A recommendation for your list of London’s Best Wine Bars: The Brackenbury Wine Rooms
Background
Third in a stable of three (so far), The Brackenbury Wine Rooms is perfectly placed in an attractive parade in Brackenbury Village, Hammersmith. A spacious premises with pavement tables for people watching, there is a relaxed bar, a restaurant and a cave – functioning as daytime deli and wine shop / evening private dining / wine events room with tastings.
Owners, key staff and service
Thor Gudmundsson and Richard Okroj, owners of The Wine Rooms
Local resident Thor Gudmundsson and Richard Okroj are the owners. Staff are relaxed and knowledgeable, following the current trend for less formality in service. A well established model in wine bars is the ‘self service’ use of card-operated Enomatic fridges with 40 wines ‘by the glass’, encouraging customers’ self exploration. (You can read a longer profile of The Wine Rooms concept here on The Buyer).
Buyer wine picks and best sellers
Sancerre rosé at £8 / 125ml is a banker on any ‘by the glass’ list, this one Delaporte from the Loire, a region of good value.
Wines are listed by type eg ‘Burgundian’ and ‘Heavyweights’ rather than country – an enlightened approach. So called ‘natural’ wines have a category ‘Leftfield, Skin Contact and Orange’ so wine explorers and geeks should be happy.
Best sellers change weekly as the range does. Another great value white Picpoul “has been doing well recently”. Ballon, ROT is the groups’ own label wine, a southern Rhone red at £5 / 125ml, £27 per bottle (bar price).
Food
On-trend, Mediterranean holiday fusion themed bar plates starting at £3 for Sicilian green olives. Pimientos del padron are £5 and tempura courgette chips with aioli £4. The restaurant area has tick-box go-to dishes such as onglet steak and chips at £16. All menu items have wine ‘by the glass’ suggestions.
Customers
Sophisticated, middle class of all ages plus happy sprinkling of random wine lovers. Dogs and children on a school night.
USP
Overheard conversation: “Local old pubs are toast basically. Wouldn’t everyone rather drink wine somewhere nice like this?’ In a nutshell, Wine Rooms has cracked it.”
Contact
Website: Wine Rooms
Address: 111-115 Hammersmith Grove, London W6 0NQ
Social Media: @Wine_Rooms Facebook
