"“Planque, under two railway arches in Hagerston, is a unique space. Jonathan, who owns and runs it, puts together the most personal selection of regional European artisanal wines. He's applied that same personal touch to the design of the place as well. I've been to a couple of tastings there. The last one I went to was a guy called François Rousset-Martin who's from the Jura, who makes incredible Château-Chalons—just totally different, unique, artisanal wines. But [Jonathan] also does tastings from his personal cellar. You could come and sit with someone who has got that brilliant passion for wine and won't talk down to you. And the food's good.”" - brennan carley
"This elegantly designed wine club beneath a Haggerston railway arch now firmly belongs in the top bracket of (French) restaurants in London. Chef Seb Myers and his modern-ish, playful take on French country cooking fits perfectly with the fascinating and broad wine list owned by patron Jonathan Alphandery. With dishes such as a red mullet tartine; grilled leeks vinaigrette with Tunworth cheese; a duck offal choux farcis; and mackerel with coco beans and greens; as well as a caramel tart with blue cheese, Planque has nearly everything that makes a great modern European restaurant great. Best for: Pairing some of London’s cleverest cooking with some of the best wine in the city." - Adam Coghlan
"Planque is probably the most decidedly unclassic restaurant on this list. It’s a grand industrial lair in Haggerston that also acts as a wine club for trainee Bond villains. The vibe is cool to the point of chilly, although the staff are brilliant and highly knowledgeable and the food has the ability to be outstanding. Serious grape appreciators and small plate-lovers will like it. Look out for any offal on the menu." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, daisy meager, sinead cranna
"A favourite among chefs and gourmands, wine bar and French restaurant Planque is the closest most of us will ever get to eating a meal in a lofty kitchen showroom. The industrial strip lights give the energy of a space where you may be pitched to at any given moment and, given its Hoxton location, more than a few digital nomads likely use it for just that." - jake missing
"Planque is a grand industrial lair in Haggerston that also acts as a wine club for trainee Bond villains. The vibe is cool to the point of chilly, though the staff are brilliant and highly knowledgeable—you suspect that there is a Master of Wine or two among them—and the French food has the ability to be outstanding. Serious grape appreciators and small plates lovers will be in heaven here." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak