Going to the football? Like good wine? A tasting trip through Islington’s wine bars pairs well with tickets for a north London matchday
There’s something special about the occasion when it comes to attending a football match, especially if you really care about the outcome. Part of the appeal is that victory is not guaranteed. You might spend money and time watching a game that ends in a stale 0-0 draw, or you might see your team put up a poor display and get beaten. But when it’s a good game, and your team wins, there’s nothing quite like it. But a football match is more than just attending a game. It’s the stuff around the 90 minutes of action that makes it a great day out, including some pre-game or post-game drinks, and perhaps a meal, too.
Beer is the drink most closely associated with football, but if you want to do more than swill a few pre-match pints (nothing wrong with that of course), what about tasting some interesting wines. And if you are heading to a match at Highbury, there are some great wine bar options in the Islington area that are worth a detour. A tasting trip through Islington’s wine bars pairs neatly with tickets for a north London matchday when the fixture falls right.
My favourite is more than just a wine bar, and more than just a pub. The Draper’s Arms is an Islington institution and has one of the best wine lists in London in terms of its diversity, and also its fair pricing. You can come here and eat very well, but you can also come here just to share a couple of bottles of excellent wine. It has a beautiful blue façade, and inside it’s accommodating and warm with a spacious dining room and a classy feel to the bar area. Highly recommended.
I also have a soft spot for Yield, a small but perfectly formed wine bar specializing in low-intervention/natural wines. There’s a really inviting, relaxed feel to this bar, and the wines are attractively priced. You just want to stay and drink another bottle.
Close to Yield is Trullo, which isn’t a wine bar, although it does have an excellent wine list. Trullo can rightfully claim to be one of London’s very best Italian restaurants, and it’s the ideal place to eat, before or after the game, although reservations here are essential. Seats here are rightfully in high demand.
And another good Islington choice is Humble Grape, which is a large wine bar and kitchen with an impressive selection of wines. This veers away from the natural to a more conventional list, but there are lots of good choices here.
The Drapers Arms
44 Barnsbury St, London N1 1ER, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7619 0348
Yield N1
97 St Pauls Road, Islington, London N1 2NA
Phone: +44 20 3602 4960
Trullo
300-302 St Paul’s Rd, Islington, London N1 2LH, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7226 2733
Humble Grape Islington – Wine Bar & Restaurant
11-13 Theberton St, Islington, London N1 0QY, UK
Phone +44 20 3904 4480
