Harden's says
Formerly Trade, a members-only club for those in the hospitality industry, this underground Soho spot has relaunched as a late-night restaurant and wine bar under the same team of master sommeliers, Gearoid Devaney and Xavier Rousset.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“Wine is the star attraction in this luxurious hidden basement in Soho”, with a “lengthy, well-thought-out list” from master sommeliers Gearoid Devaney & Xavier Rousset (who founded it as Trade, a club for industry insiders). “The light bites are not to be ignored”, which “make this one of the better options for quiet drinks in the centre of town” – and late opening is another feature.
Summary
Snug Soho bar, whose superior wine list belies its founding by two Master Sommeliers: Gearoid Devaney and Xavier Rousset. To help soak up the vino: well-rated small plates, cheese and charcuterie. Top Tip – head here in the wee hours: it’s open till 3am later in the week.
Summary
“A hidden gem in Soho” for œnophiles – this “lovely, intimate basement” has a “great selection of wines for the enthusiast”, including “old, rare and super-interesting bottles”, “from top producers and at affordable prices”. Founded by master sommeliers Gearoid Daveney and Xavier Rousset as the premises for Trade, a private club for people working in hospitality, it remains at its best as an after-hours option. There’s a “simple menu” of charcuterie, well-made cheese toasties and the like. Top Tip – “a dangerous joint to know about as it’s open till 3am on weekends!” (1am midweek).
Summary
“No better place to unwind with a great bottle of wine in central London”, say early fans of this new (since September 2020) heart-of-Soho hideaway: a cosy, underground haunt that was previously known as Trade (a members-only club for those in the hospitality industry) and which was relaunched by the same team as a ‘boutique late-night wine bar’ and restaurant that’s open to all. Master sommeliers Gearoid Devaney and Xavier Rousset stock a walk-in Coravin cellar with well-priced fine wines sold by the glass. The menu is simple stuff – charcuterie, cheese, steak, some tapas-y sharing plates – but really comes into its own in the wee hours as the place is open till 1am early in the week and 3am at weekends. “Small mark-ups on the ‘black book’ wine list with both classics and under the radar gems, plus great cocktails and decent food means it’s worth venturing into this basement hangout”.
For 34 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).
Have you eaten at The Black Book?
23 Frith Street, London, W1D 4RR
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £43.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £0.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 12.50% |
23 Frith Street, London, W1D 4RR
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 5 pm‑1 am |
| Wednesday | 5 pm‑1 am |
| Thursday | 5 pm‑3 am |
| Friday | 5 pm‑3 am |
| Saturday | 5 pm‑3 am |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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