We had a BBQ in our day the other day (on of those rare London summer evenings) and one of the…read moreguests brought wines and ginger beer, which he'd purchased at this cute little store on Archway Road. I really liked the ginger beer and so on my next trip to HIghgate Wood, I stopped by at this place and had a look at their collection myself...and I really liked what I saw: a perfectly well stocked deli/wine store that serves different functions. Aside from wines, they also serve local beers & even locally distilled gins. But that's not all, they also sell bread from a local bakery and charcuterie as well as various kinds of cheeses. My tip: first go to the Archway Video store next door and pick a good movie. Then come to Zelas and buy some delicacies that pair well with the movie ;-)

Love Zelas. Very original concept and has a strong local following. Head-and-shoulders above the…read morerest of this stretch of Archway Road in Highgate except maybe nearby Cocoro (Japanese) which is also excellent. Healthy pizzas and omelettes, fantastic wine selection and the proprietor is very knowledgeable.

So we decided this would be a damn good way to spend and evening and let me tell you it was! I am…read morestill amazed at how much fun we had! Got there right at the time our reservation was. We were directed into a bar with a total of 16 people and lo and behold we were given a Tom Collins!? A nice way to start our hour long history of Gin lesson! As we wound our way through London's Gin history we also had a Gin and Tonic and a Gin Paloma and more Tom Collins! The gin was plentiful and so good. Next we broke up into 2 groups of 8 and went to meet with our Master Distiller. There we learned more about Gin and the flavorings that make up the Sprit itself. Here we tasted each distilled spice, fruit, etc. as we tasted these we made our notes and built our Gin. They use a high profile Vodka (as do most Gin producers) and we added distilled flavorings that we chose based on nose, taste and finish. The Master distiller then took our choices and came up with the percentages needed to make out Personalized Gin. After all ours were made we tasted each other's concoctions and really had such a great time. Labels were added to our bottles that we got to name and then we were presented with a bottle of their Portobello Road Gin as well. Oh.....they keep your recipe on file so you can re-order whenever you want! My wife who isn't a Gin person.....had a blast and learned to appreciate a couple Gin Cocktails. WELL WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION

Excellent! My husband and I visited London and were looking for an experience to break up the many…read morerestaurant reservations we had (foodies haha). I had heard about the Ginstitute before, and being that I'm a lover of gin, thought we'd give it a shot. I booked our reservations online through their website two days prior. The website asks for an address to send the vouchers, but being from the US, we opted to collect them at the venue (just put in their address instead - 186 Portobello Road). You can enter through The Distillery and just walk to the back. We were lead downstairs to the lecture room with maybe 20 other people, served our first drink (Tom Collins), and the lecture began! There were more tastings throughout the lecture. Next came the gin-making/mixing part. We were sat at a large table with various botanicals and educated on which to put in, what is generally used, etc. We tasted a few different flavors and came up with our own concoction of sorts, which was bottled and given to us to take home! We were also sent home with 2 bottles of tonic and a bottle of their Portobello Road Gin. The whole experience lasted around 3 hours, and it was definitely worth every penny of £120pp. The Ginstitute is located in Notting Hill (Notting Hill Gate tube station) where there are a ton of cute shops and cafes to browse through. Could easily spend a day or two there! I didn't have anything to eat or drink at The Distillery, but the staff was nice and customers looked happy; always a good thing. I wholeheartedly recommend The Ginstitute! Eat something beforehand though ;)

What's a great experience. The team here is phenomenal. The location is sexy, and a bit reminiscent…read moreof old world speak easy bar/lounges. Although the venue was packed with patrons and private Xmas parties, the host and hostess found us a place to sit. Service team and staff were incredibly knowledgeable. I've had a ton of cheese and charcuterie boards and these were top notch. Hands down the best fig jam on top of that, that I've ever had. It was like a splash of dessert. The flavors and textures were incredible, and the wine selections were great. I've already told numerous people that this is a place to go if you want a really incredible place to wine and dine. Kudos to the team here. It's now on my list of places to go.

I was absolutely stunned!…read more Stunned at how amazing the wine was, the quality of the sharing platters, the deserts, the amazing staff and how quiet it was here! I loved the decor. Placed in the vaults of a church (where apparently Rupert Murdoch married Jerry hall), it's a very contemporary, unique, but also extremely retro vibe. We came on a Monday night to find only 4 tables dinning, so I was a little apprehensive. We looked to ordered some wine, but found the menu didn't offer any taste notes, so asked the waiter for advice. Not only did he really know his wine, but brought us tasters to help our selection. We ordered a bottle of full bodied red, and a small veggie, cheese and meat sharing platter. We're happy we only ordered small plates, because there was more than enough to nibble on whilst we savored our wine. We then finished the meal off with 2 shares deserts and the recommended desert wine. This really was a treat, the food was amazing, fresh and came impeccably presented. The wine was fantastic and at less than £30 a bottle, a complete steal. In total the bill was very reasonable. I'm still stunned by the fact that it was so quiet here, but then it's a new buisness and it's in the city so I can understand. However I think it's well worth the trip, regardless of how dead it is in this part of the city on a early week day. I'm already planning my next visit!

Had a wonderful dinner at the Satyrio Italian restaurant. The restaurant is very quaint with a cozy…read moreromantic ambiance, very good service. A great find for a quiet meal! Staff speaks English and are very friendly and helpful. They make all their pasta and sauces daily and our meal was absolutely DELICIOUS! The wines the server recommended were the perfect pairing. I highly recommend this place! Great food, great service, great ambiance.

This restaurant was literally empty when we went on a Monday night at 5.30 pm. The menu is a little…read morelimited, but the food was delicious. All the desserts were boozy.

Sophia was awesome fave us incredible wine recommendations and brought a great energy. This bar is…read morea must go to for any local or tourist. The wine selection is amazing and has a wide variety.

The food was delicious, staff was so kind/ helpful, ambience was phenomenal, and wine selection was…read moreabsolutely beyond!! If you're a local I'd make this a regular spot, and if you're a tourist you definitely need to make a visit!!

The Wine Tasting Shop offers a quality wine tasting experience for an affordable price! I was…read morehighly impressed by the tasting experience and recommend it to anyone in the London area. I attended my tasting on a Wednesday afternoon. This particular tasting was a BYOB (bring your own baby)! It was an awesome opportunity for moms to get together with their babies, de stress from motherhood over a couple glasses of wine. I however, did not have a baby (as I was solo traveling) and was welcomed widely by the staff and all the moms. I even got to hold a few babies lol. This tasting was extremely affordable we were offered 4 wines throughout the 3 hours as well as small bites for £25 . The staff were extremely extremely knowledgeable and true experts at their craft. They talked extensively about the wines, their origin, ways to pair, fermentation and more! Their passion really allowed for a good experience. As a solo traveler in London looking for a fun midday midweek activity I was left extremely impressed and happy! Highly recommend.

So far so good. The…read moreWine Tasting Shop emphasizes try before you buy but they do charge 50p a try. I've only been in there once but the wine they recommended for our pasta was rich and the perfect compliment. The staff (I've only met one but she talks very personally and highly of the owner too) really know their wine and are proper extroverts. They'll recite a novel for you on their wine selection so you can find exactly what you're looking for. They really pride themselves on vintage wines. They have done a great job of networking with and seeking out very unique, kind of "indie" wines. One of the coolest things about this shop, and something I have yet to experience, are their wine tasting events. Occasionally they will invite a wine maker to promote his wine and offer free tasting. For a list of their events, visit: http://www.thewinetastingshop.co.uk/calendar I can't wait to attend one and after I do I'll be sure to give an update to this review.

For the wine buff this place is damn good. Hundreds of wines all over the place. New and old world,…read morereasonable and astronomical....its in the City after-all and its aimed at the City boys I expect, but don't let that put you off. The staff we friendly, a little austere, but helpful and clearly they knew their stuff. Guiding me towards wines that I knew and similar ones I didn't, all within an ok budget of £15-25 a bottle. they have free tastings, sommelier led events and you can also buy credits to go around trying wines you wouldn't usually bother with. I didn't eat but the the charcuterie and cheeses coming out looked splendid and the £22.50 platter looked a pretty good deal to me. if you are after a special bottle or two for christmas, i'd head here. and probably end up staying for a bit and starting off the silly season in style.

Nice vibe hampered by lacklustre service. Wine selection was mediocre, with our choices (made…read morewithout recommendations) being disappointing. My port was on the lower end of the spectrum (served with it sloppily poured all over the glass, which made my hands sticky each time I picked it up), and my friends' choices were also nothing to write home about. What really took the biscuit, however, was being presented with the bill - when we hadn't asked for it. When we looked confused, we were icily told that they were "closing in 30 minutes" (this was on a Friday night, mind you). Looking back? Wishing I hadn't paid that service charge after all. Will I be back? Probably not.

A wine bar brought to you by the Devine Cellars crew. Good setting. Great wine. Simple, well…read moreexecuted snacks and charcuterie. The tortilla is particularly moorish. There is the most excellent range of South Aussie wines including Tommy Ruff, Hewiston and d'Arenberg. All recommended. And there is wine from everywhere else too and even some orange wine. If you're not in the mood for vino they also have cocktails, beer (Brixton Brewery) and the very refreshing Gosnells mead (better than cider I promise). Snacks include scotched eggs, cured meats, olives, the above mentioned tortilla, corn, pate, anchovies and all the things perfect to pick at with great wine. Vegos very much considered. Oh yeah and cheese. Obviously. There's a couple of outdoor spots to people watch and a number of four ish seaters inside. The bar is particularly good to sit at. If you buy a wine over 30 pounds you get some cheese for free and a couple of other great deals. If you're on Twitter keep an eye on their tasting events. Highly recommended.

Such a wonderful little wine bar with knowledgeable personnel! Prices are very reasonable and their…read morecheese platters are rotating! A great place for a romantic date or laid back night with your friends.