and cecina from León-, as well as their celebrated cheese toasties with different ingredients, such as caramelized onions or jalapeños.
The decor of his first bar (Hackney Road) is rustic and classy. The bar is not very big, but there is enough space and, unlike others, it is not suffocating. Your iron bar is the best place to stand And it's worth asking the staff for advice.
Also in Sager + Wilde organize events with producers very often, unique occasions to taste wines at the hands of the vignerons. Unlike other tastings, You only pay for what you drink and all wines are sold by the glass.
THE REMEDY _(124 Cleveland Street) _
The wine list of this small bar it changes practically every week and presents established producers along with other newer ones, so there are wines for all tastes.
With an oyster happy hour between 4pm and 6pm on weekdays (£1 per oyster) and with another promotion called Monday Night Fever , thanks to which every Monday they offer 12 different wines at retail price –yes, there is only option to order the whole bottle, not by the glass-, in The Remedy there are always people because it always seems that something interesting is happening.
The style of the bar is rustic, with exposed brick on the walls and with wooden tables and a long bench and the atmosphere is cozy.
Oysters, Padrón peppers, burrata, rabbit terrine, gnocchi or grilled octopus are just some of the dishes they offer, in addition to the recurring tapas to accompany the wine , such as olives, almonds or a cheese board.
They change the wine list practically every week
10 CASES _(16 Endell Street, Seven Dials) _
Conveniently located in Covent Garden , there is no excuse not to visit it. 10 cases is a british bistro that offers a peculiar proposal.
As its name allows to guess, the wines are bought in boxes of 10 and when it's over, it's over. Your menu includes 10 red and 10 white wines , plus some rosés and sweet wines, and founders Will Palmer and Ian Campbell boast that they haven't had a repeat wine on the menu since they opened their bar in 2011.
All wines can be ordered in three formats: glass, jar or bottle and the prices (for being in the tourist heart of London) are very reasonable.
The food menu is also decidedly simple and changes once a month. Your offer includes three starters, three main courses and three desserts , in addition to several tapas style dishes specially designed to drink while drinking wine.
Since 2013 also they have a wine shop ( Cave a Vin ) and bar in the premises attached to the original , where you can try more than 300 wines from countries with a wine-growing tradition. Contrary to the original premises, there they do not accept reservations, seeking to give a more informal and carefree character. In addition to buying bottles of wine, you can also drink and eat, as well as drink a bottle that was bought there in the store. Of course, with a corkage surcharge of £12.
40 MALTBY STREET _(40 Maltby Street) _
Located in South London, **in Bermondsey, under one of the train arches of Maltby Street **, a street that comes alive on weekends thanks to the gastronomic market of the same name, 40 Maltby Street is a wine bar that focuses on producers who cultivate their vineyards organically, without pesticides or fertilizers.
The bar is shaped like elongated tunnel and its decoration is simple, with a small, open kitchen and multiple tables and stools at the bars, one of which is directly across from the kitchen.
It's usually at the weekend when it's busiest, so those who suffer from claustrophobia would do well to choose another time to visit.
Most of the wines on the menu are from France and Italy. Also have slovenian wines and wines from a Spanish producer, BarrancoDark.
The excellent menu changes often and, as with the wines, also They defend the organically grown product.
FRANCE _(107 Lower Clapton Road) _
This is one of London's trendiest bars and it's easy to see why. Located in the heart of modern London, in Hackney , in addition to being a wine shop, in P. Franco also serve delicious and innovative menus by guest chefs who spend seasons cooking there, as residences.
The menus are short. no more than ten options that are usually tapas style dishes. The chefs rotate and the cooking styles vary, but it is always full.
Founded by Liam Kelleher and James Noble, the directors of Noble Fine Liquor wine shops which can be found at Broadway Market and Farringdon, on P. Franco fans of natural wines have their own paradise.
The tiny place has a long table in the center and two small bars on each side of the door, as well as a wall of bottles that goes from floor to ceiling. The atmosphere is nice, friendly and relaxed and there is not a trace of the occasional snobbery that sometimes accompanies wine bars. They sell wine by the glass and prices usually start at £5 (about 6 euros) .
Since, in addition to being a restaurant and bar, it is also a shop, the advantage is that you can buy bottles directly there . The most abundant wines are the main regions of France and Italy , but they also have wines from Germany or Spain, among others. Worth be advised by the staff since they know very well what they are talking about.
It is closed on Mondays and, while the shop and wine bar is open Tuesday-Sunday, the kitchen is only open Thursday-Sunday. They don't take reservations and getting seated is quite a challenge. It is best to go early.