Boot & Flogger Wine Bar

Address: 10-20 Redcross Way, (off Southwark Street), London, SE1 1TA, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7407 1184
Door: Open door
Style: Wine bar
Food: Set menu
Established: 1965

Review

Wine bar come gentleman's club, The Boot is fabulously old-school. Tucked away in a side road off Southwark Street, thankfully little has changed here since the 70s.

Originally located at 101 Borough High Street, The Boot and Flogger was the first of the Davy Wine bars and it opened in 1965 when John Davy started trading using his privilege as a Freeman of the Vintners' Company to sell wine, sherry, port, madeira and champagne without a licence. The Boot moved to its present site in 1973.

The bare floorboards and wooden panelled walls give it a warm enveloping feel - like drinking in a cigar box. Old leather wingbacks, books, brass measuring jugs, black and white prints and old signs convey a vintage feel.

"An offer for sale of Foreign Wines" lists 27 bottles and 8 half bottles and as befits such an establishment, clarets and burgundies dominate - the House Claret being dangerously quaffable and one of the 15 wines by the glass. There's also sherry, port, madeira - even a couple of beers, but no spirits or other distractions. Chalkboards advertise 'white port and tonic', 'chilled dry manzanilla' and light snacks such as 'hummus with pitta'. The full menu has more hearty dishes.