Hot London bar openings: December

Henny’s

db is especially excited to announce the opening of a dinky new drinking den masterminded by our own Niall Penlington, who pursued his dream of opening a wine bar after attaining a degree in wine business from Plumpton.

Named after his beloved grandfather – Henry (Henny) Nalty – who enjoyed a good glass of wine, the self-funded Henny’s is a laid-back micro wine bar and bottle shop in Tooting’s Broadway Market. Specialising in boutique organic and biodynamic wines from Italy, France and Portugal, all of the wines on pour at the bar are available to take home at retail price.

Among the gems on the list are a Passerina from Abruzzo producer Cantina Orsogna; a rosé from Portugal’s Vinho Verde region made from ancient indigenous grape Espadeiro; and a Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend from Gascony.

Terroirs East Dulwich

In a space on Lordship Lane that has changed more often than Beyoncé during an arena tour, the erstwhile Toasted in East Dulwich has been turned into Terroirs 2.0 and will run as a sister site to the Covent Garden original.

Specialising in natural, organic and biodynamic wines from small producers, the wine bar and bistro is headed up by executive chef Michal Chacinski, who will be whipping up sharing plates of pork and pistachio terrine; duck rillettes; fried Jerusalem artichokes; snails on toast with garlic butter; lardo and heritage beetroot; and beef shin, soft polenta and bone marrow.

On the wine front, expect 300 bins including a range served on tap from Laurent Cazottes, Nicolas Reau and Remy Dufaitre. Look out for Tom Lubbe’s Matassa skin-contact Marguerite from the Roussillon, and Elena Pantaleoni’s Macchiona 2009, the beefy lovechild of Barbera and Bonarda.

All of the minimum intervention wines (except those on tap) can be taken away at retail price from the in-house wine shop. The venue will also run weekly wine tastings and regular winemaker supper clubs.

La Tagliata Wine Bar

With London in the throws of a steamy love affair with all things Italian, La Tagliata restaurant in Fitzrovia is making the most of this passion for La Dolce Vita by opening a wine bar next door. The cosy 25-cover ‘L’-shaped space boasts a black marble bar, mirror glaze tiles and blue leather stools, with seating for a further 45 in the basement.

The 50-bin wine list curated by co-owner Lorenzo Boldi features recognisable names alongside lesser-known boutique producers, including a Cabernet Franc and a Sangiovese from jewellery scion Giovanni Bulgari’s estate near Siena in Tuscany.

The cocktails meanwhile, twist on Italian classics via the likes of a White Negroni; a Prosecco-laced Gypsy Soul redolent with Viscionata orange liqueur; and a Chinotto Sour, a bittersweet take on the whisky sour. If you’re feeling peckish you can nibble on pizzas loaded with Italian sausage and porcini; N’duja and mozzarella; and gorgonzola, rocket and sun-dried tomatoes.

Enoteca Rosso

Just when you thought London couldn’t possibly open another Italian joint, along comes Enoteca Rosso in High Street Kensington, a sleek new wine bar manned by staff pulsing with passion for the fermented grape.

The focus here is on accessibly priced old and rare Italian drops served alongside regional seasonal Italian cuisine. Bottles start from £25 and the offering includes over 30 wines by the glass.

Every dish on the menu can be ordered in small, medium and large sizes (a genius idea). Rumour has it that one of the pasta dishes in inspired by a full English breakfast, which will either be divine or a disaster.

Less experimental offerings include saffron tagliatelle with lamb ragu and raspadura shavings; ravioli filled with broccoli and ricotta, sausage crumbles, garlic and fresh chillies; and slow-cooked pork fillet with chestnuts, pumpkin crisps and grilled polenta. It also, rather intriguingly, serves ‘obscure’ charcuterie – though we’re not sure from which beasts the meats are fashioned from.

The Blue Posts

Layo and Zoë Paskin, the brother and sister duo behind The Palomar and The Barbary, have taken over a 278-year-old pub in London’s Chinatown.

Called The Blue Posts, the pub, within a grade II listed building, has operated at its Rupert Street address since 1739. With its high ceilings and large windows, the ground floor of The Blue Posts serves beers, wines and spirits from small independent producers.

Meanwhile, the first floor is home to cocktail bar The Mulwray, decked out in sumptuous dark velvets, soft pink furnishings, Connemara marble and satin brass. We’ve got our eye on the White Mischief cocktail, made with QuiQuiRiQui mezcal, manzanilla Sherry and Italicus Rosalio di Bergamotto. Hungry punters can get their food fix at Evelyn’s Table, a kitchen counter located in the pub’s old beer cellar catering for 11.

Headed up by chef Nacho Pinilla, former executive chef of The Barbary, the space serves a daily changing menu as well as the bar menu for the rest of the pub. Leo and Zoë describe Evelyn’s Table as “informal, energetic and intimate”.

Linden Stores

Proving that 2017 is the year of the hybrid venue, Highbury has a shiny new wine shop and restaurant in Linden Stores, which has taken over Prawn on the Lawn.

Run by Laura Christie (half of Turkish delight Oklava) and her partner Chris Boustead (of Boustead & Bidois), the stripped back basement restaurant with exposed brick walls, wooden tables and a blackboard detailing specials, serves the likes of potted rabbit with clementine jelly; and smoked beef stew with thyme dumplings.

On the wine side the duo have curated a selection offering ideal sips for both rainy Mondays and big birthdays. All of the wines can be bought to take away at retail price.

Weino Bib

Once sniffed at by wine snobs, bag-in-box (or BiB) wine is hip with the cool kids and is making the most of its moment in the sun. Keen to capitalise on the trend is Weino Bib, a tap room and deli in Dalston serving 20 wines on tap alongside milk, olive oil and juice, and a “hedonistic” range of cheese, meat and fresh pasta.

Having tested the water as a pop-up back in 2015, the concept proved so popular its founders decided to find a permanent home for their eco-friendly venture. Bring along your own bottle, box, or another vessel of your choosing and let the good wine flow.

Last minute types can buy eco-friendly picnic pouches, boxes and 20l kegs at the venue. Wines are largely minimum intervention artisanal drops from small producers, and prices are kept down due to the BiB format. Those keen to soak up the atmosphere can drink their wines on site with meat and cheese plates from the deli.

The Prince

The rather arid social wasteland of West Brompton has an exciting new pleasure dome as The old Prince of Wales pub has been given a modern makeover. The space has been turned into an entertainment complex featuring two bars, four restaurants and oodles of outdoor space including a giant (not so) secret garden with a woodland theme.

Masterminded by the Pergola team, the space includes burger mecca Patty & Bun, Thai Joint The Begging Bowl, farm-to-plate restaurant Rabbit, and Salvation in Noodle’s new Vietnamese barbecue project ‘MAM’. And fear not, the secret garden is fully heated in winter, so you won’t be freezing your Christmas baubles off.