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9-505: El Vino , also known as El Vino's , is a wine bar and off-licence in London's Fleet Street that was famously patronised by journalists when many national newspapers were based nearby. It is still patronised by lawyers as the surrounding area is still London's legal district. The business was founded by the wine merchant Alfred Bower in Mark Lane as Bower and Co. in 1879. That

18-425: A good socializing setting with a less crowded feel and more intimate appeal. Modern wine bars have begun to incorporate a larger variety of foods. Traditionally associated with cheeses and desserts, wine bars are looking to combine wine with appetizer-sized gourmet selections to enhance the palate. The concept brings the tastes of fancy restaurants to a dressed-down setting. Restaurant owners and chefs sometimes take

27-510: A specific wine retailer or other outlet of wine, to provide additional marketing for that retailer's wine portfolio. In countries where licensing regulations allow this, some wine bars also sell the wines they serve, and effectively function as a hybrid between a wine shop and a wine bar. Wine bar chains in the UK include All Bar One . Although the trend of wine bars in the United States

36-478: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Wine bar A wine bar is a tavern -like business focusing on selling wine , rather than liquor or beer . A typical feature of many wine bars is a wide selection of wines available by the glass. Some wine bars are profiled on wines of a certain type of origin, such as Italian wine or Champagne . While many wine bars are private "stand-alone" establishments, in some cases, wine bars are associated with

45-430: The association of wine with upscale clientele and overwhelming wine lists and replace it with a more casual and relaxing atmosphere. Many of these bars are furnished with nooks and cozy booths encased in rich colors and plush surroundings in hopes their guests will linger. Wine bars look to embrace the intellectual stimulation linked to wine and offer an alternative to the bar scene. The laid-back environment lends itself to

54-498: The bar to be served and drink. In 1982 in the case Gill and Coote v El Vino Co Ltd , Tess Gill and Anna Coote successfully challenged El Vino’s ban on women being served at the bar and drinking there rather than having their drinks brought to them at a table; the ban was held to be an illegal violation of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 . Regular characters and patrons included: This pub -related article

63-421: Was not well received in the 1980s, they began to gain popularity in the 1990s. By early 2000, wine bars became very popular and started popping up in many metropolitan neighborhoods across the country. Wine bars now rival the local hangouts such as coffee shops and local bars. The wine bar phenomenon offers the 'taste before you buy' philosophy. Wine bars add a new dimension to wine tasting . They seek to remove

72-615: Was on the east side of the City of London and, as the business prospered by selling imported Burgundy , claret , and sherry , he opened four more wine bars, including the famous branch in Fleet Street. In 1923, the business had to change its name, so that Bower could become an alderman , and so it was renamed El Vino – the Spanish name for wine. Bower then became Lord Mayor and the business continued in his family until 2015, when it

81-649: Was sold to the Davy chain of wine bars. While journalists are not so common in Fleet Street now, the bar is still popular with the barristers and solicitors who work in the surrounding courts and legal offices. The bar inspired the fictional Pomeroy's in Rumpole of the Bailey and El Vino now has a Rumpole Room to commemorate this. For much of its history, the bar required male customers to wear ties, and although women customers were permitted, they were not allowed to approach

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