Provisions

There are very few situations that can’t be improved by cheese and wine – and you’ll find both in abundance at this delightful deli and wine bar. Based in an unassuming spot on Holloway Road, it’s bigger than it looks from the outside – there are tables in the window and at the back of the room, or you can pull up a bar stool at a large wooden table in the middle and watch staff dish up olives and cut slices off huge slabs of cheese.

On my early Saturday evening visit, there was a steady stream of people coming in to buy wine, cheese and meat, as well as those staying for a tipple. Open fridges are filled with cheese, cured meat and olives, while huge cans of cornichons and chutneys from Hackney-based producer Newton & Pott line the shelves. There’s no real kitchen, but they’ll ask you what kind of things you like and make you up a personalised plate to nibble on while you work your way through the wine list.

Speaking of which, there’s a good selection on the menu, including an ‘orange and interesting’ section and a decent number of by-the-glass options. You can also go off-menu if you spy something on display that takes your fancy – it’s £10 corkage if you’re staying to sip it or you can take your bottle home. They also have some wines on tap at around £8 or £9 per bottle – you buy a bottle, fill it up, drink and repeat. And if that’s not enough to keep you coming back for more, I don’t know what is.