Tea Time Travels

A couple of our favorite evenings have been spent in London’s oldest wine bar. We have been twice with friends and family, and each time has lead to countless hours of enchanting conversation, delicious wine, and delectable cheese.

Established in 1890, this wine bar is set in a candlelit cellar. It has an impressive menu of wine from around the world, and serves several sherries and ports from old oak barrels.

When walking into this wine bar you feel as though you are traveling back in time. The main room is lined with old newspaper clippings and photos of historic figures and events in London.

Once you are taken back to your table, you walk deeper into the cellar into a dark room that contains about 20 tables, each one lit with a single tall candle placed within the opening of a wine bottle.

The ambiance is very cozy and authentic, and the servers would come around and replace the candle as it burned to the bottom of the wick. Laughter and conversation filled the air, and you could see the moisture build up onto the walls (and even a couple of drops on my brother’s head).

We sampled cheese from various countries in Europe, pairing excellently with the wine. Each visit we stayed for at least 4 hours, happily conversing while our friendships flourished (sorry to everyone in the queue!).