The 10 best wine bars in London
London's oldest wine bar, founded in 1890, Gordon's in Charing Cross combines an unrivalled wine list with a Dickensian-style decor. Despite its popularity, it still feels like a hidden gem, with dark underground vaulted cellars and quaint corner tables. There are new vegan and low-sulphur wines, and plenty of cheeses to snack on.
Nestled in Lamb's Conduit Street in Bloomsbury, Noble Rot, which began as a wine publication before opening its three branches, is a much-loved London favourite. The dazzling selection of wines, which has previously won 'Wine List of the Year', ranges from classics to rare vintages, all paired with quality Franco-British cuisine and staff who are experts in their field.
A self-proclaimed 'wine cave', The Black Book in Soho is about as authentic as it gets. With an endless list of wines by the glass, they specialise in some of the rarest and most unusual wines, which you can savour on their own or with one of their Mediterranean-inspired small plates.
Nestled in King's Cross, Porte Noir was founded by none other than A-list actor Idris Elba. The chic, stylish interior has shelves stacked high with wine, 800 bottles and a private tasting room with vintages from around the world.
The Winemakers Club is located under an old railway arch in the Holbron Viaduct. It's a wine shop and bar with a truly traditional feel - stone walls, low arches and candlelight, along with hundreds of bottles to choose from. Classics are represented alongside wines from Poland and Slovenia, as well as natural and biodynamic wines.
The most unusual grape varieties and bottles dwell at Diogenes the Dog in Elephant & Castle, where you're more likely to find a glass from Texas, Poland or China than from the world's more celebrated regions. The best way to sample them is on a wine tasting flight, accompanied by charcuterie platters.
Named after the fact that they only offer a list of 10 reds and 10 whites at any one time, The 10 Cases prides itself on offering an ever-changing selection of wines for the novice or connoisseur. No wine is ever stocked twice, although the adjoining 'wine cave' has 300 classics available by the glass or carafe to pair with the tapas-style menu.
Bar Douro is a bright, spacious space decorated with cute patterned tiles in Flat Iron Square, highlighting the delightful wines from the Douro Valley and beyond in Portugal. The wine list includes bottles from all over Portugal, the food is delicious and they host winemaker evenings for aficionados.
Vagabond now has several locations in London thanks to its initial runaway success. The brand offers the art of wine to the masses, with a top-up card system allowing visitors to self-serve wine, with over 100 varieties available by the glass. There are also nibbles such as foccacia and sharing platters, perfect for a night out with friends.
With warm lighting, communal tables and wooden shelves stacked high with vino, Bottles Wine Bar in Spitalfields is making wine a social activity again. The brand, which now has two locations, focuses on independent producers and small farms from Italy, with nearly 200 varieties available. The food is seasonal and chosen to complement the wine, not vice versa.