London for wine lovers
Sights
Walk down St James's Street, SW1. Not only is there St James's Palace at the bottom and various gentlemen's clubs on either side (look for a handsome 18th century building with no or extremely discreet markings by the door and/or well tailored men stumbling out in the afternoon or languidly reading newspapers in drawing rooms inside; there are more of them along Pall Mall to the left at the bottom of the street). Brooks's at the top on the right as you walk down the street was Harry Waugh's and is, as far as I know, Michael Broadbent’s club. Boodles is an even prettier, white building almost opposite. At number 61 on the right is Justerini & Brooks, the energetic fine wine merchant that can offer some hand-picked treasures. Buyer, now managing director, Hew Blair works far harder than he need, thank goodness.
Further down on the opposite side at number 3 is J & B's longstanding rival Berry Bros & Rudd which owns an extraordinary proportion of the real estate in this sector of St James’s (just opposite Clarence House on Pall Mall, home of our royal bridegroom-to-be). This is the real reason for your saunter down this street - which continues to undergo a flurry of renovation with smart restaurants and even hotels going up at a giddy rate. BB&R was for long rather moribund and financed by Cutty Sark which is also sold by the families that own it, but in the last 10 years or so it has become one of Britain’s most dynamic wine merchants inm its own right. The Berrys and Berry-Greens have been clever enough to realise that its strongest distinguishing mark is its long history which is celebrated in full at a St James’s Street. The buildings in which it conducts its London business (the real work is done in less romantic surroundings in Basingstoke) have recently been tarted up, and there is now even a part of the old shop in which the odd bottle is on display. But step on to the bare boards of the old wine shop and you will get something of the flavour of an 18th century London merchant. Berry Bros still have the weighing scales and records of the weights of Regency dandies and worthies, and the well suited young men may now use computers but they (the computers rather than the young men) are cunningly inset into old-fashioned high wooden desks. Have a snoop around and ask if you can see their recently restored cellars on at least two floors below in which many wine events are held. While here you could turn in to King Street and see if there's a wine sale going on in one of the grand old, or pretend grand old, salerooms at Christie's. Check www.Christies.com first.
If you are that way inclined, you might enjoy immersion in the City of London, basically London's financial district. More and more banks and other financial institutions are moving east to the modern wastes of Canary Wharf but you can still get the flavour of this very particular part of London by blinking your way up into the daylight from Bank tube station and watching People at Work, generally dashing about and looking harassed - a highly satisfactory sight when on holiday, I find. Hardly anyone actually lives in this area (it's deserted at weekends) but you can get the historical picture by visiting the Museum of London near the modern Barbican (an exceptional, for the City, housing and cultural development) and, if you’re fit, climb the Monument for a better view. Most wine merchants have been driven out of the City by the high rents but Uncorked at 15 Exchange Arcade, Broadgate, London EC2 is an exception. This is a tiny operation that specialises in supplying City wine lovers with some of the world's up and coming trophy wines so you might find something of interest here. Free vintner John Davy has a string of faux Victorian wine bars all over the City (and elsewhere in the middle of London) which have particularly good value vintage port, sawdust on the floor etc. Corney & Barrow dominate the modern wine bar scene in the City and can offer some interesting wines by the glass, and the opportunity to study one particular subspecies in considerable detail. Go to one of these bars only if you have high testosterone tolerance, however.
While you're in this part of London, cross the Thames at Southwark Bridge, noticing Vintners' Hall on your right where so much wine was once offloaded from the river, and which still houses the offices of the Vintners' Company. Once over the Thames turn left and walk along the south bank of the river by the Financial Times to Vinopolis, London's wine-based tourist attraction. You can enjoy this well restored old building, taste wine, choose from a good selection of wine books and gear, and afterwards eat either at the restaurant, Cantina, or the wine bar Wine Wharf. There is also Neal's Yard Dairy, Brindisa's tapas bar and the rest of Borough Market as well as a retail branch of Laithwaite's inside Vinopolis.
Wine shops
Most of Britain's best wine merchants are spread around the country and occasionally suburbs, operating from printed and electronic lists rather than cute little boutiques in the capital.
However, as well as these merchants mentioned above,
Justerini & Brooks, London SW1
Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1
Uncorked, London EC2
Laithwaite's at Vinopolis, London SE1
there are a few particularly good independent wine retailers
Lea & Sandeman, 301 Fulham Road, London SW10 and 211 Kensington Church Street, London W8 close to Notting Hill Gate tube station and 51 Barnes High Street, London SW13 and now in Chiswick. These bright, modern shops offer a wide range of individually chosen wines. The selection is particularly strong on Tuscany, Rhône, Burgundy and south-west France.
Handford Wines, 105 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 (very close to Christie's, South Ken) and 12 Portland Road, London W11. Small, very personal shops whose stock is driven by passion and interest - especially good at Burgundy, southern French and Portuguese table wines.
The Winery in Clifton Road, London W9. Excellent hand-picked, actually foot-driven, selection from anywhere that owner David Motion has recently visited.
Haynes Hanson and Clark on the corner of Ebury and Eccleston Streets, London SW1. Pimlico store run by Master of Wine Anthony Hanson and partners. Burgundy a speciality.
Roberson, Kensington High Street, London W14. Large, modern, cavernous shop with a wide selection at the Olympia end of Kensington High Street.
Pont de la Tour, Shad Thames, Butlers Wharf, London SE1 is the very well-stocked wine store attached to the Conran restaurant of the same name on the soith side of Tower Bridge. Excellent and unpredictable selection but Sir Terence believes in robust pricing.
Jeroboams, fine wine stores dotted around central London with a pretty good selection.
Philglas & Swiggot small group of shops specialising in hand-picked wines, notably but not exclusively Australian.
Green and Blue, newish wine store and wine cafe in East Dulwich.
The Sampler, useful newish shop in Upper Street, Islington which offers a rotating range of very fine wines indeed by the 25ml pour.
Planet of the Grapes just south of the British Museum is very individual
Theatre of Wine in Greenwich is also run with great personal dedication
There are other small outfits all over the capital. If you are a real wine junkie, or a wine professional, you may want to see where Brits typically buy their wine. More than 70 per cent of all wine in the UK is bought at one of the big supermarkets: Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons, or possibly Somerfield, the Co-op or (still the best ) Waitrose. Branches vary enormously in the range they offer. Flagship stores include Waitrose at Canary Wharf and Halkin Street, SW1, Sainsburys at Gloucester Road and Tesco not far away where the Cromwell Road becomes elevated. If you are staying with a native, rather than at a hotel, ask them to show you their nearest supermarket. You will see just how cut-throat the wine business is at this level. Oddbins, is a shadow of its former quirky self, but still the most original chain of wine stores in Britain. Majestic is a highly successful chain of wine warehouses with a flagship store in St John's Wood, NW8.
Some favourite restaurants in and around London
Despite appearances London is generally pretty awful at wine bars and even (still!) at wine by the glass. You generally have to go to a gastropub (= converted old pub with a wooden floor, a blackboard menu and some armchairs) to get a decent wine by the glass and sometimes even they can let you down, although Vinoteca near Smithfield market, Terroirs between Trafalgar Square and Charing Cross, the wine bars in the food halls of Fortnum & Mason and Selfridge's are very welcome recent additions.
Some of our personal favourite restaurants are listed below. I have included fax numbers because this may be the easiest way to book from overseas what with time differences and all.
If you're prepared to spend and travel to find something really out of the ordinary (strange combos done with conviction and real technical expertise) you should try The Fat Duck, High Street in Bray (tel +44 1628 580333, fax +44 1628 776188) - train to Maidenhead then taxi. Heston Blumenthal cooks a bit like Ferran Adría of El Bulli in Spain but I don't think has ever been there, or certainly not until quite recently. Great wine list too. For more classic cooking with great aplomb in central London, Eric Chavot is still on top form at the Capital hotel in Basil Street. A relatively new opening that has rapidly become as popular as the Ivy. J Sheekey and Caprice which used to be run by its founders is The Wolesley next to the Ritz. It’s open all day and would be good for celeb-spotting visitors who just need somewhere to flop with a cup or glass between meals.
For thrills at a much lower price I'd recommend Moro, 34-36 Exmouth Market, London EC1 (tel +44 20 7833 8336, fax +44 20 7833 9338) - great southern Spanish / north African food from a couple who learnt the trade at the much more expensive Italian River Café by the river in Hammersmith. Noisy mind you but great sherry. Newer, more comfortable and more central is Fino just off Charlotte Street W1 and the Hart brothers' even newer, crowded tapas bar Barrafina on Frith Street, Soho with, an even newer acquisition, Quo Vadis jin Dean Street nearby..
Also in Soho is the excellent Arbutus which serves all its wines in a variety of glasses and carafes and now has a sister place Taste of Honey in St George Street just south fo Hanover Square.
St John, 26 St John Street, London EC1 (tel +44 20 7251 0848, fax +44 20 7251 4090) Very minimal, very meaty, very English, near the old Smithfield meat market where there are now lots of bars and restaurants. 'Nose to tail eating' is what they claim to offer. One of Nick's favourite restaurants, though some, especially vegetarians, find it a little stark. Quite interesting French wine list but not great glasses.
You could do a lot worse than wander round the Smithfield area. If you're interested in eating French stuff (we tend to think it's old hat, but only because we've been exposed to it for so long), you might try the Club Gascon, 57 W Smithfield (tel +44 20 7796 0600, fax +44 20 7796 0601) for lots of little portions of foie gras, local sausages, etc and interesting wines from SW France. Anyone for Marcillac?
Probably the most wine-friendly restaurant in London is Ransome’s Dock, 35-37 Parkgate Road, London SW11 (tel +44 20 7223 1611, fax +44 20 7924 2614). Martin and Vanessa Lam believe in top-quality local ingredients and giving everyone a fairly casual good time. The unusually wide age range here is a tribute to them. Fascinating wine list and a high probability of bumping into another winey person. The Willi's Wine Bar of London.
Nigel Platt-Martin’s group comprising The Square in London W1, Chez Bruce in Wandsworth, The Glasshouse in Kew, La Trompette in Chiswick and The Ledbury in Notting Hill has exceptional wine lists and well educated staff in each of them. Pretty delicious food too with nothing too overpriced (most other places will make you scream at the greed).
The restaurant at Tate Britain has long been famous for the scope and fair prices of its wine list, even if the food is far from exceptional. Great setting too, and you can take in the Turners en route.
Pretty much everything in London costs a fortune. The spreading rash of gastropubs, old pub premises converted into casual restaurants, are probably the best bet for good value eating. Try www.zagat.com for the Pub dining section and more details. When in London, you could also buy either Hardens or the Time Out restaurant guides.
Another potential budget-priced option is to eat Indian. London has hundreds of Indian restaurants and almost any of them would provide novelty to most foreigners (with the exception of Indians, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis of course). Ask wherever you are staying for local recommendations. Most Indian restaurants are inexpensive and vary from interesting to good.
An exceptionally good - and much more expensive - example is Rasoi Vineet Bhatia, 10 Lincoln Street, London SW3 (tel +44 20 7225 1881 +44 20 7581 0220) where the food is much fresher and more creative than average. Good wines too. Thai cuisine is also invading with a vengeance although a significant proportion of it comes pre-packaged from mass catering companies.
Best Chinese for wine lovers is Hakkasan, a dark but lively basement neat Tottenham Court Road tube station. Zuma and, newer and cheaper, Roka are best for Japanese – or there’s Nobu for high spenders.
Just bring loads of money...London is pretty poor at cheap food. Marks & Spencer stores and the Prêt à Manger chain are probably best for sandwiches, etc, and see Nick’s food news for some suggested cheaper places and more recent opening.
Thinking about it does make me wonder how we afford to live here.
