In Italy, it’s all about the aperitivo bar – these are venues that serve up small bites and delicious drinks to get you ready for dinner. Now, while their intended purpose is to stimulate the appetite, they’re also just fantastic places for relaxed hangouts with friends. And now a chic new example has opened up in London: Bar Lina. And you can find it right underneath an iconic Italian deli.
Highlighting the relationship between Bar Lina and the Lina Stores delis, guests enter the bar by way of the deli’s original entrance. Inside, guests head past shelves of pasta, biscotti, and Italian foodstuffs, before entering the bar itself – which has taken over what used to be the Lina Stores fresh pasta kitchen. But don’t expect flour-covered benches and pasta cutters. Instead, the basement venue has received an intimate, candle-lit makeover. It’s all moody lighting, velvet seating, and dark-hued decor. In short – it’s really rather seductive.
On the menu at Bar Lina
So what will you be sipping within the alluring environs of Bar Lina? They’ve got the classic Italian aperitivi, so you can expect perfectly-made negronis and spritzes. But for those looking for a little something special, there are also some creative twists on Italian classics. These include the likes of the Bloody Martini – which incorporates Sicilian Tomato Water into the drink – and the Basilico Cocktail (gin, vermouth, citric, salt, basil, and milk).
There’s also plenty of food; it wouldn’t be an aperitivo bar otherwise! Guests are welcomed with bar snacks to accompany their first drink. Following that, the menu includes a variety of small dishes that you can scarf down for a quick aperitivo. Or you could order a bunch of plates and settle in for the night. Options range across freshly sliced cured meats, cheeses, antipasti, and the likes of Fried Parmesan Polenta with Truffle and Mushroom among others.
Said Head Chef Masha Rener: “Bar Lina is a real reflection of the vibrant bar scene in Italy and Soho, a reminder of that late-night Negroni, or second glass of wine with friends old and new. It feels incredibly special to breathe new life into our original delicatessen and to continue the history of Lina Stores within Soho.”
Upstairs in the deli
As if the new bar wasn’t enough, nighttime also sees the upstairs deli transformed each evening. The space becomes an intimate wine bar, with space for 12 people to sip Italian wines and nibble on food straight from the delicatessen counter. As an added plus, guests can take advantage of late-night shopping options. Loved the balsamic vinegar, or the biscotti? Just grab some to take home that night!
I predict many a spontaneous wine-fuelled purchase in my future! I better put a limit on my card before I go, lest I buy ALL the cheeses and olive oil…
