Cork & Bottle

Nice place to grab something to eat after a show — and it’s too late to dine at a restaurant.
Though it was not the most comfortable place to eat, it was too cramped for that, I was pleasantly surprised when the food came. I had a burger with chips — and it was clearly homemade. Loved it! And I normally don’t eat burgers and chips. They also had a good variety of drinks, and the service was nice and pleasant.

This is a secret gem in London. In Leicester Square just a half block off Charing Cross Road. Wonderful and extensive wine list. Just sit at the bar and enjoy the place or grab a table for a delicious meal. Salmon was excellent. Ham and cheese pie was exactly that, but good (like a layered quiche).
This is a place we will return to each time we visit London.

Ooh finally, I’m in on the secret too! Such a cosy, welcoming little wine bar (actually, more of a wine cellar), central enough to be easy to get to but hidden enough to avoid the thousands of tourists that must walk past every day (so shh don’t tell too many people please!).
We were looking for a drinks stop after squishing through the crowds at the Chinese new year celebrations in Trafalgar Square. It seemed the ideal opportunity to try it having had it recommended to me as a good date spot before. The tricky part was finding it (look for Zoo) then it was a relief to head down the windy staircase to warmth and shelter from the piercing cold.
The waitress was so welcoming and had no qualms about giving us a table just for drinks. 5 minutes later and we were sharing a bottle of scrumptious merlot and enjoying the quaint Parisian décor and laughter from behind the bar where the staff just seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves. Not sure which of those elements it was (or my date?!) but it definitely put a big smile on my face :)

Spent 11 days in London so we have seen and done a lot but this was very memorable. It’s a small place so you must get a reservation! Our table wasn’t quite ready when we arrived at 6pm so we went to the very small bar. The gentleman there was very nice and gave us some recommendations on a white wine and some free tastes as well. We got a bottle and we were seated moments later. Hannah was our server and she was wonderful. Super sweet and attentive. When we said we weren’t hungry yet, she said not to worry we have the table for as long as we want. We had too lovely bottles of wine and a delicious dinner (ham and cheese pie and a pasta dish). While it wasn’t cheap it was worth every penny!

I ate here while traveling on business. It was Fantabulous!!! I can’t wait to go to London again. This spot is definitely on the must go to. It’s charming, tucked away, has allure of only locals know, and I love the staircase … And the food? We’ll it’s just spectacular

I have been coming here for about 35 years. Very enjoyable experience every time and excellent central place to meet. Prices for the wines are creeping up unfortunately but still acceptable.

Quick review:
+ hidden gem
+ huge selection of wine
+ accommodating staff
+ takes reservation
— mediocre food
Full review:
Like other reviewers have said, Cork & Bottle is truly a great find amongst tourist traps you could easily fall into around Leicester Square. The establishment reportedly has over 300 wines, which, if true, probably aren’t all listed on the menu, but there is certainly a huge selection of reds, white, some rose and bubblies. They also serve about a dozen different wines by the glass.
Reservation is highly recommended, as the venue is small and crowded. We booked for Saturday night for four people and that’s a literally all the space you get — a table that fits four. We had a last minute joiner and thankfully the waitress was extremely accommodating and shifted a few reservations around to make sure we were able to stay.
The food is mediocre, but after a few bottles of vino around a table of friends, the sight of ham and cheese pie (literally just ham, lots and lots of cheese, and pastry) that usually looks like a heart attack on a plate suddenly looks extremely appetising. Their burgers come in big portion, although I recommend skipping the deep fried langoustine that lacked flavours.

Had some time to burn before we had to meet a coworker that was coming down from Chester. Strolling through Leicester Square we spotted this place & my wine-​loving husband was intrigued. We made our way down the stairs and found ourselves a table. It was a little early for lunch so there weren’t many people in the place, but we got to chat with some of the staff and admire the beautiful pie sitting under the warmer that they would be slicing open for lunch.
GREAT wine selection. Something for everyone to be found. You can get a glass or you can go big for the bottle. I preferred this little wine bar over Gordon’s because it was a little brighter and the staff seemed happy to help us. While it may be in the heart of one of the tourist hot spots, I would duck in any time for a drink with a friend.

Fantastic wines by the glass in a romantic little location. Definitely would reccommend.

So while my brother was watching his most important CL game in the most awful bar ever, me and my friends decided to go for wine instead. Why has no one told me about this? What a place … and nearly in the middle of Leicester Square.
The door is not easy to find. Just oriented yourself by finding the bar called Zoo and then look opposite. There is a staircase going down and then you enter the wine heaven that is Cork and Bottle.
We got one of the booths, which looked like a cave decorated with Champagne bottles. Our waiter was distinctively French and we could not resist asking for advice about a good white wine… under a certain price. He was a bit confused by this, but came up with some decent whites. We asked him again and again as the evening went on … maybe just to hear his adorable french accent. Also we were getting quite drunk, even though we had some nice food with all this alcohol.
They have a decent food menu and the cheese board was great, as you can decide which cheeses you want to have. I got a disappointed head shake by the waiter as my choice didn’t go with the white he gave us. Definitely French behavior. It made me miss my French friend so much. She used to do the same. Sigh.

Leicester square is an awful and terrible place and then there’s suddently an amazing spot thats quiet and has a nice bar full of vino and foods and stuffs.
Rock up to the bar and sit for a spell or just wait til your movie starts across the way, either way it makes for a nice break in time.
Good wine, good service what more can you ask for?

This place is a gem… seriously, I probably shouldn’t even write a review because I want to keep it as much on the down low as possible.
In the middle of Leicester Square, as I was bemoaning the crappiness of touristy areas I see this window and all it has is wine bottles (yep, that will always grab my attention). We open the door and all we see is a winding staircase going down… hmmmmm. Being «adventurous» we head down the staircase and enter a tiny room, packed with people. No one greets us so we have a look around and see another room, so we venture in there… more people, lots of them… more hidden rooms too…
And then we see a tiny bar area and two people getting up to leave. My boyfriend is on it, he zooms in, grabs and seats and hands me the wine list.
Awesome selection of wines. Just awesome. Tons of wine by the glass or the bottle. Cheese and charcuterie plates… more wine… more cheese… they have food too and it all looked really good, but I won’t lie, I was there for the wine.
We got to try some really interesting wine and the service here, though harried (I honestly don’t know how they fit that many people into such a tiny space) was really helpful. If there is one place I will definitely be going back to when I visit London, it’s the cork and bottle… but shhhh, don’t tell anyone.

I’ve been many times to the Cork & Bottle. Although it’s smack in Leicester Square, you feel as though you’ve stumbled upon a hidden gem when you decsend the staircase into the cellar-​like dining area. Indeed, I have friends who must have passed it a hundred times in their lives and never noticed it there until I’ve suggested it! I also always have the feeling that it’s full of locals, and it avoids the tourist crowds that fill the ground-​level restaurants.
This is a great place to meet with friends for drinks. The food is perfectly adequate: can’t say I ever remember having a particularly outstanding meal, but it’s solid. For me, the best thing about the Cork & Bottle is the ambience and the impressive wine selection. I’d recommend this place to absolutely anyone!

Despite me considering this part of London almost a second home, I have to confess that I’ve never noticed this place until a group of us London Unilocalers seconded it for a UYE
We had organised a ‘Welcome to London’ UYE to meet some visiting American Unilocalers but for differing reasons, neither of them made it. However, the London gang didn’t need an excuse to meet up for a drink and a catch up. The event turned into Allie Y’s leaving do by default in the end
Our first choice of the Covent Garden Cocktail Club was closed and Andrew M made a quick decision to switch the venue to the nearby Cork & Bottle as Nava N and Grant T were already there
Cork & Bottle is an underground wine bar located in the heart of Leicester Square but the 2 entrances are rather discreet and perhaps a little drowned out by the bright lights of the establishments on either side
Descend the spiral staircase and you’ll find quite a large area divided into interesting little nooks and crannies. I found the Unilocal crew in fine fettle and fine voice, partly due their being halfway through Vash’s list — Vash, I’m not sure who you are but your wine recommendations certainly made some Unilocalers very happy that night
My pineapple juice was very reasonably priced at £1.80 for the heart of the West End
It’s not the coolest or trendiest place to hang out in this part of London but I liked the relaxed vibe and we certainly had a good evening there

There are very few places I care to go to in Leicester Square and, until recently, none that I would stake my reputation on by recommending to friends. However, Cork & Bottle is that exception to the rule in that it’s good… damn good.
I’ve been a few times, most notably for the Unilocal Book Club and then again when a Unilocal drinks event was moved due to CGCC being closed on Sundays. Both times have been lots of fun both due to the company and the friendly nature of the staff. The slightly decrepit look of the main entrance just off Charing Cross Road helps keep the tourists away. Like me, you’ve probably walked by it a few times if you’ve even been to Leicester Square and missed it completely as your eyes flick from a neon sign selling kebabs to another advertising half price theatre tickets.
The space is completely underground, with only a stairwell being visible from the street level. However the bright lighting helps alleviate any feeling of gloominess and instead it’s more as if you’re hiding away in a wine cellar (minus the cold drafts!). A substantial wine collection is on offer and I’d advise in picking from anything on Vash’s list on the back page. Some Unilocalers went through the entire list and couldn’t stop singing the praises of Vash. Although, to be fair, they were pretty drunk and in a singing mood by the end.
Food wise, there is an entire counter devoted to cheeses as well as a hot food menu. I’m not exactly sure what some of the hot food is but the chips are pretty tasty. They tend to run out towards the end of the night so make sure to get there early if you want dinner. Cheese they have in spades which makes for perfect wine drinking snacks!
Overall, a excellent place with reasonable prices in the heart of the West End and now my top pick for a meeting location (other than perhaps Champagne + Fromage) and a pre-​theatre snack!

The Cork & Bottle is a subterranean dining space. They have one very interesting cave-​like booth available for larger groups which my party occupied for an evening. I did not eat but did share a bottle of the house red, which was fine but not worth £18.95, with three others. The service was surly and, once we were ready to pay, elusive.
I don’t believe I’ll be returning.

Nice place right in town.

Despite being in the middle of tourist town and across from a crazy club, The Cork and Bottle had a wonderfully quiet and cool vibe. Clean, calm and well decorated with bottles of wine and books with covers that were well worn, my darling and I sat at the bar and felt right at home. We opened up an aromatic bottle of pino gris and enjoyed talking with the people who worked at the wine bar as well as amongst ourselves.
Because we loved this little wine bar so much, we decided to stop by this place two nights out of our 7 day stay in London. When we come back, I’ll be sure to stop by again and try their food as well.

Despite being in the about as close as you can get to the epicenter of London’s touristy West End, this long-​standing basement level Wine Bar seems to avoid being over-​run by the hordes.
The wine list is large and interesting, and I commend checking the «bin end» buckets on the bar for novelties at lower than average prices.
Food is traditional wine bar fare, with the exception of their signature dish — Raised Ham and Cheese pie — but always well prepared. Be aware that you have to order at the counter, not from the table.

Cork and Bottle is a large underground establishment that lies beneath Leicester Square. The doorway is small and subtle so its easy to miss, but its across from the casino. They have a good wine selection and a good place for a private meeting. Of course, its not as hip as Gordons, but a good alternative.

Leicester Square and the spiral staircase of death… the downsides to this hidden gem. One of my colleagues said, «I know a wine bar in Leicester Square.» While I didn’t say it out loud, I was certainly thinking it was going to be overpriced, full of tourists, and just not very good. When we got to Cork and Bottle, I was surprised. I must have walked by it a million times and never knew it was there! If you’re not looking for it (or even if you are) you could very easily miss it.
When we went inside it was completely opposite of everything going on above us. We just went for drinks, although the food looked delicious! The wine menu was a bit intimidating for me because there were just so many! There are also specials on boards where the bar is. It is pricey, but not in an «it’s a touristy area so let’s hike up the prices» pricey, but a «I would expect to pay that for a fine wine» sort of pricey. The staff were friendly and helpful, but didn’t badger us.