Picture of Wine Gallery, CR8 2AA

Wine Gallery, CR8 2AA

  • 12 Purley High Street, CR8 2AA

The Wine Gallery was a wine cafe, off licence, and art gallery in Purley. It closed in 2020 and was replaced by a wine bar, grocery shop, and deli called the Portuguese Tavern.

The information below is retained for historical purposes.

Wine cafe, off licence, and art gallery in Purley.

It's not a large space, being situated in a single converted shopfront, but there's seating for around 20 people at white-painted wooden tables covered with red-and-white checked tablecloths plus a wrought iron garden table and chairs in one corner photo.

Paintings hang on the walls — including both original work and hand-painted replicas of famous art — and a sideboard holds hand-painted ceramics photo. Alongside are shelves of Portuguese groceries (primarily canned fish) and wine. All of this is for sale to take away at reasonable prices.

Kake, Sarah, and a friend visited on a Thursday afternoon in May 2019. There were two other customers at 5:45pm, and a few others arrived while we were there. Music was playing on the radio (Lounge FM), not too loud.

The food is limited to hot and cold tapas, well designed to accompany wine. Chicken pate (£4 including bread) photo had a good flavour and an interesting loose texture almost reminiscent of hummus. A "big plate" of cheese and meat (£12) photo was indeed generously sized, with three cheeses, a salami, and two hams.

Sardines (£3) photo and squid (about £4-5) photo were from tins, but good quality, and dressed with a good olive oil and thinly-sliced red onions, served on romaine lettuce leaves.

Our one hot choice, morcilla (£6) photo had a great texture and good flavour, and came in a very generous portion.

Service was a little absentminded and confused (and confusing) at times, but very friendly and helpful.

Kake's verdict: I wouldn't travel across London for it, but if you're already in the Borough of Croydon then this is certainly worth coming to Purley for. I definitely intend to come back.

Child-friendliness: They have at least one highchair (with tray), and they provide colouring sheets and felt-tips for children (though adults are allowed to use them too).

Accessibility: A step to get in. Three more steps (without handrail) to the toilet, which is a single cubicle with a door that opens outwards.

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Last visited by Kake, Sarah, and friend, May 2019.
Last edited 2020-09-13 14:28:09 (version 5; diff). List all versions.