[Updated 12/6/14 with new opening hours]
Michael and Charlotte Sager-Wilde, the duo better known as Sager & Wilde are planning to open a wine bar on Hackney Road this summer. Their bar, which ran as a pop-up at the end of 2012 drew high praise from wine lovers who flocked from all corners of London to sample an exciting selection of wines, all of which were available at a fraction of the cost of drinking them in a restaurant.
Sager & Wilde will be moving into the historic British Lion pub situated at 193 Hackney Road, which originally opened in 1859. The pair will be dedicating the coming weeks to refurbishing, stripping back decades of renovations and restoring its unique features to its original form. When complete the wine bar will seat 60.
The design sounds worth of a mention too - the bar features various bit of architectural salvage including steel passage lights from a Japanese supertanker, 1920's German station lights. But we particularly like the sound of the bar: the counter top has been built from a cast iron pavement light, strips of which illuminate, where up to 20 guests will be seated. There are also 24 seats on communal high-tables and window counters and a further 12 seats at small dining tables.
Of course, the fantastic selection of wines is the main draw card here and the pair has promised not to disappoint. Those fortunate enough to have visited the Sager & Wilde pop-up last year will be familiar with the impressive selection of wines available by the glass at 'less than retail' prices. At the bar, a similar arrangement is planned, with a generous selection available by the glass, and a list of up to 30 wines that changes daily. In addition there'll also be a 'super' high end blackboard list which will be announced through their social media accounts every day. For an indication of the range / price of wines available, check out their sample wine list here.
In a similar style to the pop-up, the food on offer will be simple and focus on using products both made in-house by their chef as well as sourced from London's best suppliers and producers – including bread from Better Health bakery, charcuterie from Picco Salumi and cheese from Androuet. Most of the offerings will be cold although we're told the 'Sager & Wilde' grilled cheese sandwich will definitely be on the menu.
'Our aim is to create a relevant wine bar where you can appreciate and learn about wine in a relaxed and unfussy environment. We're keeping the focus on classic regions and varietals and pouring the best stuff we can at the cheapest price possible.' Michael said. Opening hours are 5-11pm Wednesday thru Sunday and they’re also planning to open during the day in the weekends.
Sager & Wilde opens on Thursday 29th August at 193 Hackney Road, E2 8JL. Opening hours are Mon-Fri 5pm- midnight and Sat/Sun12pm-midnight. They also take bookings at hello@sagerandwilde.com. For more information follow @sagerandwilde on twitter or visit their website www.sagerandwilde.com
Follow Louis Fernando on Twitter at @tuckandvine and on his blog Tuck & Vine.
