I am a total sucker for vibe. If a venue has good lighting, trendy interiors, (read: distressed oak furniture, framed black and white photos, industrial-look lights, pastel walls or leather booths), a hint of candle-lit cool and delicious nibbles, I’m sold. Naturally, wine bars at my jam. Anywhere I can eat at a marble-top bar, peruse the wine list like I know what I’m talking about and share every morsel with my other half, I’m happy. Discover why trendy wine and restaurant bar in Marylebone needs to be top of the list for your next date night:

Vinoteca Marylebone Review: The Lowdown

Vinoteca Marylebone Review

Vinoteca Marylebone is tucked way on quiet, foodie Seymour Street, a stone’s throw from Marble Arch, but miles from the hustle and bustle of the city. In the summer months, they have a lovely al fresco dining option, and in winter, it’s the perfect spot for an easy work-night dinner, a flight of wines and the most decadent chocolate truffles around. The concept is a deeply sociable, fun one – you can feast to your heart content’s on small plates, taste different wines from around the world, selected by their knowledgeable sommeliers and make the evening as long, light or luxurious as you wish.

Vinoteca Marylebone Review

Seriously, it’s the kind of place you could pop in for one glass of Malbec after work, or stay the entire evening, making your way through Neal’s Yard cheeses, seasonal sharing plates and delicious wines with a big group of friends. As we were hungry, we opted for the latter and decided to single-handedly make our way through wines from all across the continent. In the name of journalism, obviously.

Vinoteca Marylebone Review: The Food

Vinoteca Marylebone Review

The wines are, of course, totally delicious (more on that later) but the food is the real surprise of the evening. I’m used to a decent-enough selection of cheeses, almonds and olives in wine bars, but not the beautifully presented, flavoursome, accomplished dishes served up at Vinoteca – no, this was something quite different, and rather astounding. The concept is simple – order 3 small plates between two people to share, to be enjoyed with your first wine, before moving onto a main (if you’ve got room) or going straight for dessert. You can order more small plates if you’re a nibbling mood, or a hearty steak if you just need a filling meal; it’s a kind of easy, breezy style of eating, which defies conventional and basically allows you to eat exactly what you’re in the mood for. I like.

Vinoteca Marylebone Review

We started with a selection of sharing plates; butternut squash and hazelnut soup, baked ricotta with fried artichokes, bresaola with walnuts and grapefruit and smoked mackerel with celeriac and apple. The smoked mackerel is an absolute triumph – the combination of smoky flavours, sweet apple and the crunch of celeriac is just perfect, rounded off with a delicious lemon mayonnaise. The baked ricotta is a group favourite – with a sour, lemon note, the creamy cheese is a beautiful marriage with the crunchy artichokes, and the whole dish tastes wonderfully seasonal. The bresaola splits the group; I find the pairing perhaps a tad too unusual, but the plate is devoured nonetheless.

We move onto mains, although we’re already fit to burst (journalism), and decided upon fish, steak and a vegetarian option for good measure. The lemon sole is absolutely divine, paired with new potatoes, a light butter sauce and fresh lemon, it melts in the mouth. The steak is a winner, expertly cooked, with crunchy, chunky potato chips and warm winter vegetables, it’s the perfect thing to enjoy with a glass of red. My favourite dish of the night is the chickpea and pumpkin stew, served with natural yogurt, which is full of warming winter spices, heat and depth – all cooled down with the creamy, almost sour yogurt. The perfect marriage of flavours, it’s the kind of thing you want to eat all winter long. We finish the evening of gastronomic delights with their homemade chocolate and coffee truffles (verdict: delicious, rich, creamy, but need a touch more coffee flavour) and chocolate mousse with boozy cherries, which is a literal bowl of heaven. Chocolate mousse is one of those things that, when done right, can bring a smile to anyone’s face – and Vinoteca does just that.

Vinoteca Marylebone Review: The Drinks

Naturally, the wine list here is super impressive, in both length and diversity. They have a great selection of wines from around the world, including natural, organic and biodynamic wines. We started with a glass of and finished with, which was a perfect pairing with our beautiful small plates. 

Vinoteca Marylebone Review: Our Verdict

Vinoteca Marylebone Review

Vinoteca is everything you’d want in a wine bar: style, substance and sexy-AF food. You come for the wine, and stay for the small plates – the cooking here is impressively good, and well-worth the price tag. For your next post-work drinks, dinner with your girlfriends or special evening with your other half, I cannot recommend Vinoteca enough – it’s going to be your new favourite wine bar in the capital, trust me.