Gordon's Wine Bar in Charing Cross has been named one of the top 100 bars in Europe, securing the 47th spot on a prestigious list released by The European Bar Guide. The rankings evaluate venues based on spectacle, atmosphere, social scene, intriguing customs, local culture, and the quality and choice of drinks.
A Historic Family-Owned Establishment
Established in 1890, Gordon's is London's oldest wine bar, located on Villiers Street. The bar has been family-owned since Luis Gordon purchased it in 1972. It is currently run by Wendy Gordon, with her son Simon Gordon overseeing operations. The family maintains a deliberate 'no change' policy regarding the vintage interior, while expanding outdoors onto Watergate Walk for al fresco seating.
The European Bar Guide described Gordon's as: "Historic port wine bar established in 1890 and family-owned. Set close to a tube station, you can hear and feel the rumble of trains pass by. A cosy candlelit interior with cracked aged paintings and news clippings, like an old bodega, with the 'cells' at the back, a long vaulted cellar where it is permanently shaded and clandestine. Deliberately preserved 'as our customers like it' with wine port and sherries only, including some from the wooden barrel. We recommend visiting outside of peak periods on weekends and meal times. One of London's finest."
Literary and Cultural Legacy
The building above the bar, known as Kipling House, was once home to author Rudyard Kipling, who wrote The Light That Failed there in the 1890s. Over the decades, the bar has attracted literary and cultural figures such as G.K. Chesterton, Laurence Olivier, and Vivien Leigh as regulars.
Customers have expressed their satisfaction with five-star ratings. One reviewer wrote: "If you enjoy any kind of wine, visit this bar. I was able to sit in the cave which I recommend. It was a very great and scenic experience. The wines on the menu were diverse and lovely."
Top-Ranked Bars Across Europe
The number one bar on the list is Szimpla Kert in Budapest, Hungary. It features an eccentric, chaotic interior housed in an abandoned post-war building in the Jewish quarter. The bar spans multiple floors with around eight to 20 themed rooms connected by narrow stairways and winding corridors, serving beers, cocktails, spirits, and wine, along with food options like quesadillas, pitas, and flautas.
Second place went to Retsins Lucifernum in Bruges, Belgium, created by artist Willy Retsin, which doubles as a gallery and includes a Freemasons cemetery installation. Third place was awarded to La Fleur en Papier Doré in Brussels, known for its vintage interior that resembles an old-fashioned, trendy hoarder's living room.
The top 10 bars in Europe are: Szimpla Kert (Budapest), Retsins Lucifernum (Bruges), La Fleur en Papier Doré (Brussels), Goupil Le Fol (Brussels), Zlatna Ribica (Sarajevo), Papa Joe's Jazzlokal (Cologne), 't Brugs Beertje (Bruges), Bar Marsella (Barcelona), U Hrocha (Prague), and Le Pot Au Lait (Liège).
