Run for nearly 15 years by smiley owner Nuno Lobo, who has since retired, this Kentish Town Road staple is lucky enough to have kept its name and, in these dark days, still be operating as an independent café-bar.
The cafe has been fully refurbished, perhaps losing just a smidge of its atmospherically worn character in the process: now there are simple wooden tables and chairs, an exposed brick wall and bare pendant bulbs. A rotating schedule of artists is to be hung on the wall; at the moment you can see oils by Camden painter Jim Foreman. And there’s still a range of Portuguese pastries and wines, with Bourbon blend coffee, sandwiches, salads and freshly squeezed juices.
So far, so similar. But the real change now is that the Wine Cellar stays open until 11pm and also serves cheese and meat platters. So yes, the place operates as a useful bar every night.
“With two mates, I found an old shop and turned it into a pub called The 91 that was quite famous with British expats living there. It was the only place where you could buy a pint of Guinness or Kilkenny in the whole country.”
After six years of operating the pub he decided to sell it and make the move back to London. “We were looking at various places, but just went into the Wine Cellar and the owner told us that the rent went up and he wants to retire. So we decided to go for it.”
Fans of the basement wine store will be relieved to hear it’s still in place, with a mostly Portuguese and Romanian wine selection, although the intention is to expand with “even more bottles from other countries.”
On a rainy Tuesday, we took a seat in the window, and enjoyed a glass of vinho verde – all apples and prosecco-like fizz – before trying a Romanian Merlot called Bacanta. Dry, full-bodied and with plummy aromas, it matched generous plates of cheese and mixed charcuterie perfectly.
And for fans of craft and local beers and lagers, Rinon hopes to stock a wider range soon, including you-know-who from just down the road.
