Knowing to ask for a table at this floor-to-ceiling-stacked bottle shop is an insider move. An Italian wine distributor since 2003, owner Luca Dusi introduced a bright blue-fronted store with a back-room wine bar 10 years later. Since then he’s added floral wallpaper behind the shelves and two more hidden drinking dens (in the basement and upstairs). Thoroughly unpretentious, Passione Vino has a sunny community vibe, and just one thing on the drinks list – avoid it if you don’t like wine.

This candle-lit bistro feels as cosy on a Monday lunchtime as it does on a Friday evening. Though it’s definitely a worthy date-night spot. It’s also probably the biggest success yet from Dominic Hamdy, the founder of Crispin in Spitalfields and Bar Crispin in Soho. The hand-scribbled paper menus list flatbreads drenched in garlic butter, bavette steaks with peppercorn sauce and our pick: the golden pastry-topped chicken pie to share. With chips, of course.


