Harden's survey result
Summary
“Hidden away in a basement at the side of Leicester Square”, “a marvellous little subterranean wine bar with a decent selection of mid-range wines that are not too overpriced for central London”. A “wide-ranging” food menu (including the famous ham-and-cheese pie that has been on the menu since 1971, of which about 1,000,000 portions have been sold) makes it a “great pitstop in tourist central – happily off the radar for most of them”. “You can’t drink in this place without feeling part of the iconic venue’s history”: its “tried and tested reputation” was established by founder Don Hewitson and is maintained by his successor Will Clayton.
Summary
“A wonderful old-school oasis below the hell that is Leicester Square” – this “fabulous throwback to a proper wine bar” is “remarkably unchanged” since Don Hewitson opened it in 1971 (and his successor Will Clayton sticks to the winning formula). “The famous ham-and-cheese pie is well worth its million-odd portions! and is the perfect accompaniment to a great wine list”.
Summary
“A secret, below-ground escape from the mayhem of Leicester Square” for more than half a century – this “well-hidden”, “old-school” wine bar has “only got better” over the years, first under founder Don Hewitson and latterly under Will Clayton. Top Menu Tip – “share the ham and cheese pie (it is absolutely enormous)”, and has sold around a million portions since 1971.
Summary
“Hidden right next to the horrors of Leicester Square!”, this 50-year-old wine cellar rates highly for its “really special ambience” and “knowledgeable and helpful” service. Will Clayton still runs the place on the lines laid down by founder Don Hewitson, although “the food offering has improved over time – not gourmet, but always a good pairing for the wine”. This year will see the millionth serving of the famous cheese & ham pie that is always on the menu.
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Cork & Bottle?
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £40.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £4.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.00% |
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑10:30 pm |
Best British, Traditional restaurants nearby
British, Traditional restaurant in Covent Garden
Fish & seafood restaurant in Soho
British, Traditional restaurant in Covent Garden
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
Chinese restaurant in Soho
British, Modern restaurant in Soho
