Finley’s is a gorgeous little wine bar & shop on Hoxton Street with a unique twist.
What sets it apart from other wine bars is that it is completely female-led, built and owned. And, in the best possible way, we hope the wine-glass ceiling currently hamstringing the industry shatters, and that fact fades into banality quickly.
Finley’s was quite literally built by owner Sia Smith with her own sweat, money, and favours from friends. And what she’s created is a stripped-back temple of minimalist chic with just a hint of ‘I woke up like this’ effortlessness, thanks to plentiful greenery, elegant light fixtures, and long communal table commandeering the centre of the room that instigates a welcoming dinner party kind of vibe. You can probably get in about 25 punters, with extra if you’re counting dogs (it’s dog-friendly). The most important feature you’d have to say though, is the wine wall.
As the name hints at, it’s a wall stacked with wine. There’s roughly 70 of them on the floating shelves with Nora Kausinyte (Maison François‘ head sommelier) helping Sia to come up with the carefully selected list. While what you get changes on the regular – for example, varieties from Vins Et Volailles and Judith Beck – one thing that’s constant is you’ll always read a female name on the label of the bottle.
In the rare event that you’ve arrived here and you don’t actually drink wine, then fear not, this isn’t an unmanageable situation; Finley’s also sells cans of beer from Queer Brewing, a queer and transgender owned brewery. There’s stuff to nibble on too – cured meats, cheeses and breads – plus light wine food dishes such as baked camembert or ricotta & anchovies with sourdough. The produce they use for these also comes solely from female-makers, or brands where women are involved in the ownership (like Sea Sisters, the English tinned fish brand co-run by Charlotte Dawe and her chef-husband Angus Cowen).
And finally, Finley’s holds monthly tastings as well where you can sharpen your vino comprehension with sessions covering orange wine, natural wine, wine & cheese pairings, meet the makers nights and so on.
It’s a diverse range…
NOTE: Finley’s is open from Weds-Sat. You can find out more and check when tastings are on their website right here.
PREVIOUS PERK: Finley’s hosted a trio of Nudge Member Christmas wine tasting events in December 2023. They were festively themed evenings complete with crackers, mince pies, Christmas tunes, plenty of cheese, and five wine samples in a guided tasting for £20.
Finley’s | 297 Hoxton St, London N1 5JX
This your cup of tea? You can find similar spots in our guide to London’s best natural wine bars…