Sunny Hodge's neighbourhood wine bar on Brixton Road in Kennington London, opened 2017, runs a serious natural-wine list and Mediterranean snacks at counter and tables.
Food program: Mediterranean small plates
Tip: Walk-up only Tue-Thu. Friday-Saturday books two weeks ahead. The wine focus is on growers Hodge knows personally.
Address: 96 Brixton Road, London SW9 6BE
Mike Garrett and Bryan Connell's natural-wine bar on Blackstock Road in Highbury London, opened 2019, runs a small-plates kitchen and a wine club delivery service.
Signature pour: Whatever German Pinot Noir is on
Wine focus: Natural and biodynamic wines from independents
Food: Small plates and Sunday roast
Tip: Sunday roast at £25 books a week ahead through Resy. The wine subscription delivers six independent bottles a month.
Gergovie Wines's importer-run wine bar and kitchen inside a Maltby Street railway arch in Bermondsey London, opened 2010, the home address of London natural-wine drinkers.
Signature pour: Whatever Loire chenin blanc is open
Wine focus: Natural wines from Gergovie Wines
Food: Daily-changing kitchen chalkboard
Tip: Open Wed-Sat only. Walk-up at the counter from 12:00. Closed Sun-Tue; the Saturday market crowd from 10:00 anchors the day.
Charlie Mellor's downstairs wine cellar at The Laughing Heart on Hackney Road in east London, opened 2017, runs a deep natural-wine list and a late kitchen to 23:30.
Signature pour: Whatever Jura red is on by the glass
Wine focus: Natural wine, biodynamic and orange
Food: Small plates and late kitchen
Tip: Downstairs walks in any night; upstairs dining room books a week ahead. Wine club subscriptions get the rarest bottles.
Liam Kelleher's natural-wine room on Lower Clapton Road in Hackney London, opened 2014, runs a wall-of-wine shop by day and an evening counter with a rotating chef residency.
Signature pour: Whatever Italian skin-contact white is on by the glass
Wine focus: Natural wine, all-region with strong Italian and French focus
Food: Small plates from a rotating chef-in-residence
Tip: Walk-up only. Tuesday-Thursday at 17:30 is the easy slot; Friday-Saturday queue 30 minutes for a counter seat.
Michael Sager and Charlotte Wilde's bar on Hackney Road in east London, opened 2013, ran the bridge between London's old wine-bar scene and the natural-wine wave.
Signature pour: Whatever German Riesling is on by the glass
Wine focus: International natural and low-intervention wines
Food: Small plates and a famous grilled cheese sandwich
Tip: The grilled cheese sandwich is the marquee bar snack. Wednesday and Thursday nights run a £25 menu pairing.
Bash Redford's wine bar atop the Peckham multistorey carpark in south London, opened 2018, runs Italian-leaning natural wines and small plates with a rooftop view of the city.
Signature pour: Whatever Italian skin-contact orange wine is on
Wine focus: Italian growers and natural-leaning
Food: Italian small plates
Tip: Walk-up only. Tuesday-Thursday from 17:30 walks in; Friday-Saturday queue runs to 90 minutes for the rooftop seats.
