Best Wine Bars In London

Watering holes that are at the top of their grape game? Offering a generous selection of good quality glasses, delicious cheeseboards and a great atmosphere? No longer reserved for sommeliers alone, London's best wine bars are becoming a staple of date nights, friend nights and everything in between. Check out our recommendations here. We can also recommend plenty of wine tastings in the city if you're looking to brush up on your knowledge. 

Last edited by Kiera Chapman

Last updated on 3rd October 2024




The Wine Tasting Shop

The best wine tasting bar in London? It doesn't get much better than this beauty, which has over 20 by the glass and more than 300 bottles to choose between as well. Ideal for date nights in an intimate setting, The Wine Tasting Shop stocks artisanal producers and has live music each week too.

STEM + STEM

STEM + STEM can be found in the City of London combining locally sourced British ingredients with a thoughtful wine list, all while doubling up as a florist. Its natural interiors are indicative of its approach to cooking - think plenty of foliage, crisp white tiles and minimalism done right. The botanic beauty's wine selection features whites by the glass like Saint-Joseph “Litote” Bryan Deleu and sweet and fortified sips like Tawny Port, Niepoort, 10yo to name a few. 

28-50 Wine Bars - Various Sites

28-50 Wine Bars is a gorgeous collective of watering holes and restaurants, with beaut venues in Marylebone, Chelsea and Kensington, alongside a wine bar in Covent Garden. Head to one of their sites to explore a menu of seasonal plates and unique bottles from across the globe, with resident sommeliers on-site to help you pair.

Cecilia's Wine House

Located on the popular Drury Lane, Cecilia's Wine House is a first-class option for those of you who are into a glass of the good stuff. Head inside, where you'll be met with stylish interiors, alongside plenty of space to enjoy some up-and-coming or best-loved serves: from your burgundies to that all important Bordeaux.

116 Pall Mall

In need of the best wine bar in London? 116 Pall Mall is a magnificent Grade I listed venue that's bringing Georgian grandeur to your drinks. Mosey down to the secret cellar Champagne spot, where you'll uncover amazing fizz, one of the city's largest collections of magnums and a seasonal British menu to match.

Crispin

Crispin is a seriously stylish all-day restaurant and bar, found near Spitalfields market and only a few minutes walk from Liverpool Street Station. Housed within a small but perfectly formed asymmetric pavilion, the intimate venue offers a brilliant selection of low-intervention wines from around the world.

Vagabond - Various Sites

Find a Vagabond wine bar in London and you'll be spoilt for choice. Not only can you visit in Battersea, Clapham, Fulham, Canary Wharf and more, but their concept for pouring wines is unique too. With over 100 to try at each location, you're not just blessed with options aplenty, but you can grab a pre-paid card while to top-up and try tasters at the self-serve machines. 

Sager & Wilde

Sager & Wilde is a Hackney Road venue that made itself a permanent fixture after a successful pop-up, taking the British Lion pub and stripping the interiors back to its original roots with exposed brick, wooden floors and an industrial-style bar top. There's an impressive selection of wine available by the glass here - and the bar prides itself on being a fraction of the cost of top restaurants stocking the same bottles.

The Black Book

Tucked away in Soho, The Black Book is a chic wine bar named after its iconic black book of premium wines housed in its cellar. Open Tuesday to Saturday, this spot, once a members-only haven, now welcomes everyone to enjoy its expertly curated wines. Whether you're pairing Mediterranean small plates or just stopping by for a casual drink, the in-house sommelier is always ready to guide your selection. Their standout feature is the impressive 'by-the-glass' menu, allowing you to taste some of the finest bottles without breaking the bank.

Arros QD

If you fancy pairing your carefully selected vino with a spot of Spanish fine dining, ArrosQD is the wine bar in Fitzrovia for you. Just shy of Soho and a stone's throw from the shops of Oxford High Street, they're whipping up tasting menus using Valencian fire cooking techniques, which include truffle potato souffle, rabbit paella and octopus leg.

Bank House

Venture to Bank House for a hand-picked list of over 100 bottles when you next fancy a glass of red, white or rose. Better yet, there's small plates, Sunday roasts and more to tuck into while you drink plenty of new favourites.

Bar Douro

Following the success of his hugely popular pop-up and supper clubs, Max Graham brought his Portuguese sharing plates and tapas dishes to a permanent home in the arches of Union Street in Southwark. Not only that, but you can expect the finest wine from the country to accompany, including several bottles of Churchill's Port on offer from the restaurant's family estate. They've been making wine in the Douro Valley for over two centuries, so you're in safe hands.

Noble Rot

The first location from the team behind wine and food entertainment magazine, Noble Rot, this wine bar and restaurant is named after their publication and sits on Lamb's Conduit Street - a beloved area dating to 1701. A wine bar was first opened on this site by a descendent of Admiral Nelson in 1974, but now houses a venue whose drinks offering was named 'Wine List of the Year' at the World Restaurant Awards 2019, plus the National Restaurant Awards in 2020, 2018, 2017 and 2016. Think everything from hidden gem wines by the glass to rare, mature bottles from famous estates, alongside a Franglais food menu to accompany.

Top Cuvée

Situated on Blackstock Road in Islington, Top Cuvée is the fourth location from brothers and wine experts Max and Noel Venning, after the success of Bar Three, Three Sheets and Little Mercies. This time they've teamed up with Brodie Meah of Dinner by Heston in Melbourne, aiming to create a Parisian-inspired destination. The intimate space seats just 45 people at a time, with a daily menu of world-class wines to choose from - even giving you the option to take bottles home as well.

Gordon's Wine Bar

Yep, it's that famous London wine bar in a cave you've been gagging to go to for ages. The ultimate romantic spot and busy after-work favourite, it can be found in a candlelit underground space. Established in 1890, it's one of the capital's oldest wine bars, and the Gordon's Wine Bar menu offers vintage sips along with a regularly changing selection of cheese.