A wine supplier to star restaurants such as Ynyshir and The Fat Duck is this month opening a new bar and deli in Shoreditch.
Jon Davey, who also works with Clove Club, a two Michelin-starred restaurant in Shoreditch, founded Nekter Wines in 2016 and specialises in New World and “new wave” wines. On April 14, following a series of pop-ups on the site, he is to open a permanent bar of the same name on Bowl Court, just off Shoreditch High Street.
Davey said his long-standing relationships with chefs such as Gareth Ward, chef-founder of Ynyshir in north-west Wales, will help to “shape the menu”.
Ward has created an “exclusive toastie” for the wine bar — a milk roll stuffed with Fat Cow cheese (Emmental in style) from the Scottish Highlands, black truffle, and shiitake mushroom ketchup (£20).
There will also be toasties in partnership from Manteca, Nick Cave’s go-to restaurant in Shoreditch, The Fordwich Arms in Kent (ham hock-based), and Nottingham favourite Alchemilla (some sort of smashed beef situation.
Customers will find Nekter tucked away off Shoreditch High Street, not far from Manteca, as well as Singburi, Legado and Padella.
Davey said the concept is “simple: exceptional New World wines paired with decadent toasties created by some of Britain’s best chefs”.
The Nekter wine list features more than 100 bottles from California, South Africa and Australia and prices will range from £18 to £400. The more expensive (£100-plus) from the cellar will be priced the same whether drinking in or taking away, which promises good value.
Davey said there will also be a “constantly evolving” by-the-glass list that invites guests to explore new, untried wines.
By day, Nekter will operate mostly as a deli, selling cheeses from Neal’s Yard Dairy, charcuterie from Meat Fish Cheese in Stoke Newington, fish from Secret Smokehouse in London Fields, steaks from Provenance Butchers, Pump Street Chocolate, Ozone Coffee, and more.
Davey said about 25 per cent of his products are to be sourced from within a ten-mile radius.
3 Bowl Court, EC2A 3BH; open Tuesday to Saturday, 9am–9.30pm; bar.nekterwines.com
