Dave’s Wine Bar: Why I think it’s a Toast the City star Toast the City Dave’s Wine Bar is one of our Toast the City finalists. Libby Brodie visits to find out what makes it such a special drinking den Dave’s Wine Bar is tucked up St James Passage, a handily central space for a glass of great wine in the City. Named for David Howden, the CEO of Howden [...]
Two of my favourite hotels for celebrating English wine Life&Style While English wine tourism continues to blossom, not every vineyard has its own accommodation. These places offer luxury lovers somewhere to stay while indulging in local wines. Chilston Park HotelAn historic estate of over 900 years, this Grade I listed, red brick country house hotel comes with 77 acres of parkland and a private lake. [...]
Golf, events and bags of nostalgia at Newport’s Celtic Manor Life&Style There’s something very nostalgic about Celtic Manor. Located a few minutes down the M4 from Newport town centre, it manages to feel entirely remote, an imposing stone building nestled within some 2,000 acres of grounds. Opened in 1982 by Welsh tech tycoon Sir Terry Matthews, once the richest man in the country, Celtic Manor brings [...]
Beyond your 9-5: things to explore in the Square Mile August 20, 2026 For most, the City of London is defined by the rhythm of the working week. Offices fill from Monday to Friday, and the streets fall quiet at the weekend. But since the pandemic that pace has changed, and incredibly the Square Mile offers so much beyond the traditional 9-5. A weekend in the City of [...]
We take a food and drink Odyssey through the Square Mile August 17, 2026 As voting for the Toast the City Awards enters its final week, we sent our wine columnist Libby Brodie on a wine Odyssey through the City’s finest bars and restaurants. Vote for your favourites on our website here. As The Odyssey continues to smash records – it’s now Christopher Nolan’s highest ever grossing film – [...]
These are the best restaurants in the City of London August 11, 2026 Bank is almost unrecognisable from when I began my career here with Gaucho in 2004. Fast forward to today and I am the CEO of the Evolv Collection, overseeing 33 venues, nine of which are in the Square Mile. It’s fair to say I love running restaurants in the heart of London. So when it [...]
Rosslyn Coffee boss James Hennebry tells us the secret to great coffee August 10, 2026 We’re into the final round of voting for the 2026 Toast the City Awards. We’ve been catching up with some of our finalists; today we spoke to Rosslyn Coffee co-founder James Hennebry, who has two of his City locations, Ludgate Circus and London Wall, nominated in the Best Coffee category. To vote for your favourite [...]
A tribute to wine legend Matthew Jukes by his friend Libby Brodie August 7, 2026 The wine writer and entrepreneur Matthew Jukes died suddenly this week aged just 58 years old. Our wine writer and his close friend Libby Brodie remembers a legend of the wine industry and beyond Matthew Jukes was one of the very best people I met in my career in wine. Scratch that, he was one [...]
What’s on in London August August 5, 2026 | Sponsored August in London offers countless ways to make the most of the city. It’s a great chance to experience workshops, join in on some sport activations, discover a new cuisine, use exclusive offers, and embrace all London has to offer. This guide highlights some of this month’s top picks, suitable for all ages. Activities and [...]
Humble Grape is a wine bar like no other: Here’s its origin story August 4, 2026 Is a bar only as good as its origin story? The calibre of the drinks and service are of, of course, of vital importance but it’s the mythos of a place that gives it that je nais se quoi. Humble Grape, one of our Toast the City Awards 2026 Finalists, has one of the best [...]