The Wine Wharf, part of the famed Vinopolis complex nestled beside London’s Borough Market, is a delight for wine buffs and novices alike.

The Venue
Set in the bowels of an old Victorian warehouse on the edge of Borough Market, this restaurant and wine bar more than justifies its position within this gastronomic corner of London. After all, the best partner for the gourmand delights you’ll find in Borough is surely a classy bottle of vino? And there are few better places for a tipple in this area. There’s room for both diners and drinkers at Wine Wharf, and the laid-back atmosphere follows through to a rustically simple decor. Leather couches and wooden chairs and tables are set in a chic industrial space, with exposed metal beams and modern fixtures, while a set of stainless steel clocks on the wall tell you what time of day the grapes in far-flung wine locations like Napa and Stellenbosch are basking in. Bottles of wine mounted in racks on the wall hint at the seemingly endless delights that await you when you open the wine menu.

The Atmosphere
The Wine Wharf is true to the ethos of Vinopolis, which is to make the tasting and enjoyment of wine accessible to all. It’s informal and welcoming, with the small design touches (like the rustic barrels at the entrance and the sleek silver bar when you enter) and its huge drinks menu reinforces its well-earned reputation as a London wine destination. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, willing to guide you through the gargantuan list and make suggestions, and the crowd is certainly happy to indulge. Attracting a mix of suited workers, intimate twosomes and rowdy wine-tasting parties, this venue is a pleasant, chatty and sociable space.

The Food
A small but well-formed menu, with hints of Italian, British and French cuisine, offers more than adequate sustenance to partner your wine intake. A divine choice to start is the pan-fried scallops with tomato and basil salad (£8.50) - a generous serving of juicy scallops accompanied by dollops of a diced Mediterannean salad, with peppery rocket and salty olives cutting through the sweetness of the plump molluscs. Another Mediterranean-style starter (and also the only veggie option) is the char-grilled vegetables and mozzarella bruschetta (£6.95) – a tempting mix of smoky veg and rich, creamy mozzarella on a thick slice of crusty bread.

For the mains, a rustic and flavoursome seafood linguine (£14.25) comes packed with mussels, prawns and clams and it is so good it leaves you with the urge to lick your plate. The wild mushroom risotto (£11.50) is equally addictive, although not for meek stomachs – the pungent, powerful mushrooms combined with the richness of the cheese and the creaminess of the Arborio rice is deliciously moreish yet extremely filling. Meat-lovers are not left out, with robust steaks and grills on offer, like a rib-eye with wedges, burgers, and the special feast: a Cote de Boeuf, grilled mushrooms, roast tomato, wedges and aioli. This is a huge portion, enough for 2-3 people to share and it costs £42.50.

The puddings are sadly not as spectacular as the rest of the food, although they’re a competent round-off to a satisfying meal (and a nice excuse for some dessert wine). The chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream (£5.50) is tasty enough but is disappointingly served cold with no sign of the delicious ooziness you want from a freshly warmed brownie. The cheese selection (£7.50) is almost too-large in its size, with a pre-selected mix of British and French fromage, served with fluffy slices of white bread but no crackers, quince or chutneys in sight.

If you’re here just for the wine (and that’s not such a bad choice) the Wine Wharf also a bar menu with various mezzes, antipasti and nibbles, starting from just £2.95.

The Drink
Whether you swoon over Shiraz or crave a crisp Chenin Blanc, the Wine Wharf is the place to be for lovers of the grape. A huge international wine list mixes every grape possible, from well-known favourites to more unique tipples – and it’s a treat to choose from. The sheer volume of the list means you’ll always find a great match for your meal and a vino to please your palate. A Touraine Sauvignon, from France’s legendary Loire, is freshness personified and a great match for the fish dishes – crisp, clean, grassy and completely quaffable for a price you can swallow at £4.60/£6.25/£24. There are over 300 wines by the bottle and 110 by the glass, with all the key players in both the new and old wine worlds featuring – even some British, Serbian and Lebanese drops are thrown in. There’s a glass for every budget too: tipples start from £3 for an Italian mix of Garganega and Trebbiano grapes (the same combination as a Soave).

As well as the array of sparkling, roses, sherries, and dessert wines (and a list of specials and fine wines, which go up to £190 for a 1989 bottle of Montrose, Saint Estephe), there are, of course, beers and soft options on offer too. If lager is what you’re after however, your best bet is to head next door to the Brew Wharf – the beer corner of Vinopolis. Here it’s all about the wine – and there’s a lot of quality to savour.

The Last Word
Great for groups on a wine-tasting jaunt or for first-dates looking to impress, the Wine Wharf offers sophistication in relaxed surroundings. An excellent stop along the London wine trail.

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