Cork & Bottle Wine Bar, 44-46 Cranbourn Street, London, WC2H 7AN, www.corkandbottle.net
Located between Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, the Cork & Bottle is the perfect spot to chow down either before or after a visit to the theatre. It also provides a marvelous escape from the restless human flora and fauna and general pandemonium that are part and parcel of Piccadilly.
You enter a diminutive doorway, descend a narrow spiral staircase, and find yourself in a cozy subterranean, slightly claustrophobic space dedicated to the fruit of the vine. Here businessmen savor a bottle (or two or three) of their favorite liquid libation while couples commune quietly over lunch and a glass (or several) from the ever-changing wine list before heading off to a matinee. The usual hordes of sneaker-clad tourists (of whatever nationality) are – thankfully – conspicuous by their absence.
And there’s good food here as well as good wine; and it is – given the establishment’s primo location – quite reasonably priced. Casual international selections range from open-faced grilled sandwiches to burgers to the establishment’s famous ham & cheese pie to an appetizing assortment of salads, pâtés and terrines.
If you’re attending the theatre and in the market for a restaurant that is decidedly un-touristy, in the center of the action but still far from the madding crowd, you’ve come to the right address.
Bon Appétit!
TAD
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