EBG Rating: 7.7/10

Choice/Quality of Drinks:
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Vintage wines and liqueurs that are unashamedly pitched at the higher end of the market.

Style/Décor:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
16th century cellar, exposed brick vaults at the bottom of steep stairs directly off the street. Interior with a long bar at the opposite side of the room, spaces carefully decorated with personal seating spaces and niches, twinkly lights.

Atmosphere/Character:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
A feeling of novelty from the entrance and vault space to the service. Once comfortably sat, it’s a pleasant, vaguely rarefied air that places the individual and couples above any idea of inter-mingling, which could be your idea of a good thing, but definitely makes the place feel less social.

Amenities/Events:
❤️❤️❤️
Food, snacks, shop.

Value For Money:
❤️❤️
Undeniably pitched at the higher end, more along the lines of what you’d expect to pay for a higher quality cocktail in a good theme bar.

Description:
The Willow Cellar, aka ‘The Hole’ is a true basement bar where access is direct from the street down a set of steep stone stairs. Do not arrive inebriated!

Enter to find a large but carefully curated space that feels cavern like and lounge like all at once. You’re in a 16th century cellar.

There is a sense of ‘departure’ as your phone signal vanishes and table service directs you to your seat and explains what’s going to happen.

Their USP is a blind tasting – you can guide your server towards a wine you’d like, using quite vague terminology (young/old white, young/old red) after which the choice is at their discretion. It isn’t something you’d do every day but it is a novelty.

During your drink they will present their choice to you. This bar is not cheap but they do provide good quality, often from a selection of rare vintages and it is an experience! These can be enjoyed alongside planks of cheese and charcuterie.

Exceptional reviews attest to a business that is in the traditional French philosophy, aiming for excellent not methodically but with panache.

From our perspective, it is clear not democratically priced which is a little drawback, but we enjoyed the space, the products and the experience and can firmly recommend a try if you’re in to wines, a novelty and to let yourself go off-piste (no pun intended).

(Added January 2026)