Dulwich wine bars with wonderful Portuguese wines

 

Wine from Quinta Das Bageiras. Bruto natural (dry), and rose.

Portuguese pink sparkling wine.

Delightful.

Inexpensive. Under ten pounds a bottle online.

Drop Dulwich Wine Bar, 1 Melbourne Grove, London.

About four minutes from East Dulwich Station which is about 15 minutes from London Bridge station.

Useful websites

https://dropdulwich.co.uk/

The Shard At Night - the UK's Highest Building

 

On the distant right is the Shard. The UK's highest building.

Nearby is London Bridge  overground station with trains going south.

We took the London Bridge underground to Euston station. 

I had already taken a ride up the Shard to the observatory to see the view, on a family birthday. The Shard houses three restaurants and a hotel.

Useful Websites

https://www.the-shard.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shard

Vivat Bacchus near London Bridge, for kangaroo burger

Large, jolly, and candle-lit at night.  Here is my kangaroo burger served on a wooden platter with thick cooked chips.

My companion opted for the fish dish. No potatoes with this. You can order a side dish of potatoes. But the ones which came with my kangaroo burger were copious enough to feed two of us (both weight watchers). 

KANGAROO BURGER

Kangaroo burger? I wasn't keen on the idea of eating kangaroo. I like kangaroos. It was much the same as any other burger.

My burger was dry. I thought it was overcooked. When the waitress came to ask was everything all right I said, 'I thought it was overcooked'. She retorted indignantly, 'No! Everything is freshly cooked'. She had a foreign accent. My companion and I spent some time arguing over whether or not she had misunderstood. I said I thought she must have understood me to mean reheated. My companion argued that she had understood perfectly.

I was too polite to say this again to the charming manager/ head waiter. We had a lovely chat with him about Italy and he recommended making a drinking 'tea' from onions and hot water.

This was our second meal at Vivat Bacchus. The previous time we were very happy and wanted to eat there again. This time we were not happy and did not want to eat there again. As they have two branches, and we have had two different experiences, you might want to try for yourself. 

The best part was the yummy trio of desserts. my dining companion found them too sugary and heavy. I did not find them too sugary. Nor too heavy. I thought they were yummy.

Vivat Bacchus Restaurant and Wine Bar

www.vivatbacchus.co.uk

info@vivabacchus.co.uk

londonbridge@vivatbacchus.co.uk

Farringdon

47 Farringdon Street

London EC4A 4LL

020 7353 2648

London Bridge

4 Hays Lane

London SE1 2HB

020 7234 0891

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. 

Wine Tasting At Laithwaites, London Bridge station

I tried a dry pale rose wine.

They had a large selection of dry reds and whites to taste. Nothing medium sweet or sweet.

Pink is the new black - very amusing, and interesting.

Wine tasting. Note what's on the board. I take photos when I'm in travelling and touring and visiting and a hurry, photos of dates and opening times and event times and event dates.

Their board says "Follow us on TWITTER. @Laithwaitesarch"

Angela Lansbury B A Hons, ACG, CL, travel writer, author, speaker.

Borough Market - what to buy

You can see the overhead bridge carrying trains in and out of London Bridge station by Borough Market which is 'under the arches'. The market is open in the mornings and was closed when we went to London for an evening wine tasting and meal. So if you want to visit the market, check you will arrive before it closes. 

If you arrive late afternoon or you can still find a few shops open alongside. 

Free - with a purchase.

I took a fancy to this olive tree, great for a patio, £35. Chez Mio.

If I go back earlier in the day I'll head into the market and try a fruit juice. 

Here's the place, Chegworth Valley fresh juice bar.
( In the background you can just read the Chez Mio sign over the road and see one of their olive trees.)

Angela Lansbury B A Hons, ACG, CL, travel writer, author, speaker.

Hays Galleria, London Bridge station

Exit from London Bridge station (Jubilee and Northern lines), cross the road on the crossing to Hays Galleria, only a few steps to your right. Inside Hays Galleria in a glass covered courtyard surrounded by several cafes with indoor and covered 'outdoor' seating, and market stalls surrounding the grand central sculpture. From the centre you can see out over the river to landmark buildings such as the Gherkin. 

The Cafe options include Costa coffee to your right and Cafe Rouge to your left. I saw no signs to public toilets and the people I asked told me to try the cafes. I went into Costa Coffee and decided to stay there and two of us had coffee and cake. 

I have now looked on google maps and found toilets marked in front of Boots the Chemist which is immediately left as you are at the start of the Galleria.

Shopping? I looked at shoes on sale in a shop. Then I browsed a kiosk selling watches from £5 for fancy, decorated dress or novelty watches; £15 for practical watches with date and alarm, seemed a good buy.

(See my earlier post about the Gherkin, the number of steps and climbing the steps for charity, and information on the Gherkin and dining and weddings there.)

More Information

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hay%27s_Galleria

Angela Lansbury, BA Hons, AG CL,  travel writer, author, speaker.