More than our custom and time, the most valuable thing that, as diners, we can impart to a beloved establishment is our trust, and that relationship is more apparent now more than ever . We are, of course, talking about wine and cocktail delivery — we entrust our favourite London restaurants to know our preferences and tastes when it comes to wine, and it’s safe to say that we gravitate to those same establishments that strike gold time and again.
With venues making everything from rare cellar picks to natural wines available for pickup and delivery, it’s a special win-win for wine lovers. You can support a restaurant you love while getting a bottle for dinner. (Generally, all also offer food for takeaway and delivery. And we have a separate guide for restaurants selling groceries.)
Even if we can’t visit our favourite restaurants right now, those same restaurants are still finding new ways to bring joy into our lives while we’re at home. Here’s our guide to some of the best London restaurants offering wine and cocktail delivery and takeaway.
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This Shepherd’s Bush wine bar was one of the first to trade as an online wine shop and deli; their success has been equal parts impeccable taste and outstanding service. Cases of wine are a no-brainer here, and range from easy-drinking tiers up to connoisseur. Meanwhile, there are plenty of superb deals amongst their selection, like a biodynamic crémant from Domaine de Ronces in the Jura, or Venetian Valpolicellas for less than £16. They’re delivering across London — details here.
Probably the best wine-delivery operation in south-east London, the team behind Peckham Cellars both locally and nationally. In addition to mixed cases, and offerings that range from stone-cold classics to delicious skin-contact bottles, the evidence is abundant of the owners’ affection for wines from less-known regions, like Tenerife. There’s a three bottle minimum, so it’s perfect for stocking up. Order via their website before 3 p.m. for same-day delivery by 7 p.m.
A forerunner to the explosion of natural wine bars in recent years, Brixton’s Naughty Piglets offers a predictably excellent list for takeaway. Focusing on small, independent growers, wines range from the low to midrange (around £15-50), with deals on multiple bottles, plus bagnums of rosé and whites from the excellent Le Grappin. Menus and lists are posted on the restaurant’s Instagram; call 07964538982 to order.
As a restaurant, 10 Greek Street is known for doing simple things very, very well, with a focus on conviviality and looking after their customers. Their approach to wine is no different, with a famously democratic list and a Black Book of rare and interesting wines reserved for customers in the know. Luckily, they’ve opened up their Black Book for delivery via Big Night, with luscious barolos, juicy Beaujolais, rich Soaves, and much more. Check out the list here.
Focusing on organic, biodynamic, and natural wines from female winemakers, Lady of the Grapes’ e-shop is suitably stacked with wine boxes each containing several bottles. Organised by style (for example: ‘Survival Refreshing Spring Box’ for lazy afternoons, or ‘Born to be Wild’, loaded with wild and natural bottles), each box is thoughtfully curated, and represents outstanding value. We’d highly recommend the artisanal cheese box, too. Details here.
One of East London’s go-tos for a good time with a bottle or two of the good stuff, Leroy’s savvy team have created The Others, an online bottle shop with an expertly-curated list of bottles courtesy of owner Ed Thaw. Agnostic of style (though plenty of the low-intervention stuff on hand), bottles are split into ‘fun’, ‘serious’, and ‘rare’ for ease of access. Cast your eyes over their lustworthy Instagram before diving in here.
Sister gastropub to the legendary Anchor & Hope, this Stoke Newington boozer stocks plenty of wine, cocktails, and beer, in addition to an impressive array of groceries and takeaway meals. Pre-batched Negronis are excellent value, while there’s also a range of craft beer and spirits. Wine-wise, expect an array of quality French reds, bottles from proto-natural Friulian winery Radikon, and a few magnums thrown in for good measure. Deliveries are made Thursday to Sunday: order online before 6 p.m. for delivery between 3-5 p.m. the following day.
Beloved by restaurant and wine-industry folk, Sager + Wilde continue to assert themselves as one of the city’s go-tos for immaculately chosen bottles, many of them natural, from regions as diverse as Tenerife, Baja California, Bordeaux and Georgia. Their e-shop is superb, boasting a compelling mix of old-world vintages, skin contact and sparkling wines, as well as small-batch mezcals. Delivering to everywhere in the U.K.
In addition to superb meal kits, this Whitechapel gem also offers an intriguing — and supremely accessible — selection of wines for delivery, via Slerp. Of note: a Kallstadter Kabinett Trocken riesling of superb richness and quality for £14, and a sparkling ancestral parelleda from Spain’s Penedès region: bright, crisp, and delicious. Order here.
Local to Dalston and need some juice for the weekend? Little Duck’s ‘At Home’ shop is offering click and collect for an array of thirst-quenching natural wines, including the exceptional skin-contact via Emilia Romagna’s Podere Pradarolo, and refreshing pet-nats from Languedoc. Order for collection here.
This popular Tooting restaurant gets a lot of love for its incredible food, but their drinks list deserves equal billing. A short but sweet offering of wines spans a range of entry points, from easy drinking Languedoc rosés to complex pinot noirs from small producers like Deep Down in New Zealand. Peruse their online store here — local collection only.
One of the most legendary wine cellars in all of London opens up to the public, with owner Charlie Mellor’s relationships with small-scale growers and producers coming to the fore. The list leans natural and low-intervention, including coveted drops by the likes of Gut Oggau and others; delivery via Big Night. Order here.
One of the city’s best contemporary wine bars and restaurants, Elliot’s in Borough Market has reopened its doors for locals and visitors to peruse its superb selection of biodynamic and low-intervention wines. Specials are posted daily on their Instagram. Takeaway only, and Spanish groceries, too.
Devotees to skin-contact wine should make a beeline for Silver Lining’s e-shop, which has a comprehensive list from across Europe, as well as excellent UK producers like Tillingham in East Sussex. National delivery available, plus a coffee on the house for those able to click-and-collect. Order here.
As well as fresh pasta and pantry staples, this Venetian neo-bacaro also delivers a selection of precipitously drinkable natural wines to the Hackney and Victoria Park area. Fixtures include the Calcarius Nu Litr Orange and Paltrinieri’s Lambrusco di Sorbara (frothy, pink, and perfect for the sunshine). With many bottles hovering in the £20-30 range, there’s no reason not to get involved. Take a look at the list and order here.
Mirroring its carefully curated menu of Middle Eastern dishes, the drinks at this beloved Dalston local are light, fresh, and perfect for warmer weather. As well as a selection of dry and sweet vermouths that need only ice, a succinct list of low-intervention and conventional white and orange wines from small growers make for considered (and delicious) drinking. Order here.
It’s safe to say that Jackson Boxer’s Notting Hill restaurant has established itself as one of London’s standout delivery specialists. In tandem with superlative takeaway and delivery, Orasay’s to-go drinks menu is a veritable high-end bar at your fingertips: fizz, wine, cider and craft beer are all covered, and there’s keg wine for anyone looking for refills. Delivery is via Slerp.
Having reinvented itself during lockdown as a first-rate pizzeria and grocer, Fare (from the team behind Sager + Wilde) boasts a slick array of pre-batched Negronis and summery spritzes (the Venetian and Peach Americano are excellent), plus an easygoing wine list that leans towards casual drinking and low-intervention. Score yourself a Tillingham pét-nat or a Chartogne-Taillet Saint Anne Champagne at a bargain price for the weekend via their online shop.
Having recently celebrated its sweet sixteen by hosting a drag brunch on Zoom, this Bethnal Green institution finds new ways to bring joy to its regulars — even in the midst of a pandemic. Pre-mixed cocktails come in half-litre batches (choose from a house Negroni, espresso martini, bloody mary, and others), while delicious Australian wines come courtesy of Bird in Hand. Order here.
With a delivery offering that includes several varieties of caviar, it’s safe to say that this Chelsea fishmonger-cum-champagne bar’s drinks list is accordingly high-end. Expect a short selection of sparkling wines and champagne — all exquisite — with a few organic and naturally minded house wines at the everyday end. Get them here.
