Gordons Wine Bar
47 Villiers Street, Strand, WC2N 6NE, London
Ever wanted to impart a seriously classy impression to a would-be lover or important client? Take them to Gordon's and you'll soon find them putty in your evil little hands.
Even before you get inside, the exterior exudes a class that the plethora of neon-lit chain sandwich bars that pepper the area can only dream of.
Gordon's is properly historical - both Samuel Pepys and Kipling lived and wrote in the building before it became a pub (though it's been serving booze since 1890). Dark and dusty, it looks like a Victorian ironmongers (where they sell nails by the ounce) rather than a wine joint, so the surprise on your loved one's face will only further enhance both your drinking pleasure. The inside of the place are something special - completely underground, and the only light coming from candles and bouncing off the walls.
The selection of wine is long and extensive as expected, and the prices are as varied as the clientele, who range from dour accountants on lunch breaks to excitable thespians who used to come when the Players Theatre stood nearby.
As if there weren?t enough reasons to visit Gordon?s already, their new heated outdoor terrace area has just been completed (July 2009) which features awnings and an outdoor grill, you can watch your food being cooked and the world go by, does it get any better/ I think not.
Go to Gordon's before it changes - please.