If Margate is a slice of London-on-sea…
…then Sol’s is a little slice of Margate in London.
After all, it comes to you from one of the stylishly-minded trio behind Fort Road Hotel (one of the loveliest places to stay in Margate), Gabriel Chipperfield. He’s joined forces with food writer Mina Holland to create this breezy little natural wine bar, deli and small plates spot inspired by the Iberian coastline.
Rather than plant Sol’s in the thick of natural wine country over in East London, they’ve decided to open in a part of town that doesn’t usually get much by way of shouty new openings. And as it turns out, they couldn’t have planned it better, because Sol’s is a perfect pre-dinner stroll away from Jeremy King’s own shiny new opening, The Park.
The small plates on offer here, however, are more than worthy of your attention though – so you could easily spend a whole evening here after a stroll through Hyde Park, a dip in the Serpentine, or a mooch around the Serpentine Galleries. Basically, it’s Grade A date material.
You’ll meet outside its minimalist cream & wood frontage on Leinster Terrace, heading in to discover an equally refined interior. A central table dominates the space, while a couple of high stools perch up at the windowsill, where the broad sash windows open onto the street on warmer evenings. All told, there’s room for under 30 punters, giving the place the feel of an intimate tapas bar. And at the back, a large, warm wooden cabinet guards Mina’s hand-picked selection of bottles, plucked from low-intervention wineries in regions across Europe, from Burgundy to Macedonia and Emilia-Romagna.
In the daytime, Sol’s operates as a deli and café, with a rotating selection of salads and sandwiches (made with St John‘s focaccia) on offer. But come evening, the menu cracks its knuckles and ventures into more elaborate territory, courtesy of chef Harry Farrow, who’s drawing on his time spent in Marseilles, Nimes, and the Norfolk coast to create a daily-changing menu that mingles British and Italian influences.
Tuck into the deep-fried panisses with aioli, or the crisp patatas bravas to get started, before moving onto more seasonal dishes like the burrata with ripe white peaches, basil and pine nuts; the Vesuvius tomatoes in punchy tuna and anchovy-laden tonnato sauce; or the green bean salad, with lentils & almonds in a tarragon & Dijon dressing. Making use of the produce lining the shelves, too, there’s usually charcuterie and cheese on offer, as well as plump, tinned sardines. It’s all really quite delicious, especially if you finish up with the dark chocolate mousse, or the vanilla ice cream dressed with salt and olive oil…
…something tells us this won’t be your sole visit.
NOTE: Sol’s is open Wed-Sat, 10am-10pm. There are no bookings; just turn up.
Sol’s | 25 Leinster Terrace, London, W2 3ET
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