Anyone who chances upon this charming Portuguese wine bar - tucked underneath a railway arch at Flat Iron Square - might feel that they’ve discovered one of London’s real hidden gems. Bar Douro has been here for some years now, quietly going about its business as one of London’s most underrated wine bars. Founder Max Graham is part of the Graham family that has become one of the most recognised and highly regarded port producers in the world, so it makes sense that he knows a thing or two about sourcing good Portuguese wines. Turns out, he knows good Portuguese food too.
Bar Douro’s interiors are faithful to vintage Portuguese styling. The eyeline snaps straight to gorgeous blue and white Portuguese geometric tiling that lines the counter and walls, and immediately makes you want to retile your kitchen. Hardwood timbers stretch out along the floor, and along the window, another curved counter undulates all the way to the end of the restaurant.
This is a space made for perching, but the menu does much more than simple snacky bits. If you’re just here for nibbles, those are excellent - smoked Portuguese sausage croquettes with a neat dot of aioli; salt cod fritters in a light, crisp batter; and thin slivers of cured black pig ham. If that was all you ventured into you’d be happy, but you’d be missing out some excellent cooking. A dish of pork neck in Bifana sauce lives long in the memory - juicy, tender slices of pork neck, seared under a hot grill then sliced and dressed with a paprika-spiked white wine sauce. Messing with a classic Bifana sandwich is a dangerous game but this reinvention is absolutely delicious.
A classic pastel de nata - served with a cinnamon ice cream - rounds things out nicely. Backed up by a few solid cocktails and what claims to be the largest Portuguese wine list in London, we can’t help but feel that Bar Douro deserves far more attention.