London’s Quality Chop House to open wine bar

Clerkenwell’s Quality Chop House has announced plans to transform its food shop and cafe into a wine bar, extending its service into the evening.

Its head chef, Shaun Searley, confirmed the plans on his Instagram account, revealing that the space will soon open in the evenings as a wine bar serving small plates, and that he was on the hunt for an ambitious chef to lead the kitchen.

Since the start of this year the space has been trading as a café, bakery and shop, closing at around 7pm. Now, the site will take on another guise, staying open into the evening offering a more casual setting alongside its more formal modern British restaurant next door.

“Some exciting news… Plans are afoot to change the @qualitychop wine shop/cafe into a wine bar in the evening with a small plates menu,” Searley said.

The restaurant’s co-owner is Will Lander, the son of wine critic Jancis Robinson and food critic Nick Lander.

Appearing in Wine List Confidential’s top 100 restaurants for wine in London, the wine list at Quality Chop House is overseen by James Fryer, who also looks after the list at sister restaurants Portland and Clipstone in Fitzrovia. It’s likely Fryer will have some involvement in the selection, however it will be Gus Gluck – formerly of Vinoteca – will run the wine bar.

According to Eater, the new venture will likely open at the beginning of July and a £15 corkage charge will be offered on any bottles from the shop floor.