Review: Best Wine Bars in London 2019

Cork & Bottle Wine Bar

“In-the-know” oenophiles duck “under the streets” and “hide from the Leicester Square mobs” at this “cosy” basement wine bar; it may be a bit dated (“my mum waitressed here in the 1970s”), but drinkers who drool over its “amazing” 300-label list of “tempting, interesting” vinos insist it’s a “properly authentic London establishment”; P.S. its cheese and ham pie is famous.
44-46 Cranbourn St
London, England WC2H 7AN
020-7734-7807

28°-50° Wine Workshop & Kitchen

Benefiting from “professional, friendly” staff and an atmosphere that’s “equally good for couples or groups”, this “casual” bar-cum-French dining room with locations in Marylebone and nearby Fleet Street is “a must for any wine lover”, thanks to its “extensive” selection of “interesting” glasses, carafes and bottles; as for the “straight-forward”, bistro-style food, some find it “secondary, really” to the vin.
140 Fetter Lane
London, England EC4A 1BT
020-7242-8877

Gordons Wine Bar

Established in 1890, this “fab”, candlelit “cave” by Charing Cross station claims to be the oldest wine bar in town, and remains a “relaxed, intimate” retreat that’s “everyone’s favourite” for a “first date”; the key is to “snag a table” in the basement, although given that it’s always “busy” you may have to “mix and mingle” with the “yuppie-ish” crowd in the “huge outdoor alleyway” instead; P.S. beer lovers beware: “they only serve wine and water.”

Bar Pepito

“You’ll be whisked to Madrid” at this “cute little” sherry “oasis” attached to the Camino restaurant in King’s Cross, where “knowledgeable”, “charming” staff will educate you about the true taste of jerez; “if you have an hour to kill”, it’ll “make you forget about nan’s Christmas drink forever.”

3 Varnishers Yard
London, England N1 9DF
020-7841-7331

Albertine Wine Bar

“Character and quirk” epitomise this “charming” French-style Shepherd’s Bush wine bar, “a tiny dream” opposite Westfield and near the BBC, whose employees keep it “packed most evenings”; staff are “friendly and welcoming” as they dispense “good advice” about the “extensive” cellar’s numerous “excellent-value” pours, and “the food is well worth a try” too.

1 Wood Lane
London, England W12 7DP
020-8743-9593

El Vino

Dating back to 1879, this legendary chain of “old-fashioned” City wine bars is “memory lane for hacks”, who are still wont to bring interview subjects “for too much claret and indiscretion”; its “extensive wine list” and “traditional” English fare also make it a popular “lawyers’ hangout”, and while some sniff that it’s become “overly dependent on reputation”, others laud it as a “lovely” glimpse of “how it used to be.”

3 Bastion Highwalk
London, England EC2Y 5AP
020-7600-6377

Vinoteca Farringdon

An “interesting” vino selection (including a “terrific range by the glass”) makes these “super-casual” wine bars oenophile magnets, while an “artful” Modern European menu of “frequently changing” dishes delights diners; “fantastic” sommeliers, “convivial” compatriots and prices that are “reasonable for the quality” support the view that it’s “worth a try”.

7 St John Street
London, England EC1M 4AA
020-7253-8786

Vertigo 42

“Amazing views” are the attraction at this wine bar on the 42nd floor of a Square Mile office tower, which overlooks the Gherkin, the Thames and the City’s “twinkling lights”; it’s sure to “impress friends, family or that first date”, so whilst it’s “quite pricey”, moneybags muse you “can’t beat a bottle of Taittinger while watching the sunset over London”; P.S. reservations are required.
25 Old Broad Street
London, England EC2N 1HQ
020-7877-7842

The Fox Reformed

Regulars return to this “lovely” wood-panelled wine bar, a Stokey staple set in a “gorgeous little house” that was once the site of Edgar Allen Poe’s boyhood school, for drinks and nibbles; you can play board games inside on “long, dark nights” or enjoy the garden area on “short, light” ones.

176 Stoke Newington Church Street
London, England N16 0
020-7254-5975

by zagat