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'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

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.

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

Marylebone has quietly become one of London’s most compelling dining neighbourhoods, elegant but unfussy, globally influenced yet distinctly local. For me, it’s one of those rare pockets of the city where you can genuinely build an entire evening around food and wine without ever feeling the need to leave a single street. From Michelin-starred Indian coastal cooking to soulful “no borders” plates and French bistro charm, these are my top 4 restaurants in Marylebone right no

Discover what old vine wines are, why some of the world's oldest vineyards produce such distinctive wines, and how to identify genuine old vine wines on a bottle label. From volcanic Assyrtiko in Santorini to South Africa's Certified Heritage Vineyards, explore the history, benefits, and growing importance of old vines. Plus, discover affordable old vine wines available in UK supermarkets and the producers leading the movement to protect these remarkable vineyards.

So you don’t waste money (or calories) on bottles you won’t actually enjoy. Wine can feel intimidating at first, but it becomes far more enjoyable the moment you understand a few simple basics: grape varieties, where a wine comes from, and the story behind the producer. That foundation changes everything. Suddenly, you can order with confidence in restaurants, read a wine list without second-guessing yourself, recognise quality more easily, and start to understand what

Here’s how to navigate Chelsea Flower Show season properly from the gardens worth your time to where to eat, drink and soak up the atmosphere afterwards. Chelsea during flower show week feels like London at its absolute best. Flowers spill onto pavements, restaurants suddenly become impossible to book, everyone stays outside slightly longer with a glass of something cold, and for one week only, the whole neighbourhood feels different. As a London-based wine journalis

Certain travel experiences feel quintessentially Italian. Drinking espresso standing at a bar. Wandering sun-drenched piazzas at golden hour. Ordering a plate of pasta so good that you immediately start planning your next trip back. And then there’s discovering a wine window in Florence. Tucked into the walls of historic palazzos across the city, Florence’s famous wine windows, known locally as buchette del vino, are one of Tuscany’s most charming traditions. I finally f

It's the moment of the year I love when the new vintage starts arriving on shelves and the spring has sprung. The 2025s are here, and there is a lot to get excited about. Provence rosé is back in force. Two of my favourites have just landed: the new Mirabeau, which keeps getting more refined year on year, and Château Léoube — quietly one of the most beautifully made rosés in Provence, organic, coastal, and a long way from the supermarket pink shelf. If you've been buying t

The oldest wine I’ve ever tasted was a 1996 Vorberg from Cantina Terlan, nearly 30 years old, and it was, without exaggeration, one of the most remarkable white wines I’ve ever experienced. Still incredibly alive. Still vibrant. Still completely compelling. Taste: Textural, nutty, melon, honeydew. Voluptuous, layered, and bright. The kind of wine that makes you stop mid-sip.

If you love wine, you need to try sake like this. Sake cocktails in London are one of those experiences that completely change how you think about sake. If you are used to wine, this is an easy and exciting step into something lighter, more aromatic, and unexpectedly elegant. At Sticks'n'Sushi, sake is treated with the same care as wine. The result is sake cocktails that are crisp, floral, lifted, and beautifully balanced. They are not heavy or overpowering, instead they

This is the kind of restaurant you tell your friends about immediately, especially if you love bold flavours, Thai food in London, and standout Borough Market restaurants. Tucked into the heart of Borough Market, Kolae brings the fire and intensity of Southern Thailand to London in the most unforgettable way. This is not subtle dining; it is food with confidence, heat, and personality in every single dish.

One of the things I’ve learnt travelling through Tuscany is that the most interesting stories are rarely the loudest ones.They sit slightly to the side.Just beyond the well-known names. In Val d’Orcia, between Brunello di Montalcino and Montepulciano, that’s exactly where I found them. This part of southern Tuscany is everything you imagine it to be, rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, soft winter light, but it’s also where a quieter shift is happening.Less about prestige.

Skiing the Dolomites isn’t just about the slopes, it’s about where you eat, drink, and soak up the mountain atmosphere. The food scene in the Dolomites is just as memorable as the skiing itself, with everything from high-altitude fine dining to lively après-ski spots that turn into late afternoon parties. Here is my ultimate dining guide for eating and drinking in the Dolomites and Alto Badia.

One of the most underrated white wines in Italy — and a personal favourite of mine- is Vernaccia di San Gimignano. In a region globally celebrated for powerful reds, this historic Tuscan white quietly holds its own, offering depth, texture and remarkable ageing potential. If you’re searching for the best white wines of Tuscany, this is where I’d start. Expect aromas of lemon peel, ripe pear, crushed almonds and wild Mediterranean herbs. On the palate, it’s dry, structured

Think Tuscany is only for sun-soaked summers and golden wheat fields? Think again. A winter trip to Val d’Orcia reveals a quieter, moodier, more cinematic side of the region, one that feels deeply authentic, atmospheric and wonderfully unhurried. This UNESCO World Heritage landscape, famous for its rolling hills, cypress-lined roads and storybook hill towns, transforms in winter. Morning mist settles in the valleys, olive groves shimmer silver in low light, and sunset turn