From the minds behind Margate’s Fort Road Hotel and the redevelopment of Marylebone newsagents Shreeji comes Sol’s, a new deli and wine bar in the emerging foodie area of Bayswater. This new venture from the Wendover property group serves an enticing range of salads and sandwiches during the day, before transforming into a wine-and-small-plates institution at night.
At the helm of Sol’s food offering is Harry Farrow, a former coastal Norfolk pub owner who has since worked in Marseilles and Nimes. Farrow aims to unite elements of a British pub with influences from the Mediterranean to create a ‘neighbourhood eatery’ and community hub. This idea is echoed by developer Gabriel Chipperfield, who was inspired by the conviviality and convenience of neighbourhood cantinas near his family’s home in Galicia and around the Iberian Peninsula, and championed the idea of one singular communal table at Sol’s.
Farrow and Chipperfield’s ethos is also on display throughout the menu - in daylight hours Sol’s will serve luxurious focaccia sandwiches from mainstay St John’s, filled with jambon de Paris or courgette, stracciatella and mint. From 5pm, the offering will change to Mediterranean-influenced small plates such as mozzarella with griddled peach, basil and pine nuts, and mortadella with giardiniera pickles, as well as more strongly Iberian-influenced dishes such as a classic tortilla de patatas and manchego with hazelnuts and honey.
Food and wine journalist Mina Holland, best known for her work with Guardian Feast, presides over the low-intervention wine list, which features wines from all across Europe, from Catalunya to Macedonia. The wine selection will also be available to purchase in the deli, alongside a curated range of other provisions, including charcuterie, cheeses, pasta, pickles, and chocolate.
At once a shop, restaurant, bar, and neighbourhood hub, Sol’s is a perfect choice for anyone looking to feel as though they’re part of a local gastronomic community.