Jason Atherton continues to expand his empire with the opening of a fifth London outpost in Marylebone today. Called Social Wine & Tapas, the emphasis is on the wine list with the ground floor devoted to a wine shop and, extraordinarily, all 10 front of house staff are trained sommeliers.
The project was the brainchild of Social Company’s executive group head sommelier Laure Patry (above). “I came up with the idea about four years ago. When we opened Pollen Street I said to Jason that I really wanted to have my own project,” she exclusively told Square Meal’s sister publication Imbibe. “I wanted a shop where people would walk in, pick up a bottle of wine and then sit down somewhere. Jason suggested we do small dishes to go with the wine. But with Jason as a chef it’s going to be a bit more than just tapas.”
The result of Patry and Atherton’s collaboration is a two-floor site housing an open kitchen, basement tapas bar, dining counter and communal wine tasting table alongside the walk-in wine shop. Simple seasonal tapas and plenty of cheese and charcuterie are the order of the day, matched with a global wine list from over 40 different suppliers. Sherry and Madeira feature heavily, and Italian and Austrian wines currently make a recurring appearance, though the list is set to change regularly. The best thing about it? If something you drink takes your fancy you can buy a bottle (or two) and take it home with you.
But if you’ve just popped in for a quick tipple or want to sample several different wines, there’s a large selection of wines by the glass – 14 different whites and reds, and four sparkling – and the team are using the Coravin system for guaranteed freshness. Patry is also offering an array of three-glass flights, starting with the 2000 vintage and Chardonnay from around the world.
Knowing Jason Atherton, there is no doubt that Social Wine & Tapas will be a popular addition to Marylebone’s drinking and dining scene. And with the recent launch of his very own fragrance (yes, you read that right) we wouldn’t be surprised if an army of Atherton’s fragrant foodie fans start to take over London.
This article was published 9 June 2015