Sarah's Place

Just what London needed - another wine bar masquerading as a pub masquerading as whatever Sarah's Place thinks it's trying to be. I'll admit, I walked in with my critic's pen sharpened, ready to eviscerate yet another pretentious attempt at crafting "atmosphere." But damn it all if this place hasn't wormed its way into my reluctantly softening heart.

Let's address the elephant in the room: Sarah's Place in London somehow manages to pull off that impossible feat of being both a legitimate wine bar and an actual pub without making me want to roll my eyes so hard they get stuck. The space strikes that infuriatingly perfect balance between cozy and sophisticated, like that one friend who can wear both wellies and Louboutins without looking like they're trying too hard.

I was fully prepared to mock the jazz music playing in the background - because honestly, when isn't background jazz a red flag? - but it's actually... pleasant. There, I said it. It sits at that precise volume where you can still hear your companion's latest workplace drama without having to do that awkward lean-in-and-shout dance that seems to be the signature move at most London establishments these days.

The cocktail program deserves special mention, if only because it forced me to delete a particularly witty paragraph about overpriced drinks served with unnecessary theatrics. The bartenders here actually know what they're doing, crafting proper drinks that don't need sparklers or smoke machines to impress. They're priced in that sweet spot where you won't feel like you're being robbed, but you're still getting something significantly better than the pub around the corner that thinks a mojito is just rum and Sprite with some sad mint floating in it.

The wine list, which I was ready to dismiss as another pretentious parade of unpronounceable vintages, is surprisingly approachable. Yes, they have those special bottles for people who want to demonstrate their bonus just landed, but they also offer genuinely good wines by the glass that won't require a call to your financial advisor.

Here's where things get annoying - they're dog-friendly. Normally, this would send me running for the hills (I've reviewed enough places where "dog-friendly" means "chaos with fur"), but somehow they've managed to make it work. The dogs I've seen here have all been better behaved than most of the humans I encounter in Shoreditch on a Friday night.

The staff, curse them, are actually competent. Not in that rehearsed, corporate-training-manual way, but in that genuine "we actually give a damn" way that's becoming rarer than a reasonable rent in Zone 1. They know their stuff without being pretentious about it, and they'll remember your usual order without making a big show of it.

For those keeping score at home: yes, they do take reservations (thank god), they have outdoor seating (because of course they do, it's 2024), and they accept all major forms of payment (including that fancy tap-to-pay thing you love showing off). The live music events are curated with an attention to detail that suggests someone actually cares about the quality of entertainment rather than just filling a calendar slot.

The space works equally well for an after-work drink, a casual date, or that awkward catch-up with your former colleague who's now somehow your boss. It's good for groups too, though do everyone a favor and book ahead - the place has developed quite a following among people who, like me, probably started as skeptics and ended up as regulars.

Look, I don't enjoy admitting when I'm wrong. But Sarah's Place in London has managed to create something genuinely special here. It's not reinventing the wheel - it's just making sure the wheel is perfectly balanced, well-oiled, and rolling along exactly as it should. If you must know where to find me on a Thursday evening (and I can't believe I'm making this public), I'll be in the corner with a glass of their house red, pretending I'm not enjoying myself quite as much as I actually am. Just don't tell them I sent you - I have a reputation to maintain.