Old Spitalfields Market is the gift that keeps on giving. Bleecker Burger, Dumpling Shack, Bar Three – more than enough reasons to make the journey, but let me give you another. Bottles is the latest addition to OSM, an atmospheric wine bar from the folks behind the underrated Bottles & Battles in Mercato Metropolitano. Much like their first spot, there is not really a bar for staff to hide behind so they are always on the move, working their hospitality magic around the warm, inviting space; and there are smart design touches outside and in, making every seat in the house a winner.
Drinking by the glass is the way to go here. 30+ options await, primarily from Italy, with a focus on “sustainable, independent, organic & bio-dynamic producers”. The list is full of surprises, from an unrecognisable Sauvignon Blanc to lesser known Italian expressions from the likes of Monteraponi and Sardinia. Regional Italian food comes courtesy of Sood Kitchen who started life as a pop-up on Broadway Market before making their way to Spitalfields as part of Nuno Mendes’ The Kitchens. We started slow with some pairings – crisp whites with burrata, bolder reds with spaghetti all’amatriciana – before we got carried away and powered through a load more glasses, ably assisted every step of the way by Gábor and Marco. Highlights included the Puglian Caiaffa Negroamaro and the Antonio Camillo’s Morellino di Scansano from Tuscany, but you really can’t go wrong whatever you choose. Before we knew it, last orders had long gone and the market was closing up – time flies when you’re in good hands.
67 Brushfield Street, E1 6AA
Bottles – www.bottleswine.bar
