Some restaurants stay with you because of a single dish. Others because of a memorable bottle of wine. Kismet manages to do both. Hidden upstairs at The Globe Tavern, just a short walk from Borough Market, this Turkish-Cypriot restaurant residency is one of the most exciting places I've discovered recently for anyone interested in exploring Turkish wine in London. Yes, the food is exceptional. The atmosphere is warm and effortlessly welcoming. But what makes Kisme

Could this be the most glamorous day trip from London? For many of us, travel has become about getting somewhere as quickly as possible. Airports, traffic, packed trains, the journey is often something to endure rather than enjoy.But stepping aboard the iconic Belmond British Pullman feels like entering another era entirely.This is travel as it once was: theatrical, elegant and unhurried. A reminder that sometimes the journey itself can be the destination.Leaving London Victo

If you’re looking for a UK coastal escape that swaps traditional seaside clichés for natural wine bars, independent restaurants, stylish hotels and seriously good food, Margate is the place to add to your list. Just 1 hour 29 minutes from King’s Cross, you can step off the train and be on the seafront almost instantly. It’s one of those places that feels effortlessly cool without trying too hard, a little bit like Shoreditch by the sea. Margate has completely transforme

Whether you’re choosing a bottle for a celebration, searching for the perfect gift, planning a wedding toast or simply trying to understand what’s actually inside your favourite fizz, Prosecco is one of the world’s most popular sparkling wines. But with terms like DOC, DOCG, Rive, Brut, Frizzante and Spumante appearing on labels, knowing what makes one bottle different from another can feel confusing. So, I’ve answered the most common Prosecco questions, including: W

Acidity, what is it? Acidity is that tart, sour sensation that makes your mouth water. Imagine drinking a glass of water with fresh lemon juice. It's bright, zesty, crisp and lip-puckering. The more lemon you add, the higher the acidity. A useful way to picture acidity is on the pH scale. Lemon juice sits at around 2.6, while yoghurt is around 4.5. Wines generally sit in between, usually around pH 3 to 3.8. At the higher-acidity end you'll find wines such as Albari

Let’s be honest, rosé has a bit of a reputation. For some people, it’s the “easy” wine. The bottle you grab for a barbecue, a picnic or a sunny afternoon because it feels like summer. But the really good rosés? They’re so much more than that. A great rosé has freshness, texture, elegance and just enough character to make you pause after the first sip and think, “Oh, that’s actually rather lovely.” For me, rosé is the wine of moments. It’s the bottle you open when fr

We've all been to networking events that feel... hard work. You walk into a room full of people, collect a drink, glance around, and hope someone starts a conversation. Before long, the same questions are making the rounds: "What do you do?" "Who do you work for?" For some people, that's enjoyable. For many others, it's exhausting. The challenge with traditional networking events is that they rely on the guests to create the energy. Everyone is expected to keep conver

If you're looking to drink better Italian wine without necessarily spending more, here's one of the simplest tips you'll ever learn. Begin searching for historic place names. Italy's wine labels can be confusing, but they also hide some of the country's best-value bottles. In many cases, when you see a historic sub-region on the label, you're looking at wine from the original heartland of that appellation, where stricter production standards, exceptional vineyard sites

This might be one of London's most exciting restaurant openings of 2026. If you're searching for the best new restaurants in Hackney, Teal by Sally Abé deserves a place at the very top of your list. Combining exceptional British ingredients, thoughtful cooking and a wine list designed with pairing in mind, this new East London restaurant is already attracting attention from food lovers, wine enthusiasts and restaurant critics alike. As someone who is always looking for ou

If you've ever heard someone describe a wine as mineral and wondered what they actually meant, you're not alone. Minerality is one of the most common—and most confusing—terms in wine. You'll hear people say a wine tastes of wet stones, flint or chalk. While those descriptions might make sense to experienced wine drinkers, they don't help most people choose a bottle they'll actually enjoy. So I keep it simple. I call these wines salty. Not because they literally

If you're searching for the best new restaurants in London, the best restaurants in Exmouth Market, or whether Vesper by Jackson Boxer is worth visiting, the short answer is yes. Located at 8–10 Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell, Vesper is the latest restaurant from acclaimed chef Jackson Boxer and has quickly become one of London's most sought-after dining destinations. Combining exceptional produce, thoughtful cooking and an impressive wine list, it is already attracting att

If you're looking to drink better Italian white wine without necessarily spending more, here's one of the simplest tips you'll ever learn. Begin searching for historic place names. Italy's wine labels can be confusing, but they also hide some of the country's best-value bottles. In many cases, when you see a historic sub-region or village on the label, you're looking at wine from the original heartland of that appellation, where stricter production standards, exceptional

If you've ever stood in front of the wine shelf wondering what to serve with seafood, roast chicken or even caviar, let me introduce you to one of my favourite wines: Chablis. Elegant, refreshing and wonderfully food-friendly, Chablis is one of those bottles I reach for time and time again. It's a wine that doesn't need a special occasion, yet somehow always makes one. One of the questions I'm asked often is, "What food goes with Chablis?" The answer is wonderfully simp

Soho has a way of pulling you into its rhythm the moment you arrive. An evening at Impala Soho captures that energy perfectly, bold, characterful, and effortlessly alive as the night unfolds. An evening at Impala, Soho. Chef and co-owner Meedu Saad former head chef of Kiln (he's now executive chef), his first solo venture, reflects his culinary heritage from Egypt. There’s low lighting, a great soundtrack, and that unmistakable London buzz that feels both chaotic and complete

If you're looking for the best French wines for value, here's a tip that could transform the way you shop. Stop buying the most famous bottle. One of the biggest misconceptions in wine is that the best-known name automatically offers the best quality. In reality, some of the smartest wine buyers know exactly where to swap one wine for another to unlock better quality, more character and greater value without spending more money. So, why have Champagne when you could hav

I recently spent a fantastic few days at Taste of London, working on the Wines of Bourgogne stand alongside Harry Crowther, introducing visitors to one of France's most iconic white wines: Chablis. From the outside, wine events can look incredibly glamorous, but behind the scenes they're full-on. Long hours on your feet, hundreds of conversations and countless wines poured. They're exhausting, but they're also some of the most rewarding days of the year.

The problem with a lot of networking events is that they make the guests do all the work. They’re the ones expected to engage and keep the energy up. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Last night, I hosted a blind wine challenge for 70-80 people on a rooftop in London. One tasting table. Six places. The format was simple: guests had to rank wines from least expensive to most expensive, tasting blind. We had Jam Shed vs Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2010, and Casillero

English Wine Week feels particularly fitting this year. As temperatures soar across the UK, many of us are searching for shade, cold drinks and any excuse to avoid the midday sun. But for England's vineyards, this warm weather is providing something very different: opportunity. It's been a fascinating and, at times, challenging growing season so far. A Difficult Start to the 2026 Growing Season The year began with an unusually warm spring, encouraging vines to wak

What is Tiny Wine? Tiny Wine is changing the way people discover and enjoy fine wine by making premium wines more accessible through expertly preserved wine samples. Instead of committing to a full bottle, wine lovers can explore tasting-sized servings of some of the world's most sought-after wines, allowing them to discover new grape varieties, wine regions, producers and styles without the cost or commitment of purchasing a full bottle. Working in partnership with Coravi

If Pinot Grigio is your usual go-to white wine, you’re not alone. It’s crisp, clean, refreshing and reliably easy to drink — the kind of bottle that’s quietly become a staple in so many homes. But if you’re ready to explore something just a little more expressive, there’s a Spanish white wine that might be your next favourite. Meet Albariño.A Spanish white wine you should know about:Albariño is one of Spain’s most loved white grape varieties, grown mainly in the Rías Baixas r