WHAT? This is not your ordinary wine bar. Humble Grape is an independent wine merchant on a mission to make wine socially inclusive and approachable – and it’s no mean feat. Carrying handcrafted wines from relatively unknown vineyards around the world, they directly import sustainably produced, organic and biodynamic wines, with true love behind every choice – then sell or serve it alongside delicious small plates.

WHERE? Our visit took place in the Liverpool Street branch just across from the main train station, hidden in the historic Devonshire Row. There are branches in Fleet Street, Battersea and islington, so you’re never too far from the best bottles in London. 

WHY GO? Aside from spending time among people who genuinely adore what they do (any server will happily talk varietals if you ask them for some help choosing your tipple) there are plenty of opportunities to teach yourself a little more about you like (and crucially, what you don’t). We loved the freedom of a wine flight, sampling one sparkling, one white, one rosé/orange, and a red wine each, in an effort to discover our vinotype’.

Learning about which wine best suits your palette is extremely fun, and you’ll go home knowing whether to appeal to your hypersensitive, sensitive, sweet, or tolerant proclivities.

To soak it all up, we ordered chorizo croquettes dipped in coriander chutney (perfectly unctuous), Iberico secreto (a sharing plate of black leg pork shoulder with piquillo pepper, chorizo & almonds) and creamy burrito with grapefruit, honey and coriander. Tomatoes & oregano were tangy and flavoursome, and a plate of English asparagus delicious with goat’s cheese. 

DETAILS: Humblegrape.co.uk/ devonshirerow@humblegrape.co.uk / 8 Devonshire Row, EC2M 4RH 

Amy was a guest of Humble Grape