The Boot & Flogger — Restaurant in London

Davy's wine bars are such an overlooked option for cool little places to go in London, any day or night of the week. The more I discover about them and the more of them I visit, the more I want to see the rest. This was number four (I think), so I'm please I've got a long way to go yet!

This visit to the Boot & Flogger a couple of weeks ago was just another great example of why more people need to go to their nearest Davy's bar. The "Boot & Flogger", which I believe is their oldest and first in the collection, is a fantastic place near London Bridge. I'd say "little place", as it seems rather small and cosy at first glance. After I was given a tour however, I learned that it's not very little at all! With its myriad of hidden corridors, doors and staircases leading to different rooms and private spaces, this place almost feels like you could go back in time to before London was overcome with coffee shops and craft beer!! (Not that I dislike these things...!)

Being a wine bar, these places naturally have fantastic wine lists. On this occasion though, we took our own wines, and enjoyed some very special and cracking wines. I did taste a rather unusual beer though, the "Curious Session IPA".

For food, we had the salmon and mac and cheese to start. Both were superb, and just what was needed to kick off the weekend. The mains were fantastic too - we had a steak and the special, which just happened to be one of my favourite meals: good old fish and chips!

The staff in every Davy's bar are fun, friendly and incredibly helpful, not to mention how clued up they are on their wine knowledge. Getting one of your bottles decanted here is never any problem at all, which makes a welcome change from a lot of places.

Fantastic evening all told, and I'm just looking forward to the next evening of discovering a...

I remember seeing "gentlemen" coming out of this place back in the 60's, when I was a very young girl. Years later I thought it was a "gentleman's club". Older people will understand this saying. However, recently myself & one of my older sisters decided to do a walk around the Borough where we grew up & to visit the graveyard in Redcross Way. I happened to mention the Boot & Flogger, which is in the same road, but my sister said she'd never heard of it. So we croosed the road for a visit. Wow what an amazing place, it's like walking back into the Dickens era. There are small dining area's over several floors & there's a feel of secrecy about it, as in the song" somewhere only we know". Dark oak & little alcoves, candelabra's & tables beautifully laid, we loved it. It was out of a Dickens novel. The staff told us we could walk around & explore. I can't express in words how this place throws you back in time. The front is very deceiving, the entrance is up a few steps & then the history hits you. They sell wines & ports & thankfully for me, as I'm not a wine drinker, a few bottled lagers & beers. They seem to have a very reasonable priced food menu. My sister & me are going to make it our "only place that we know" to chill & chill & chill, when we want to escape the other half. Very highly recommended, but beware if my sister can't get a comfortable seat be prepared for a...

In a similar vein to Gordon's Wine Bar or El Vino, London seems to have a few of these olde worlde wine bars tucked away. The decor has much in common with some of London's more characterful old pubs - full of nik naks and curios, nooks and crannies, but this is unmistakably a wine bar - I don't think they serve beer at all, certainly not on draught.

On the Saturday lunchtime when I visited - when it was pleasingly very quiet, the few other customers that were there were all there to eat. However there is a decent amount of seating for customers not eating, particularly on the lower floor, if you just want to have a glass (or a bottle) of wine.

Their basic red Burgundy was passable, and not a bad price. I didn't see much at the higher end in terms of Burgundy to take my fancy though. They didn't seem to have many of the Champagnes on the list actually in stock, and the chap I spoke to didn't seem to be particularly knowledgeable about the wines on offer.

Overall if you're looking for a really high end sophisticated wine drinking experience with sommelier like guidance you're probably going to be a bit disappointed. However if you're looking for somewhere where you can get a decent, if perhaps not exceptional, glass of wine, and want to be surrounded by some old world charm while you drink it, then this is probably a good...