We’re so grapeful to have these wonderful wine bars in London, especially now that winter has reared its frosty head. There’s nothing better on a chilly night than a few glasses of wine in a cosy bar, lit by flickering candlelight! Whether you’re trying to impress a date or relaxing with pals, wine bars are the ideal spot for wine, cheese, and a good bit of gossip. Here are our favourite London spots to check out this winter.
1. Half Cut Market, Kentish Town
Perhaps the hottest opening in London at the moment, Half Cut Market serves up lashings of knowledge, an abundance of personality, and an ever-rotating selection of DELICIOUS wines and food. There’s a focus on natural wine here, but they “prioritise quality, taste and consistency over trendy labels.” Go here, eat widely from the menu, and have a generally brilliant day out.
📍 396 York Way, N7 9LW.
🚇 Nearest station is Caledonian Road.
2. Lechevalier, Bermondsey
Credit: @lechevalierwine via IG
This hidden gem on Tower Bridge Road is the perfect spot for casual wine-fuelled hangs. With a menu of charcuterie and cheese that rivals the wine list – itself already an impressive affair – you’ll be grazing and sipping the whole time you’re here. The passion of the staff is clear here, and they’re more than willing to natter on about wine with you until the cows come home. Thanks to a varied wine list, you’re also likely to find a new favourite bottle of vino – just buy one on your way out to share with your friends!
📍 85 Tower Bridge Road, SE1 4TW.
🚇 Nearest station is Borough.
3. Binch, Hackney
A properly cosy example of one of London’s wine bars, Binch focuses on wine and vinyl but also has an impressive curated selection of craft beers. The blink-and-you-miss-it spot is well worth the effort to seek out, with an emphasis on French wine. They’re also currently playing host to a damn tasty food pop-up in the form of Jawns’ epic sandwiches. It mightn’t make much sense, but, god, it’s fun to sip on a refined red wine as short rib ragu drips onto your lap out of the hefty sandwich in your hand.
📍 51 Greenwood Road, E8 1NT.
🚇 Nearest stations are Hackney Downs and Hackney Central.
4. Sager + Wilde, Hackney
Sager + Wilde‘s wine bar on Hackney Road is a charming little spot for any occasion. They focus on fine wine, charcuterie, and grilled cheese sandwiches, with impeccable vibes to match. Just try to think of a reason why you wouldn’t want to go here – we’ll wait.
📍 193 Hackney Road, E2 8JL.
🚇 Nearest station is Hoxton.
5. Two Drops, Battersea
Credit: @twodropsbattersea via IG
When a wine bar boasts an entire cheese-toastie menu, you know you’re in for a good time. Two Drops is a recent opening in Battersea – adding to the area’s glut of incredible spots – and is a sibling venue of The Drop in Coal Drops Yard. There’s a riverside terrace (covered so it’s available year-round), a considered list of wines as well as beers and cocktails, and more toasties than you can shake a stick at! So why not have a drink by the drink at Two Drops?
📍 Circus Road West, Battersea Power Station, SW11 8EZ.
🚇 Nearest station is Battersea Power Station.
6. Fork Deli, Bloomsbury
Credit: @forkdeli via IG
This lovely London delicatessen-slash-café is located smack bang in the middle of Bloomsbury, and they serve up some of the meanest toasties, paninis and soups you can find anywhere in central. They double as a wine bar on Thursdays and Fridays, making it the perfect spot to while away the hours. As you go from day to night, simply swap the cups of coffee and cheese and ham sandwiches for carafes of vino and cheese and charcuterie boards – oh darling!
📍85 Marchmont Street, WC1N 1AL.
🚇 Nearest stations are King’s Cross St. Pancras, Euston and Russell Square.
7. Forza Wine, Peckham
Credit: @forzawine via IG
The ‘taller sibling’ of Camberwell Italian joint Forza Win, Forza Wine sits on yet another Peckham rooftop. Add on Frank’s Cafe and the Bussey Building for an epic local rooftop bar crawl when the weather is playing ball. At Forza Wine, they pair an incredible wine list with a menu of seasonal Italian indulgence. It goes without saying that the panoramic cityscape views from here are truly spectacular.
📍You’ll find Forza Wine at 133 Rye Lane, SE15 4ST.
🚇 Nearest station is Peckham Rye.
8. Peckham Cellars, Peckham
Credit: @peckhamcellars via IG
This charming Peckham spot is the result of three friends who were keen to share their passion for food and wine with a fun and relaxed wine bar. Their eclectic wine list is carefully designed to complement their food, and ultimately prioritises “wines that taste great”. They love to highlight smaller and lesser-known wine regions and producers, so if you want to try something new, head here!
They also have a sister site in Camberwell – Little Cellars – which is just up the road! Fancy a mini wine-bar-crawl?
📍 125 Queens Road, SE15 2ND
🚇 Nearest station is Queens Road Peckham.
9. Newcomer Wines, Dalston
Predominantly a wine shop, Newcomer Wines also transitions into a wine bar in the evenings. They take a seasonal approach to their selection, so year round there are plenty of suitable sippers for any kind of weather. There’s a charming little beer garden wine garden out the back and, thanks to the shop’s shelves, plenty of dark corners to hide in. Why not tuck yourself away with a bottle of wine and an amour for a wonderfully cosy time in one of London’s best wine bars?
📍 5 Dalston Lane, E8 3DF.
🚇 Nearest station is Dalston Junction.
10. 107 Wine Shop & Bar, Hackney
Credit: @107_e5 via IG
Previously P Franco, this Hackney wine bar and shop serves up cosy vibes and delicious wines in spades. They invite guests chefs to pop in a cook – sometimes for a week, sometimes for a month. That’s the beauty of it – every visit will be completely different. One thing that will always remain the same, though, is the fact that you’ll have a damn good time at 107.
📍 107 Lower Clapton Road, E5 0NP.
🚇 Nearest station is Hackney Central.
11. WC, Clapham & Bloomsbury
WC is a wine and charcuterie bar in a former public water closet underneath Clapham Common tube station. Snag yourself a table here and you’ll be able to enjoy an evening of wine-quaffing and cheese-nibbling in conversation-sparking environs. It’s the most exciting toilet in town.
Meanwhile, the WC Bloomsbury bar sees a Grade II-listed water closet lovingly restored in line with Historic England’s specifications. The 120-year-old toilet had previously spent time on the organisation’s ‘at risk register’. They’ve kept the marble floors and original tiles intact and turned the original wood stalls into private booths. And much like WC Clapham, they’ve got a smashing selection of wine, cocktails, small plates, and sharing boards, too.
📍Clapham Common South Side, SW4 7AA & Guildford Street, WC1N1EH.
🚇 Nearest stations are Clapham Common & Russell Square.
12. The 10 Cases, Covent Garden
This wine bar’s name comes from their unique way of ordering: they only ever get 10 cases of the wines on their shortlist. This is to make sure they’re always trying new things, and not sticking to the same old bottles. There are also only 10 tables! It really is… 10 out of 10.
📍16 Endell Street, WC2H 9BD.
🚇 Nearest station is Covent Garden.
13. The Remedy, Fitzrovia
Run by two friends, The Remedy is the place to go if you’re after great wine and a convivial atmosphere. They don’t claim to be doctors, but they did call their wine bar ‘The Remedy’ because they believe a glass or more of vino can cure anything. We agree. If wine isn’t the answer, you’re asking the wrong questions…
📍 124 Cleveland Street, W1T 6PG.
🚇 Nearest station is Great Portland Street.
14. Vagabond Wines, various locations
Three words: interactive wine menus! Vagabond’s wine bars offer a self-service wine experience where you top up a card, which allows you to wave ‘n’ pay Oyster-style at their self-service wine dispensing machines. Clever, right? They’ve also got a low-intervention winery housed at Battersea Power Station. Drink up – there’s lots to try!
📍 Find your nearest Vagabond location here.
15. Gordon’s, Charing Cross
London’s oldest wine bar has all the grape juice you could wish for within these atmospheric, underground cellars. It’s so ubiquitous that it’s become almost cliched as a date spot, but there’s an irresistible magic to pulling up a chair in the cellar and sipping on vino. This 120-year-old establishment often gets busy after work, so why not book the afternoon off and get gently pickled with a pal? (There’s also cheese. Lots and lots of cheese. Lovely, lovely cheese.)
📍 47 Villiers Street, WC2N 6NE.
🚇 Nearest stations are Charing Cross and Embankment.
16. Port Noire, King’s Cross
Credit: @portenoirekx via IG
One of the highlights of this King’s Cross spot might be the fact that it’s owned by Idris Elba. But Port Noire’s notable founder isn’t the only reason you should add it to your wine bar bucket list. It’s named after the actor’s established wine and champagne brand, and offers around 800 different wine bins plus a full French brasserie-style menu. It’s also dog-friendly, with a resident wine-bar-doggy called Cooper.
📍Unit A Gasholder 10, 1 Lewis Cubitt Square, N1C 4BY.
🚇 Nearest station is Kings Cross St Pancras.
17. Noble Rot Wines, Bloomsbury, Soho, & Mayfair
Credit: @noblerotbar via IG
This gorgeous spot was the winner of the wine list award at the World Restaurant Awards back in 2019, amongst countless other successes. Noble Rot’s wine bars include rare gems and underrated bottles. They also operate a sister bar and restaurant in Soho, which boasts a legendary prix fixe menu, alongside a site in Mayfair.
And yes, it is the same Noble Rot as the eponymous wine magazine – for all you nerds asking. (aka. me.)
📍 Find your nearest Noble Rot location here.
18. Winemaker’s Club, Farringdon
This cosy, candlelit addition to this wine bars roundup sits within the Victorian arches beneath the Holborn Viaduct, which served as a wine cellar for over 150 years. The wine list at Winemaker’s Club is ever-changing, and they also serve a small amount of old Bordeaux, Burgundy, Port and Madeira from their private cellars. Of course, each wine can be complimented with locally-sourced cheese and charcuterie.
📍 41a Farringdon Street, EC4A 4AN.
🚇 Nearest station is Farringdon.
19 . El Vino, Fleet Street
This decidedly old-school spot has long been a favoured haunt for the wine-loving local workforce (lawyers and journalists abound). When nearby pubs are heaving with City slickers on a Friday evening, El Vino somehow remains an island of calm, so grab a table for two and dig into some casual tapas while you share a bottle or three of something full-bodied.
📍 47 Fleet Street, EC4Y 1BJ.
🚇 Nearest stations are Temple and Blackfriars.
20. BOTTLES, Spitalfields
Credit: @bottles_london via IG
BOTTLES quickly established itself in the London wine scene and brings bellissimo Italian vibes to Spitalfields. With “a key focus on quality wines made by independent producers“, their aim is to help guests discover regional wines and forgotten grapes. Head on down to one of their wine tasting sessions and you’ll leave with bags of knowledge.
📍 Find BOTTLES Spitalfields at 67 Brushfield Street, E1 6AA.
🚇 Nearest station is Liverpool Street.
21. Vins, Canonbury
Exit the overground at Canonbury and head just round the corner to find Vins – a quaint wine bar set up by Hugo Thurston and Vinny Burke (who are also the brains behind Shoreditch’s Jago). As front of house, Vinny welcomes each guest with a friendly smile before leaving them to choose from a huge range of white, red and sparkling. There’s also an ever-changing European menu of small plates, sharing platters, cheeses and desserts. A peaceful place for a large glass, a tasty nibble and a natter!
📍 93 Grosvenor Ave, N5 2NL.
🚇 Nearest station is Canonbury.
22. Caia, Notting Hill
Credit: @caia.london via IG
Music-led restaurant and cosy wine bar, Caia, is a shining gem on Notting Hill‘s Golborne Road. An open-fire grill crackles away as sounds of rare jazz, funk, tropical, and disco from Caia’s curated vinyl collection spin late into the night. The menu is small but mighty, and full of dishes that you’ll be raving to your friends about. Wine, of course, is a passion at Caia and you’ll be spoilt for choice with their thoughtfully chosen collection. However, it’s worth mentioning that the cocktails are pretty unmissable too, and I am eagerly awaiting my next chance to order the Caia’s Hay’s Punch – hopefully very soon.
📍 46 Golborne Road, W10 5PR.
🚇 Nearest station is Westbourne Park.
23. Plume, Covent Garden
This historic and heavenly wine bar is the perfect I-know-a-little-spot spot. In the midst of Covent Garden, Plume is a gorgeous two-storey wine bar based inside Charles Dickens’ former publishing house. The wine menu comes in the form of an atlas, showcasing a carefully curated selection from across the world. And don’t fear; their expert (and ever so helpful) sommeliers and on hand to help as you order. After all, the wine list is extensive to say the least.
📍 16 Wellington Street, WC2E 7DD.
🚇 Nearest station is Covent Garden.
24. Renegade Urban Winery, Bethnal Green and Walthamstow
Credit: @renegadeurbanwinery via IG
Renegade lays claim to two wine bars in London – both with wholly different vibes and purposes, but both with an extensive menu of its own wines. You can sample their wines at their cosy Bethnal Green site, which is hidden away down a side-street, or in the winery itself in Walthamstow. They also offer winery tours and cheese and wine tasting events at their Walthamstow site.
📍 Arch 12, Gales Gardens, E2 0EJ & Unit 7, Lockwood Way, E17 5RB.
🚇 Nearest stations are Bethnal Green & Blackhorse Road.
25. The Black Book, Soho
Credit: @theblackbooksoho via IG
The Black Book is home to a hefty ‘by-the-glass’ list, and this “late-night wine cave and restaurant” hosts wine tastings to let you sample some of the good stuff. The journey of a thousand wines begins with a single sip, making this an excellent place to start!
📍 23 Frith Street, Soho, W1D 4RR.
🚇 Nearest stations are Tottenham Court Road and Leicester Square.
26. Abuelo, Marylebone
Credit: @abuelocafeuk via IG
New kid on the wine bar block, Abuelo, is an architect-owned and designed local spot, serving up brunch and coffee in the daytime, and transforming into a cosy wine bar on Friday and Saturday nights. Effortlessly chic and simplistic decor, delicious sharing plates, and a whole host of natural wines and cocktails to sip on. The perfect spot to wind down in after a long day of Christmas shopping on Oxford Street, we think.
📍 7-11 Cavendish Place, W1G 0QD.
🚇 Nearest station is Oxford Circus.
So there you have it – a roundup of the best wine bars in London for frosty winter nights. Whether you’re taking a mate or a date; this list should have you quaffing to your heart’s content. Cheers!