Humble Grape

Humble Grape opened its first branch on Battersea Rise, between Clapham Common and Wandsworth Common, building an independent wine bar and shop around organic and sustainably produced bottles from small producers rather than the big name labels found in most chain wine bars across London.

The list runs past 500 wines, split between the retail shop at the front and the bar and dining room behind it, with staff generally happy to talk through less familiar producers rather than steering guests towards the safest, most recognisable option on the list.

Food is built to support the wine rather than compete with it: seasonal small plates change regularly according to what is in the kitchen, and a roasted cauliflower dish has developed enough of a following over the years to get mentioned in reviews almost as often as the wine list itself.

The room fills up fast on weekend evenings, and because wine, not table turnover, is the entire point of the business, service can feel unhurried in a way that suits a long, exploratory evening but frustrates anyone hoping for a quick glass and a fast exit.

For genuinely interesting bottles outside the usual supermarket range, in a setting without the stuffiness that wine bars can sometimes carry, this remains one of the better options in south west London, and the shop side means you can take a bottle home as well as drink one there.

Humble Grape has since expanded to other London locations including Islington, Fleet Street and Canary Wharf, each adapted to its local crowd, but the Battersea Rise branch, being the first, still carries the strongest sense of a genuine neighbourhood spot rather than an outpost of a growing group. Its position between two commons makes it a natural stop for a Sunday afternoon glass after a walk, and the food menu, while secondary to the wine, is substantial enough to make a full meal here rather than just a snack alongside a bottle. Wine tasting events and supper club style evenings run periodically at the Battersea site, giving regulars a reason to return beyond a standard dinner booking, though these tend to book up quickly given the site’s genuinely loyal local following.