A well-considered wine bar has a way of recalibrating the end of a day – the ambience of low lighting and the murmur of conversation, complemented by a curated wine list.
Guests are often guided by teams whose expertise runs deep, people who have spent years tasting, travelling and selecting bottles that reveal something new, whether a lesser-known label or a producer worth following. While today’s wine bars have evolved far beyond their origins, they retain an unmistakable echo of the Parisian cave à manger, even when encountered in the most unexpected corners of London.
In this guide, we reveal a list of the best wine bars London has to offer.
Diogenes the Dog
Diogenes the Dog is an award-winning wine bar, café and online retailer that champions overlooked and unconventional wines from around the world. Recognised by The Drinks Retailing Awards as Hybrid Retailer of the Year 2023, it has firmly become a fixture among London’s most distinctive places to drink.
The bar’s philosophy is inspired by its namesake, Diogenes, one of the founders of Cynicism. The list aims to highlight the “underdogs” of the wine world, introducing them to guests. The food menu mirrors the wine list’s exploratory ethos, featuring a rotating menu of small plates designed to complement the ever-changing pours. For those seeking a deeper dive, the Wine Tasting Flight offers a guided experience – eight carefully chosen wines paired with small plates, priced from £75 per guest.
Gordon's Wine Bar
Opened in 1890, Gordon’s Wine Bar is considered the oldest in London, located just steps from Trafalgar Square, between Charing Cross and Embankment stations. It occupies a building formerly home to Samuel Pepys in the 1680s and, in the years that followed, to Rudyard Kipling. Stepping inside feels like entering another era, featuring vaulted and candlelit cellars, oak barrels lined with sherry and port and walls layered with sepia photographs and fragments of headline-making moments.
The menu is anchored by an impressive selection of cheeses – more than fifteen in total – alongside charcuterie and a range of vegetarian and vegan dishes. With generous pours and an extensive list of acclaimed wines, guests can settle at one of the many outdoor tables or slip into the privacy of a more secluded corner within the cellar. For those who prefer the open air, the heated terrace offers a year-round al fresco alternative that makes it as inviting in winter as in summer.
Bottles Wine Bar, Spitalfields
As the Spitalfields outpost of Franco Mancini and Daniele Marano, Bottles brings a distinctly Italian sensibility to the edge of Old Spitalfields Market. Following the success of their first venture, Bottles & Battles at Mercato Metropolitano, the duo has refined their approach to create a space that feels contemporary. In a reversal of the usual restaurant logic, Bottles builds its food suggestions around the wine rather than the other way around.
The wine list centres firmly on Italy, showcasing bottles from independent growers from small and often remote farms, many of which are rarely seen outside their region. Highlights include the rich 2020 Pinot Noir Brut Nature Rosé from Gorghi Tondi and the full-bodied 2022 Shiraz from Leeuwenkuil Swartland. With around 130 options, the selection can appear formidable, but the team excels at guiding guests toward something aligned with their palate.
La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, Neal’s Yard
Discreetly positioned within the cobbled enclave of Neal’s Yard, La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels introduces the feel of a Parisian townhouse to Covent Garden. The wine list leans towards France, yet it extends its reach with confidence across the rest of Europe and most notably into Switzerland, with a particular focus on smaller producers and hard-to-find bottles. For those wishing to delve deeper, the cellar holds more than 400 bottles from revered and hard-to-find producers.
Grays & Feather, Covent Garden
A new-wave wine bar in Covent Garden houses London’s first dedicated sparkling-wine specialist, Grays & Feather. Occupying two levels of a former 1860s publishing house once linked to Charles Dickens, the venue presents a Rococo-inflected salon with tall windows on the upper floor, while a subterranean speakeasy of intimate alcoves waits below.
Its curated wine list spans Italian sparklers, rising English fizz, Japanese and Brazilian bruts, Canadian cuvées, standout South African Krone Borealis and a notably nutty, peppery Grüner Veltliner with ripe pear and greengage notes, offered as Austria’s contribution to the lineup.
67 Pall Mall, St James's
Created by wine lovers for a community of fellow enthusiasts, the 67 Pall Mall Group comprises private Members’ Clubs dedicated to the appreciation of fine wine. The flagship Club opened in 2015 in the distinguished surroundings of St James’s, establishing access to exceptional wine as its guiding principle.
The Club’s wine list features more than 1,000 options by the glass and nearly 5,000 bottles in total, representing 42 countries. Large-format bottles from celebrated estates and notable vintages are displayed proudly at the bar and are also served by the glass.
Members may also store their own collections in the cellars, which can be retrieved for enjoyment on-site for a corkage fee or delivered locally. Private collections are housed within an original Chatwood “Invincible” bank vault, a relic of the building’s former occupant, Hambros Bank.
Bar Crispin, Soho
Found in the heart of Soho, Bar Crispin is a stylish wine bar and restaurant, defined by its emerald-toned interiors and heated terrace. The wine list is curated by Head of Wine Alex Price and leans primarily toward European producers who champion organic and biodynamic practices.
Sustainability is central to the selection, which celebrates expressive wines rooted in their terroir and made from rare or distinctive grape varieties. The list also explores wilder expressions from volcanic landscapes and exceptional winemakers working in regions such as Tenerife, Sicily and Greece. Certain bottles appear only in limited quantities, making each visit a chance to discover something new.
The Drop, King’s Cross
The Hart brothers’ influence on London’s dining scene is well established – Barrafina’s Michelin-starred tapas, the charm of Quo Vadis and El Pastor’s cult following at Borough Market attest to that. Their expansion into Coal Drops Yard continues this momentum, with The Drop serving as their dedicated ode to wine.
Occupying a series of Victorian brick arches, the bar evokes the mood of a relaxed cave à vin with terracotta underfoot, curved brick overhead and shelves lined with bottles. Around twenty reds and twenty whites are in the selection, joined by a small range of rosé, orange and fortified wines, including a few bag-in-box options. The emphasis is squarely on independent producers, many of whom the Hart brothers have encountered personally on their travels.
Antidote Wine Bar & Shop
One of Carnaby’s most discreet delights, Antidote is a French-run wine bar and shop that has become a favourite among those who prize natural, carefully sourced wines. Tucked on a peaceful corner of Newburgh Street, it serves as an ideal beginning or ending to an evening in Soho.
The space unfolds across two levels: a relaxed ground floor featuring a cheese and charcuterie bar and an airy dining room above. For those seeking a moment in the open air, the bookable terrace offers a coveted spot for an afternoon glass or an early-evening pause.
