The best wine shops in London

This South London bar is run by friends with a wealth of experience regarding wine. The food and wine here have gained some serious attention, including a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2022, making it a must-visit drinking spot in the capital. A curated range of around 150 bottles is available, and the bar works with small-scale producers, focusing on natural and organic wines that care for the environment and are sustainably produced. You'll find a varied selection that includes sparkling wine, orange wine, and skin contact wines.

At Humble Grape, each location doubles as a shop, with over 400 bottles to browse and buy, many organic, biodynamic, or natural. You can sip a glass while you decide what to take home, order bottles for delivery, or join one of their events – they usually have a tasting or two in their calendar. The staff are always around to help you pick your next bottle, or offer some advice if you're new to the world of wine.

Sager + Wilde is a popular bar in Hackney, built in a converted pub with a traditional interior evoking the East End. It's the perfect setting to explore wines from across the world, including some lesser-known options. The wines on the list are varied, but the bar focuses particularly on organic and natural wines. Many bottles come from smaller producers, so you might discover a vintage here that you can't find anywhere else. The wine list changes regularly, too. Expect a trendy vibe, featuring exposed brick, wooden benches, and wine bottles that are integral to the aesthetic.

Once known as P.Franco, this tiny Hackney wine shop's shelves are lined with an excellent, changing selection of bottles to take home, while the communal tables and guest chef residencies make it just as fun to drink in. It's both a serious wine shop and one of the best places in East London to sip on your new favourite bottle.

From the team behind Noble Rot, Shrine to the Vine is a shop on Broadway Market and in Holborn, stocked with rare and under-the-radar bottles you'll want to stock up on. It's the sort of place where you can pick up a case of everyday wine, or something you've never heard of but will probably be back for. Yes, it's stylish and looks cool, in true London Fields style, but the expertise here is the real draw.

At Lady of the Grapes in Covent Garden, the wine wall acts both as decor and shopping inspo. Every bottle is organic, natural, or biodynamic, with a special focus on female winemakers. You can grab something for later, or stick around for a glass and some lovely little French small plates. Either way, you'll probably leave with a new favourite bottle.

Shop Cuvée is a modern neighbourhood wine shop and deli in Highbury that also offers a wine subscription service so you never run out of your favourite bottle. You can buy a wide range of natural wines, beers, ciders, and pre-prepared cocktails, including no and low alcohol options. Premium snacks like crisps, chocolate, and kimchi are sold, as well as branded tote bags and glassware.

Diogenes the Dog is a cosy neighbourhood wine bar that is a café and shop by day, and in the evenings, it becomes an intimate bar. The wine list includes a broad range of bottles, including some unexpected options. A small range of bar snacks, like cheese boards and cured meats, is served, and both food and wine menus change regularly. Wine tastings are also offered here.

Renegade Urban Winery opened in 2021, serving a curated pick of Renegade's wines, plus guest bottles from other urban wineries, and craft beer. Inside, you'll find their full range of experimental wines, from classical styles with a twist to bottles you won't find anywhere else. The space is casual and designed for exploring new varieties – you can sip, chat with the team, and pick up anything from a small batch orange wine to their signature releases. 

At Forest Wines in Walthamstow, the shelves are stacked with natural and organic bottles that range from funky, low-intervention pet-nats to more classic reds, and the staff know exactly how to help you find your new favourite. It's independent and unpretentious, with a reputation that holds its own against London's better-known wine shops.

This wine shop and bar with a sunny garden serves up organic wines from across Europe, with plenty from under-the-radar spots like Croatia and the Czech Republic. Their speciality is “The old new world”, lesser-known European regions producing wines that are a little different. Expect a friendly vibe and top-notch recommendations from those who work there.

Provisions on Hackney Road is a wine shop stocking a variety of vintages from around the world, as well as deli goods such as cheese, charcuterie, and general groceries. The space is stylish and decked out with dim lighting, hanging plants and walls lined with wine bottles. They also host the odd wine tasting event from time to time.

Bottle Apostle brings a playful approach to wine across its London shops, where tasting is encouraged. Beyond a carefully curated selection of wines, you'll find spirits, sake, craft beers and ciders. Tastings and courses let you dive a little deeper into the world of wine, while the friendly staff make discovering new favourites easy as ever.