[title]
Have you ever been so desperate for a drink that you wish you could crack open a bottle right there in the off-licence? This Newington Green offy-cum-deli can help with that – and sell you top-end cheese, meat and fish while you’re at it. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming; foodie but not stuffy. There’s only a handful of tables and the balance between shop and bar feels right. You’ll barely notice locals popping in for their evening’s supplies.
Yield’s selection of wine and beer is handpicked from around the world. It specialises in organic and artisanal producers: names you don’t know but will be scribbling down once you’ve tried them. Be prepared to explore lesser-trodden winelands: my visit took me to the Basque Country (a light white), via the slopes of Mont Ventoux in southern France (an almost pink, very slightly bubbly red) and Spain’s Galicia (a mildly sweet white). The food menu dares you to keep ordering: charcuterie, cheese, bruschetta and high-end fresh or tinned seafood (three words: order the octopus). It’s not all bottles (corkage is £7): Yield serves wine by the glass, and every other week ithosts a tasting table and guides customers through its menu.
These folk know how to pick produce: the bread is from Hackney’s celebrated E5 Bakery, the cheese from Neal’s Yard and the cured meats from an Islington outfit called Cobble Lane. The word is that natural wine (meaning no chemicals and little technical fuss in its production) is good for hangovers. I can attest to that: after a bottle and a half between two of us, my head was clear(ish) the next morning – leaving more room for the nagging guilt over such midweek indulgence.