Our family was able to accompany Charles to England on a recent business trip. We were only there for a week and that is too short to experience everything there is to see, do and eat in London. We gave it our all to enjoy as much as possible. Charles and I decided to spend one day exploring the wine bars of London. We did our research before the trip and mapped out 3 to visit while the kids went to a football match. We started with the oldest wine bar in London and in fact probably one of the oldest in the world, Gordon’s Wine Bar. It is located on Villiers Street. This bar is loaded with history. Even if you aren’t a wine drinker Gordon’s is worth checking out just for their display of memorabilia. Check out their cool history at www.gordonswinebar.com
Entering the bar itself you feel like you are stepping back in time. The wooden walls are covered in newspaper clippings and pictures of historical events. I noticed there are as many pictures of Winston Churchill as Queen Elizabeth displayed in London’s pubs and wine bars. There is also a cellar where you are advised to “mind your head” as you stoop into a candlelit room that guarantees secrecy. No matter the weather you can enjoy sitting outside in Watergate Park under heated and awning covered tables. The weather couldn’t have been better while we were there and rarely ate inside. At night all you needed was a light jacket due to restaurants having outside heaters.
Gordon’s offer a wide range of wines to suit every taste and budget. I had a glass of a French Viognier and Charles had the Italian Primitivo. The food was just as good as the wine. You could order a traditional ploughman’s lunch or create your own charcuterie board. We chose the 3 cheese option of manchego, brie and gouda. It was accompanied with French bread, chutney and quince jelly. This was the first time I had tasted quince jelly. I would compare the jelly to congealed salad consistency. I wasn't crazy about the texture, but the taste was delicious.
If you enjoy al fresco dining London is the city for you. We grabbed a table in Watergate Park. I am glad we were there when they opened because by 12:30 seating was getting limited. They don't take reservations and they suggest to get there early. We could have spent all afternoon here.
Gordon's Wine Bar has ties to the literary and dramatic arts. Rudyard Kipling wrote "The Light That Failed" while he was a tenant in the flats above the bar. The original Players Theatre was directly opposite the bar and playwrights and actors were frequent patrons.
We hope you enjoyed our visit to Gordon's Wine Bar. Our next blog will feature our visit to Lady of the Grapes.