Clarette

Upmarket wine bar Clarette occupies a landmark mock-Tudor pile that was once The William Wallace pub – hence the beautiful stained-glass depictions of Scottish-town coats of arms in both the art-deco salon and first-floor bar. Clarette is co-owned by one of Bordeaux’s Château Margaux dynasty, who has helped stuff the extensive wine list with stellar (and costly) French vintages. Grand vins from Margaux fetch four-figure sums, and vie for attention with brilliant big-ticket Burgundies. Fortunately, you can also find perky Pays d’Oc Viognier at pub prices, and the house Champagne (Pierre Péters) isn’t destructively expensive, while Coravin selections by the glass (classy 2013 Condrieu, for instance) also keep the bill down. Decamp to the pubby ground-floor room or the heated terrace for classic cocktails, cheeses, charcuterie and more substantial dishes such as braised octopus with capers, olives and tomatoes.

Clarette is an elegant wine bar and restaurant in Marylebone that combines a unique, carefully-curated wine list with stylish Modern European food. You’ll find the restaurant just off Marylebone High Street, right in the heart of one of London’s chicest neighbourhoods. Clarette is the passion project of Alexandra Petit-Mentzelopoulos, of the Château Margaux family, Natsuko Perromat du Marais, who united over a shared love of good food and good wine to start this endearing wine bar in the city centre.

Clarette’s unique exterior is immediately striking - the stained glass windows and painted timber frontage give the building an old fashioned charm, and inside you’ll find it’s slick and elegant with natural wood floors, plush coaches and a sleek marble bar where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine. There are also a handful of tables on the pavement outside, where you can watch Marylebone life go by with a glass of wine in hand.

Wine really is the star of the show here - the wine list has been carefully curated and not only are there some rare and exceptional wines available by the bottle, but Clarette also carries a wide Coravin range, making a selection of fine wines available by the glass, where more bars and restaurants would only serve them by the bottle.

The restaurant matches that up with a variety of menus to suit all occasions, whether it’s lunch and dinner, canapes, or sharing and party menus for large groups and special events. On the dinner menu at the time of writing you’ll find elegant starters like Anjour pigeon with chestnut mushroom, sweetcorn and lardo, and mains such as bone in pork belly with crispy langoustine, rhubarb, sorrel, and bisque, and wild sea bass with smoked cod roe, preserved tomato and wilted lettuce.