The best cheese and wine bars in London

Brie-lliant spots: Where to find the best cheese and wine in the capital
Gordons Wine Bar
Lizzie Thomson31 December 2018

Whatever time of year it is, a glass of vino and a cheese board always goes down a treat.

Whether it’s dining al fresco in the summer with a drink in hand and some cheesy nibbles on the table or sitting in a cosy bar in winter and tucking into a seasonal platter.

London has bountiful bars showcasing grapes and cheeses from all over the globe.

With that said, here are the best cheese and wine spots in the capital.

Gordon’s Wine Bar

Secret spot: A taste of Old England
Gordon's Wine Bar

Established in 1890, this bar is one of the oldest in London and stepping inside it really does feel like going back in time. This semi-circular wine cellar is lit by candlelight and looks like something out of a Charles Dickens novel. There’s ample wines on offer from all over the world and there’s the option for a build-your-own platter with over 17 types of cheese; from softer varieties to more pungent types. All cheeses are accompanied by bread, butter, chutneys and pickles. It’s quite a romantic spot but be prepared to wait around for a table as this popular venue has limited seating in its unique basement.

47 Villiers St, WC2N 6NE, gordonswinebar.com​

Bottles

Bottles is unassuming from the outside; once through the door it's a den of crates and charcoal black boards, dark steel stools and, no surprise, bottles after bottle stacked up in boozy pyramids. It's cosy in that happy, crowded sort of way, and serves a selection of fine wine, with a heavy lean into Italian stuff – the owners from there – alongside food that's far better than it needs to be. In fact, the food is really rather good: freshly made, delicately done plates, some simple, some less so. All in all, it's a wonderful little place; perfect date night fare, but good if you just need a really good glass of wine to gently soften the sharp edges of a long day.

Old Spitalfields Market, 67 Brushfield Street, E1 6AA, bottleswine.bar

Yield N16

This neighbourhood wine bar-cum-shop has a super relaxed feel to it and the staff know their stuff too. To stop wastage, they serve what they have open at the time so cheese and meat varies on a daily basis. The menu features organic and artisanal producers with cheese from Neal’s Yard and wines from lesser-known regions. There’s only a handful of tables and chairs which gives it a more intimate vibe too.

44-45 Newington Green, N16 9PX, yieldn16.com

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1/5

Humble Grape

This comfy bar tucked away on St. Bride’s Passage, is the perfect date night spot. It boasts an extensive drinks list with a focus on biodynamic and organic wines, they also offer retail Mondays where customers can enjoy wines from the shop at takeaway prices. As for the food, there’s a selection of mouth-watering cheeses including cheese croquetas, Taleggio, and Fourme d'Ambert.

1 St. Bride's Passage, EC4Y 8EJ, humblegrape.co.uk

Vivat Bacchus

Cheese lovers, brace yourselves. This bar has an entire room dedicated to the stuff and staff will even take you in and explain what’s on offer before opting for your own cheese board. While cheeses change regularly, there’s usually around 40, so plenty to choose from. To compliment the food, there’s a hearty wine list that heavily features French and South African vinos (to pay homage to the South African owners).

4 Hays Lane, SE1 2HB, vivatbacchus.co.uk

Cork & Bottle Wine Bar

This long-standing Leicester Square haunt has been serving wine for over 30 years. The drinks list is full of character, taking guests on a tour of wine regions across the world. They also host regular themed tasting events for guests to learn more about the world of wine. As for bites, there’s plenty of cheese here too, 14 types to be specific.

44-46 Cranbourn St, WC2H 7AN, thecorkandbottle.co.uk

La Fromagerie

Each seasonal cheese board at this joint is themed with a different country and paired with wine to match. For something slightly warmer, the menu includes a fondue savoyarde and a melted raclette. All in all, the shop itself is perfectly presented and the dishes match, making it an incredibly Instagrammable bar. It also has sister sites in Highbury and Bloomsbury, so cheese lovers can get their fix anywhere in the city.

2-6 Moxon St, W1U 4EW, lafromagerie.co.uk

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