El Vino keeps it simple. There’s no extravagant decor, no loud music, no gastro-style cuisine, just good wine in a relaxing environment.

The Venue
The effort required to locate El Vino, positioned above the Museum of London, is worth the effort. The venue itself is cosy and appeals as an old school wine bar, furnished with wooden tables, padded leather chairs and a few private booths. The decor is rather matter of fact and is lacking in pretentious flourishes so common across the capital, making it easy to relax here.

The Atmosphere
The service at El Vino harks back to the good old days when the people serving were seasoned, frank and efficient. The place is pretty busy at lunchtime when people flock in from the Barbican and surrounding area, but expect it to be quiet in the evening. Due to its out of the way location it’s almost empty by 8pm and, consequently, is only open until 9pm, although they do shut earlier if it’s really empty.

The Food
After 12pm you can order from a selection of starters (£4.90-£12) and mains (£9.50-£11). The menu is British and includes dishes like Shetland Isles smoked salmon, prawn cocktail, steak and kidney pie, fish and chips, prime rib eye steak and fresh sea bream.

Other options include hot open sandwiches (£9-£9.50), cold sandwiches (£4.50-£5.25), antipasti (£12) and a selection of quick bites (£1.55-£7). At dinner, the tapas (£4.65, three for £13 or six for £25) is particularly popular. Choose from banderillas, prawns, chorizo, fabadas, borek lamb cigars and other spicy delicacies. Desserts (£1.60-£4.50) and sharing platters (£9) are also on the menu.

The Drink
If you’re a wine lover, you are definitely in luck. El Vino stocks over 170 varieties so you have plenty of choice, and you can order a crate and take it away. Bottles range from £18-£230, but there are some classic options by the glass as well (£4.40-£6.70), with reds like French Beaujolais and Rioja Crianza. The whites are slightly more creative with the Chilean Viu Manent Chardonnay or the New Zealand Dancing Sun Sauvignon. You can rely on the advice of the experts, they will direct you to that perfect dry white with fruit notes or to the roundest rose.

The Last Word
El Vino proves that sometimes the simple approach works best. Quality prevails.

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