Nestling into a crowded marketplace of respectably voguish lounge bars, is Borough Bar any better than its competitors?

The Venue
With all the traits of an All Bar One or Pitcher and Piano - think clean lines, soft lighting and semi-bland decor - it’s actually quite difficult to believe that Borough Bar is a one-off. The main difference between here and the chains is a bigger emphasis on dining and private hire. Weekends are dedicated to private parties, corporate functions, and even weddings and balls. Should you be searching for a romantic but functional setting, the addition of flowers and candelabras lend a surprisingly graceful air to the 250-capacity room.

For the average punter, the convenient location earns it bonus points: assuming you can work your way through the maze of exits at London Bridge station to find the right one for London Bridge Street, then Borough Bar is right there, tucked behind the buses and taxi ranks.

The Atmosphere
Presumably because of the location, chattering commuters pack the place out most evenings. The clientele largely reflects the surroundings: neat, smart, maybe fancy themselves as a bit trendy but definitely not hip. Wall-mounted TV screens displaying a flickering log fire are a rather lame 21st Century concession to traditional pub features, serving only to give you the urge to jump on a train and escape to a real country pub instead. DJs play some nights but have little impact with a music policy designed to blend into the background.

The Food
Describing itself as ‘unfussy’, the menu concentrates on simple, mostly British ingredients, albeit with a slight twist in places. The handmade beef burgers, for instance, are flavoured with Peroni beer, and the pie of the day is served with red wine gravy. The appetisers priced at three for £10-£12.50 (depending on your selection) also introduce an element of tapas, offering Mediterranean-influenced delectables such as Spanish chorizo, butternut squash falafel and flour dusted squid. Prices are reasonable for the area, and there’s also a special credit crunch lunch menu with sausage casserole and beef cannelloni amongst the dishes available for just £4.95.

The Drink
Borough Bar rightfully prides itself on its wine selection, which is carefully sourced from across the globe. Better yet, the wine and Champagne list, stretched over six pages, contains helpful little notes for us philistines who are normally happy with Jacob’s Creek or Ernst and Julio, neither of which are always available, although the selection changes to complement the flavours of the season. Fairfields Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008, a zesty mix of green fruits and passion fruit from New Zealand, comes highly recommended and at £22.50 a bottle is at the higher end of the price-scale, which starts at £13.50.

With such dedication to wine, it would be easy to neglect the other tipples but the cocktail list is carefully thought out, if not particularly extensive, with the more unusual Dark and Stormy (Havana rum mixed with lime, sugar and ginger beer) and Pink Cadillac Convertible (a blend of tequila, Cointreau, cranberry, lime and Grand Marnier) lining up alongside the classic French Martini and Mojito. There’s also an inventive array of shooters, with Corona and Kronenbourg among the bottled beers and Budvar (Czech), Kirin (Japanese) and Erdinger (German) on draught.

The Last Word
Borough Bar doesn’t immediately stand out from the crowd, but the hospitality levels and impressive wine list lift it above the realms of Yates’ Wine Lodge.

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