Goodbye Horses

"Its De Beauvoir address meant that Goodbye Horses was always going to be a serious contender in the biodynamic plonk and something-with-sobrasada scene. This restaurant and, yes, listening bar, retains the look of a nepo baby artist’s studio with handpainted scribbles and a handmade bar worth more than your pension. They know their pours here, and it’s a joyous place to drink wine. The toastie doesn’t mess about either." - jake missing, heidi lauth beasley, sinead cranna

"While it might sound like a therapy programme for Harrow pony girls who are transitioning to adulthood, Goodbye Horses is a relaxed wine bar with a bonhomie spirit. The modern European plates are proudly small, the oak counter is proudly sexy, and the aesthetic is ‘artistic freelancer friend’s flat who, coincidentally, you just found out did attend Harrow’. It’s the Islington townhouse pseudo dinner party we always want an invite to—records spin, orange wine flows, and strangers lean in." - heidi lauth beasley

"Goodbye Horses in Islington is the kind of place that makes us feel like we’re at the dinner party of a friend who’s an artist. Staff tinker with a record player and the mood is as easy and relaxed as the crinkled linen top your neighbour's wearing. Modern European plates look pretty and taste even better, like fancy egg mayo and oxtail ragout flecked with crispy meat. They're perfect for picking at with a date, or with a small group of friends who appreciate the bonhomie of a shared wooden table." - heidi lauth beasley, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna

"Goodbye Horses in Islington is the kind of place that makes us feel as sexy and confident as a Love Island bombshell. Staff tinker with a record player and the mood is as easy and relaxed as the crinkled linen top your date is wearing. Modern European plates look pretty and taste even better, like fancy beef tartare and oxtail ragout. They're perfect for picking at when you’re a serial spiller who’s trying to impress, or with someone who appreciates the bonhomie of a wooden table." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley

"Open for: Dinner and drinksPrice range: $$These days, London has no shortage of excellent new-age wine bars. It’s been a signature category in the city since the days of P. Franco and the likes of Terroirs before. But in more recent times, spots like Cadet, Hector’s, and Yuki Bar have raised the standard of wine bars sharply. At Goodbye Horses, which opened in the second part of 2024 (and where I enjoyed one of my favorite nights out last year), sommelier Nathalie Nelles oversees one of the most interesting wine lists in the city. Nelles has a penchant for excellent French wines from the Jura, Loire, and Burgundy. Go in the evening to enjoy a selection of small plates, which might include an avant-garde beef tartare, some carefully arranged crostini-like toasts, and a cheese plate. But you’re here to drink, really, and to take in the quite extraordinary interior, hand-painted curtains and long, organically shaped wooden bar — which lend the room a World of Interiors vibe in the best way. Must-try: Complex savagnins from the Jura, elegant chenin blancs from the Loire Valley, grower Champagnes, and a mix of modern and classic wines from regal Burgundian producers." - Adam Coghlan