Wine bar and restaurant Vinoteca Borough officially opened this week on bustling Stoney Street in the new Borough Yards development. Located within a Victorian railway arch, the wine list is dedicated to independent, sustainable producers, with food menus following a similar, carefully sourced approach.
Vinoteca Borough’s design is defined by the site itself: within a once forgotten railway arch on one of the streets framing Borough Market. The cathedral scaled, raw-brick space encapsulates the spirit of a wine cellar, a feature further enhanced by the many bottles which line the walls. Bi-folding doors, which will open out onto Stoney Street in the summer months, reveal an expansive bar and hightop tables for drinks or dining. An open kitchen adds a touch of theatricality, along with a bold coloured mural which frames the double height space.
Founders Brett and Charlie have always championed small, independent producers making innovative styles while making wine more accessible. The wine list is divided into clear sections, such as ‘Fresh, Lighter Whites’ or ‘Full-bodied, Deeper Reds’ and brief descriptions provided for every wine. Highlights will include Vinoteca’s very own wine, Rodney & The Horse, producing both a Riesling and a Shiraz, wild-fermented and from a single-vineyard in the Clare Valley, Australia. Elsewhere, Crystal Croatina Pet Nat (2020) from grapes picked in Northern Italy, but made by Renegade Urban Winery in Bethnal Green, is a perfect example of Vinoteca’s quest for wineries with a story and compelling approach.
There is a similar approach to their food offering, celebrating carefully sourced and seasonal produce – with Borough Market neighbours like Ginger Pig, Flor and Neal’s Yard supplying meat, bread and cheeses – through regularly changing menus and signature dishes. The menu comprises of ‘Bar Snacks and Small Plates’ encompassing the likes of Cornish sardines escabeche; Burrata, radicchio, blood orange and fennel; and Creedy Carver duck liver pate with piccalilli and sourdough. For mains, Vinoteca’s signature grilled marinated bavette steak, watercress, horseradish and chips features alongside delicate whole Cornish plaice, salsify, purple sprouting broccoli and lemon butter and more hearty mutton, Guinness and forest mushroom pie with caramelised celeriac and rainbow chard. Breakfast will be served all week, with brunch on Saturday and Sunday, with options for those wishing to drop in and grab a freshly baked croissant and coffee. There will be more substantial choices too, for visitors seeking a leisurely brunch; expect potato rösti, roast Datterini tomatoes, bacon and fried egg and Toulouse sausage, haricot beans, tomatoes, croissant and, perhaps accompanied by a seasonal Bellini or Bloody Mary.
Vinoteca Borough officially opened on Monday 14th February, with booking available here: www.vinoteca.co.uk/bookings
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