Gordon's Wine Bar

[dnjan]

I will be in London for a couple of days in June, staying near the Charing Cross station. I found a review for Gordon's Wine Bar (47 Villiers Street), and was wondering if anyone was familiar with the place.

One of the things that interested me is their wine list includes both sherry and port from the cask.

Comments?

How is the food?

 

[Puzzicato]

I haven't been there myself, but a couple of friends absolutely swear by it. I don't know how good the food is, but there are enough other options in the area that you should be able to get something nice after your drink! Just on the other side of Charing Cross station is a restaurant/wine bar called Terroirs, with lovely food and a really excellent French wine list.

 

[dnjan]

Thanks! I always like to get online recommendations from travel-related sites confirmed, just to make sure it is not just the owner plugging his own place.

And thanks for the recommendation for Terroirs as well. I'll try to check them out when I am in the City.

 

[Puzzicato]

I catch the Tube to Charing Cross station 5 days a week, so you are well and truly on my stamping grounds! If you want some other suggestions, do let me know. Modern British, old-fashioned British, Japanese, Mexican, old-fashioned French brasserie - what do you fancy?

 

[dnjan]

How about a real-beer pub in the area?
After all, I will definitely need to have at least a pint or two of good beer while I am there.

thanks!

 

[benstephens]

I have been to Gordons quite a lot. Lovely place full of atmosphere, however it does get very busy in the evenings. Friday you cab barely move. Worth a visit though.

Ben

 

[Puzzicato]

How about a real-beer pub in the area?
After all, I will definitely need to have at least a pint or two of good beer while I am there.

thanks!

I much prefer Belgian and German beer to British ales myself, but there are a few CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ales) pubs still in the area. The Eagle, in Farringdon (brilliant food), The Harp (just opposite Charing Cross station) are two that leap to mind!

 

[dnjan]

Yes, I regularly drink either locally-produced microbrews or German beers here in Seattle, but the few British bitters I have had (bottled) were so different from their American cousins, that I thought I should taste the beer as it was meant to be tasted.
Thanks for the recommendations!

 

[Puzzicato]

I asked my friend (who is very reliable on food) about Gordon's. She says:

"Gordons is one of my favourite London bars. It gets really busy but if you can get somewhere to sit, particularly outside on a nice day, its great. If you're standing inside, it can be unpleasantly hot as its underground and so has very little ventilation. The wine selection is the best that I know in London and reasonably priced for the quality. I often go for a nice Muscadet that they do for ~£16/bottle. The food is not really the point of Gordons, they do 'slab of' and salad mainly (salmon, pork pie etc) which I've never tried. I've only ever eaten the plate of cheese which comes with French bread, chutneys and pickles. You get (I think) 3 cheese which they buy in whole and keep very well. It's very good but is definitely cheese as a (large) accompaniment to good wine rather than dinner with nice wine as a bonus."

Which seems like a pretty comprehensive review to me!

 

[AntonAAK]

Gordon's is excellent! Ben is right however, it does get extremely busy.

The selection of ports, sherries and madeiras served from the wood is worth the visit alone.

Anton

 

[dnjan]

Thanks all! It will definitely be on my list!

 

[Prof Branestawm]

Gordon's is a lovely place - it is especially atmospheric to sit in the cellar vault with the candles guttering in time to the tube trains rattling past under Charing Cross. The beakers of port and sherry from the cask are also very good value.

As to pubs, the Bree Louise (near to Euston Station) has a good range of real ales served from gravity kegs; the Citie of Yorke (High Holborn) has an atmospheric interior, as does the Coal Hole (the Strand), and I've heard good things about Ye Olde Mitre (Ely Place).

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

Superb range of Port, lovely olives....love it in Winter when you can cosy down in there.

Highly reccomended.

K

 

[Puzzicato]

Here's a list of 10 of London's oldest pubs, should you need some more inspiration! The Lamb & Flag is very close to Charing Cross. http://www.smh.com.au/travel/one-pint-the-rest-is-history-20100507-uian.html

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I will be in London for a couple of days in June, staying near the Charing Cross station. I found a review for Gordon's Wine Bar (47 Villiers Street), and was wondering if anyone was familiar with the place.

One of the things that interested me is their wine list includes both sherry and port from the cask.

Comments?

How is the food?

I notice that June is rapidly approaching and wondered if you fancied meeting up with some London loungers for lunch?

 

[dnjan]

Were I travelling by myself, I would jump at the opportunity to meet fellow loungers over lunch and/or a glass of something.
However, I will be with my wife as part of our 25th wedding anniversary trip. We start in London for a couple of days to get over jet-lag, and then will be taking the Venice-Simplon Orient Express to Venice for the rest of our trip.

So my limited time in London will be split between sleeping, being a typical American tourist (trying to see too much in too little time), and relaxing at the end of the day with some enjoyable beverage (hence my question about Gordon's and other establishments).

Thank you very much for the offer - I just wish I had more time in London so I could take you up on it.

If you see a guy with a handlebar moustache and a 2-in brimmed straw hat with a homburg center-dent, please say Hi!

 

[Puzzicato]

There is a new hat shop just opened in Covent Garden, Laird London on New Row. Treat yourself before your trip to Venice!

 

[dnjan]

Start an anniversary trip by dragging my wife into a hat shop and letting her see what kind of money I spend on hats! That could result in a lonely trip ...

Actually, the hat mentioned above is new, specifically ordered from PanamaBob for this trip. She has no clue what I paid for it, and I hope it stays that way.

 

[Miss Scarlet]

I absolutely love Gordon's Wine Bar. Although I agree it tends to be overcrowded, I love the atmosphere, the dank, dark cellar with cold stone walls, but moreso I adore the newspaper clippings which cover the walls. Some of them go right back to Queen Victoria. I could sit reading them for hours!

 

[AntonAAK]

Sherry Tasting at Gordon's

I've just booked a place on this sherry tasting and tapas event at Gordon's on 28th July. The menu looks great and is a real bargain at £20.

There are still a few places left if any of you in striking distance of London fancy it.