The Bite Magazine - Summer 2019 - Issue 25

bite drinks a combination of small and large plates celebrating season- ality in the UK whilst mirroring the wine list. Visitors to the shop will be in good hands with the food menu because as executive chef Neil Gander says, “Our ideas and inspirations come from the countries we choose to seek out our wines. Ingredients are sourced in a similar fashion as the wines, from independent producers with a sustainable ethos.” As the venue will be opened seven days a week from 7.30am, instead of going to Starbucks or other typical breakfast plac- es, city workers and visitors to the area will be able to expe- rience breakfast here, along with morning meeting spaces, and lunch with à la carte and set menu options. The evening environment will create a mixture of spaces where you can enjoy a glass or two, a full dinner, or host bespoke wine events. At weekends, indulge yourself with brunch, includ- ing bottomless and Sunday Roasts. The wine shop and eatery can accommodate a total capacity of 140 guests with a versatile layout created by Trelik Design Studios, who designed the other four Humble Grape interi- ors at Battersea, Fleet Street, Islington, and Liverpool Street. It is because of their fun and informal settings combined with a sense of elegance through the mixed use of natural elements from zinc tables and ironwork to reclaimed tim- ber and repurposed cork that they are Humble Grape’s #1 interior designers. Inside the space, you’ll notice a tiled wine retail space with bespoke tasting table, the main dining floor with a striking central banquet that stretches the length of the building and herringbone timber floors. There is a multi-purpose private room located behind timber doors, a banqueted space for 16 guests containing A/V equipment and private portal to the bar, allowing for a unique meeting room. Adjacent to the kitchen is a versatile events space, ideal for informal dinners, company outings, and standing events. For groups that exclusively book an event here, they will have private access to a waterside space. The south-west ex- terior of the venue will seat 34 guests while other features include the open copper-detailed kitchen and commission visual displays from the brand’s favourite artist Malgosia Stepnik. The multidisciplinary artist who was born in Po- land in 1978, lives and works between London and Oxford- shire and has her work displayed in many of the Humble Grape shops. “I fell in love with the site as it has access to water and a large outside space, the first for any Humble Grape venue,” said James Dawson. “Most importantly, I don’t feel there is cur- rently any brand in Canary Wharf focusing purely on wine, especially the high-quality boutique wines that we offer to- gether with fabulous, unpretentious and friendly service.” Senior members of the team are WSET qualified and the team is trained weekly by a WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) educator and the winemakers themselves. So once they are opened, why not say hello and welcome Humble Grape to Canary Wharf where you won’t be disap- pointed with their selection of fine wines and cuisine. Humble Grape Canary Wharf 18-29 Mackenzie Walk London E14 4PH https://www.humblegrape.co.uk