Opening a brand new wine bar can be a stressful experience.
You’re likely to see a lot of red.
Luckily, the founders of Clarette seem to be taking things in their stride, having unveiled their Marylebone bar on the gastro-boulevard that is Blandford Street. Taking up residence in a former pub with mock tudor frontage, it holds three floors of well-selected wines available by the glass and bottle. And we’re not using ‘well-selected’ lightly here – the bar’s founder, Alexandra Petit, is from the family behind the renowned Chateau Margaux wine estate in France.
She’s teamed up with internationally-experienced restaurateur Natsuko Perromat du Marais to create a wine bar that’s as accessible to occasional drinkers to swilling aficionados, with a laidback atmosphere, cosy firesides and communal tables. The ground floor has a bustling feel with an al fresco terrace, while upstairs is a more intimate affair, including a private dining room for special occasions.
As you’d expect from Petit’s heritage, most of the wine on offer is French, but there’s a wealth of carefully selected wines from round the world to stopper the gaps. And to stop you stumbling out 4 hours later a little worse for wear, there’s a range of small plates to accompany the liquid offering, from crudités served with a raspberry hummus, to heirloom tomato and strawberry salads, braised octopus with olives and capers, or a full sirloin steak.
…So nothing to wine about there.
NOTE: Clarette is open daily from noon til midnight. You can reserve a spot online HERE.
Clarette | 44 Blandford Street, W1U 7HS
Partial to a glass of the grape stuff? Peruse London’s best wine bars here