Harden's says
The second outpost of a wine-focused bar and restaurant opens in an old journo drinking den off Fleet Street. Set in the vaults of St Bride’s Church the wine bar and shop will boast a 200-seater bar, private dining room and a menu of wine-friendly small plates. The original opened in Battersea in last year.
Harden's survey result
Summary
It’s “all about the wine, as you might expect” at James Dawson’s “relaxed” wine-bar group, whose branches boast a “splendid list” of “high-quality and well-sourced” bottles. The food is very much “second fiddle”, though “unobjectionable”, while the most interesting venue is the original one, off Fleet Street, “hidden in the vaults of St Bride’s Church”. Top Tip – “go on a Monday night for wine at shop rather than restaurant prices”.
Summary
James Dawson’s wine shops/clubs/bars are “great places to catch up with friends over a bottle you might never ordinarily have tried”. “The staff are super-helpful, with lots of suggestions” of bottles from independent and sustainable producers. The food is “OK if a little uninspiring”, but “who cares when there’s one evening a week when you can drink wine at retail prices”.
Summary
“The whole package – great food, staff and incredible wines” – wins hymns of praise for James Dawson’s wine shop/club/bar/kitchen combination that now has five branches across central London. The focus is on sustainable, small-scale independent producers, with many wines available by the glass.
Summary
James Dawson’s 12-year-old wine shop/bar/kitchen operation has gathered momentum in recent years, expanding from its Battersea base to branches in a Fleet Street crypt, Islington, Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf. The “great wine list” from sustainable, small-scale producers is the focus, with “lots by the glass” and at “good value”. It’s backed up by “consistently good” small plates, cheese and charcuterie.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
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Restaurant details
Opening hours
Mon: 4.30pm - 11pm, Tue-Thu: 12pm - 11pm, Fri-Sat: 11am - midnight, Sun: 12pm - 10pm
Last orders: 11 pm, Thu-Sat midnight
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