The outside of Bruno - a welcoming spot which will get even better in the warmer weather
So who's behind Bruno?
This cosy little wine bar in Victoria Park Village is the latest opening from Michael Sager, who's also behind Hackney bars Sager + Wilde and Equal Parts. At Sager + Wilde Michael was an outlier on two counts. That was as the co-founder of a wine bar that could be looked at as one of the first breed of new-age fine wine bars to open in London and as one of the first people to see the potential of this part of London when it came to interesting new bars and restaurants.
And he's opened another wine bar?
He has, but as he told us this is very much more of a personal project, not least because it's named after his dad. As a local himself, Michael has lavished a lot of love on this little natural wine bar, from the antique furnishings to putting much of his personal wine collection on the shelves.
Where is it?
You'll find it in an old stable block in the heart of Victoria Park Village, right next door to Pophams. It's not the easiest of places to get to by public transport. There are a smattering of overground stations - Bethnal Green, London Fields, Homerton - about a 20-minute walk away, or you could tube it to Mile End and get a bus from there. But we'd say the journey would be worth it.
What's the space like?
It's small and also popular, so good luck getting a seat. We arrived just after 6pm on a Friday and were lucky enough to get a couple of stools by the window. There are five tables down the right-hand side of the room and then a smattering of stools all over the place.
Bruno's an intimate space, so pull up a chair wherever you can.
What's on the wine list?
If you're opting for wine by the glass, then you start with the actual list. There are five on offer - one each of fizz, white, orange, rosé and red. They change regularly but, for example, when we were there prices started at £7.50 for a glass of Meinklang, Rosé 2022 from Austria.
But if you're hankering after something more, then there's a vast selection of bottles around you, with over 200 to choose from. Those bottles are priced at takeaway prices, and there's a £15 mark-up for drinking in. Your best bet is to call in the help of one of the fabulously friendly people who work here. All of them have been working at Sager + Wilde for years so they really know their stuff.
We started with a glass of Vivo from southern Lazio vineyard Sete with a bowl of truffled pecorino nuts (£3.50) while we perused the food menu to decide what to have.
And the food?
The menu is simple, but there's a lot to like. Filled pretzels are the mainstay of what's on offer, inspired by Swiss-born Michael's homeland where you'll find these at every train station. Here's what we had to give you an idea:
Reblochon and honey pretzel (£8) - pretty much perfect drinking food. We paired this with a bottle of Carlos Sanches' Buradòn Las Plegarias Blanco 2021 - a fabulous rioja which we're genuinely still thinking fond things about.
Baked Vacherin Mont d'or served with boiled potatoes, charcuterie and baguette (£35) - every bit as good as you'd expect it to be.
Charcuterie comes from the always-great Provisions - and the cheese is courtesy of Swiss cheese specialists Jumi
You can also assemble cheese and charcuterie platters or opt for pate en croute too.
Overall thoughts:
If we weren't already jealous of folk living in Victoria Park Village with the park on their doorstep and all manner of lovely place to shop and eat at, we're now fully green-eyed over them having this gorgeous wine bar in their neighbourhood.
At night, lit by candles, with good music and the gentle hubbub of friends catching up over a good glass of wine, it's pretty much all you'd want from a local wine bar. You'll find yourself browsing Prime Location on the way home working out how to move here.
More about Bruno
Where is it? 211a Victoria Park Road, London E9 7JN
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @bruno___london.
Hot Dinners were guests of Bruno. Prices correct at time of publication.
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