Cork & Bottle

curlynewf

Just what you want 24th October 2008

3 found this helpful

I went here a couple of Wednesdays ago for work-leaving drinks. We booked one of the alcoves in advance, which was good thinking because by 7pm it was packed.

We stayed until closing and in that time went through large quantities of wine and sampled a few of their cheese plates with bread (all very good). The highlight was the sparkling Shiraz - a first for most of us.

I've heard mixed reviews of the food, but a couple of people ordered mains and were both very complimentary - the white pudding in particular was highly praised!

For me, it's just what you want from a wine bar - knowledgeable staff without the pretense, a good wine list that doesn't intimidate or attempt to be cryptic, and a healthy, lively buzz about the place.

A real pleasure to find a spot like this in the west end, and in Leicester Square no less!

ceedoubleu at 25/10/08

I'm always forgetting the C&B - a welcome spot in an unpromising area. Thanks for the reminder.

up_shiraz at 27/10/08

mmmmmmmmmmm...sparkling shiraz....

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herb

cork and what 10th October 2008

1 found this helpful

well it's and ok place to eat, but if you go on a date, bad choice, they have a good selection of wines and good beers, but the food could be a little bit better...

Niamheen at 10/10/08

I do enjoy going here for wine but haven't tried the food. I've read that it's below par before from up_shiraz's review.

curlynewf at 15/10/08

Curious... why is it not a good date place? Is it the food, or the atmosphere?

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up_shiraz

All about the bottle 28th September 2008

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So who's fault is it when you make a bad menu choice? As soon as it arrive you know that you're bold choice was the wrong one. Your companions' meals are good - it's a hard one to call. How many scoring points should you take off when your 'renowned' ham and cheese pie is instantly forgettable...claggy cheese and seemingly reconstituted ham layered up. When i saw the pie, the browned, puffy pastry looked so inviting and with no slices taken out already, i had no idea of what waited within. It's a tricky one.

Apart from all this menu angst, the Cork and Bottle is brilliant. Tucked away in a very unpromising part of Leicester Square, it bustles with people who've spent half their lives drinking wine here. And good wine at that. Don Hewitson once came to the winery i was working at in the Barossa and bought 60 cases of Shiraz and Cabernet for this bar. We drank one of the few remaining bottles of Shiraz this evening and it was superb, with a really fair price tag to match. The rest of the list is jammed full of Don's character and personality. Great wines from his friends he has built up over the years and plenty of comment about what he thinks is over-rated or unacceptably expensive.

Ribeye steak in a Madeira sauce was wicked and cottage pie was rich and warming. The mackerel pate was really very good and none of it is too expensive. But if only i could just get over that damn pie-thing. In fact I have...i've decided. The atmosphere is great. The decor is like Gordon's with higher ceilings, more light and less soot/mould and the wine list superb. As other reviewers have said, you don't necessarily come here for the food. So embrace the Cork and Bottle. Sadly Don spends more of his time in the South of France these days but his Kiwi TV chef brother Iain was propping up the bar so the Hewitson reputation was safe. It's better that 3 stars but not quite up to 5. Which leaves...umm...4. Done.

Niamheen at 29/09/08

I can't believe I haven't been here yet. I've wanted to go but that part of town is not somewhere I frequent too often. I'll change that in the next couple of weeks!

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sue

Basement Wine Bar 31st December 2007

1 found this helpful

Cork & Bottle is an underground wine bar and restaurant hidden away in Leicester Square. Open since 1971/2, it is owned by Kiwi Don Hewitson who owns several wine bars in London and seems to have excellent taste in wine.

It is a small, intimate place - perfect for a rendezvous and a quiet meal. The food is not the reason to go though, so don't expect an amazing meal.

paulcollins

4th June 2007

2 found this helpful

The original West End media hangout, and venue for a thousand long lunches. It's easy to see why, with a huge and well-researched wine list, superb food and an atmosphere that is second-to-none. Not posh, no trendy sofas or moody lighting, but one of the very best bars in London. Go in for lunch, come out at closing time.