Vinoteca
Price guide: Mid-range
15 Seymour Place, London, W1H 5BD
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#20 of 115
expert-rated restaurants in London- Recommended for:
- Business travellers, Couples, Culture vultures, Foodies, People watching, Relaxation, Trendiness
Expert review of Vinoteca
Rejoice: a handy new branch of London’s coolest wine bar to take the heat off the original.
Vinoteca’s fans are a loyal bunch and no wonder – it’s an excellent restaurant as well as a trend-setting wine bar and retailer. In Farringdon, getting a table of an evening (when bookings aren’t accepted) is a challenge, so this new West End branch is very welcome.
Food and drink:
I loved everything we tried. It’s thoughtful food, well conceived and executed, though some portions could have been more generous for the price. Salad of red onion, fennel, almonds and ricotta was succulent but really just a palate teaser. The knockout dish was mutton and oyster pie with proper brown crusty pastry, rich yet thin gravy, mash and spinach. Of the wines, most intriguing was an Australian lagrein far more full-bodied and cheaper than an Italian variety would be. If you think you don’t like dessert wines, put aside your preconceptions here and enjoy the diverse flavours recommended with the various puds.
Ambience:
Moulded wallpaper and green vinyl give a subtle seventies retro vibe to the otherwise shiny new premises. Bottles are invitingly displayed behind the wooden bar. Families and locals pile in on Sundays – expect more of an office crowd during the week.
Service:
Highly accomplished and intelligent. They’re keen to talk to you about the wines (which always come before the food) but joyfully don’t blah-blah-blah about them.
Location:
The parade of shops is almost discreet yet it’s fantastically handy for Marble Arch, Oxford Street, Edgware Road and Lancaster Gate.
Price advice:
It’s easy to spend more than you might expect, because it feels right to splash out on the wine, and enjoy one with every course. We spent almost £95 on a three-course meal for two with matching wines; you could of course save money having just one glass per person or one of the cheaper bottles.
Other useful branches:
See website below for details of the St John Street, Farringdon branch.
More information on Vinoteca:
- Price guide:
- Type:
- Restaurant, Wine bar
- Food:
- British, Modern
- Address:
- 15 Seymour Place, London, W1H 5BD
- Telephone:
- 020 7724 7288
- Website:
- http://www.vinoteca.co.uk
- Serves:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Opening times:
- Mon-Sat noon-11pm, Sun noon-5pm. Restaurant noon-3pm, 6-10pm; bar food available all day.
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Reservations:
- Not possible
