Guide by Vana

Where to drink in Walthamstow

7 places to drink in Walthamstow, each one on the Guide on merit.

1. 

   Burnt Faith Brandy House

   Brandy distillery & bar

   England's first dedicated brandy distillery, with a Walthamstow tasting bar. Cocktails built on their own spirit, and a genuine one-off.

   Book the distillery tour rather than just the bar; it ends with a tasting of spirit drawn from their own still.

2. 

   Exale Taproom

   Brewery taproom

   A bright brewery taproom on the Blackhorse Beer Mile with a big garden and a food pop-up that keeps changing.

   It is only open Thursday to Sunday, and the garden is the move on a sunny day.

3. 

   Forest Wines

   Wine shop & bar

   A Walthamstow wine shop and bar with a low-intervention list and a backyard for summer. Drink in, or take a bottle home.

   Pick a bottle off the shelf and pay the corkage rather than sticking to the by-the-glass list.

4. 

   Gnarly Vines

   Wine merchant & bar

   A Walthamstow wine merchant and bar with a characterful list and a willingness to open anything. Bottles to stay or go.

   Have a Yard Sale Pizza delivered to your table and eat it under the trees out back.

5. 

   Mother's Ruin

   Gin distillery & bar

   A Walthamstow gin distillery with a bar attached: small-batch gin, tastings, and locals who treat it as theirs.

   Bar is weekends only, Friday to Sunday; book the distillery tour and you bottle your own gin to take home.

6. 

   Olfaclub

   Natural wine listening bar

   A dim, Japanese-inspired listening bar pouring low-intervention wines by the glass, ranked by how easy they are to love. Hi-fi on vinyl, plus a mineral-water menu for the drivers.

   Wines are by the glass only, so order down the Easy-to-Wild scale and let the list lead you somewhere odd.

7. 

   Renegade Urban Winery

   Urban winery

   A working winery on a Walthamstow industrial estate, face-label bottles, styles that rarely repeat. Drink something made fifty feet away, with seasonal plates from Leo, the modern British bistro that cooks inside it.

   Come on a Saturday for the hour-long tour and tasting, and ask about volunteering on the autumn harvest.