Daly's Wine Bar

There are coffee shops, pubs and snack bars aplenty in the land of the legal eagles, but seemingly little in the way of quality nosh. Or is there?

Daly’s Wine Bar is ideally positioned for after work drinks and expense account lunches, but more to the point, the hearty British-inspired a la carte menu (only available during the day as there is a separate, more snacky menu for the evening) is a treasure trove for foodies. The wine menu is equally appealing, ranging from popular favourites such as Montepulciano D’Abruzzo and Sauvignon Blanc to pricier Pouilly Fume and Chablis 1er Cru.

From the start everything we order is impeccable; take for instance the sardine crostini, which places plump lemon-infused sardines on crispy baguette bread, or the layers of salty ham lying on a muffin, smothered in buttery Hollandaise and cloaked with two soft poached eggs, the yolks of which explode when prodded and with delicate drizzles of a tangy vinaigrette to break up their sinful creaminess.

The slow cooked pork belly is a delight, served with exquisite Yorkshire pud-like tarts topped with an almost fruity black pudding and pickled walnuts. The rack of lamb’s juicy pink meat is encrusted with a herby mustard rind, and a potato cake is stuffed with beans, onion and tomato, plus they’ve even taken the time to peel the broad beans.

There are only two desserts on offer: a creamy tiramisu which tones down the rich bitterness of coffee and the syllabub, an old English dessert rarely seen nowadays which douses zingy raspberry and rhubarb in sherry along with a dollop of thick, sweet cream.

To top it all, Daly’s prices are incredibly reasonable, averaging £5 - £7 for starters and around £10 for the mains. We leave utterly full, unsurprisingly.