We’ve long thought these arches would make a nice home for, say, a brewery bar (a little like this one over in another corner of E11).
So it’s good to hear that local couple Nick and Bianca Chapman have launched their baby, To Be Consumed. A shop and deli right there in the bowels of Leytonstone High Road Overground, it’s chocka with useful items, from bread to craft beer, to pick up during the day.
And then – this is the good bit – from Thursday to Saturday, they’re open later as a venue. “Guests will be able to have a glass from one of our six wines on tap,” says Nick, “or pick a bottle from one of the specialist importers we work with.”
They’re also offering a “bijou menu” of meat and cheese boards, toasties and seasonal specials, alongside a rotating offer of filter coffee, tea and non-alcoholic drinks.
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“Our produce is locally sourced where possible,” he says, “and wines predominantly organic, biodynamic or low intervention, but always from reputable small producers who work with passion and integrity.”
The simple concept? “A warm, welcoming and inviting place, free of pretension and preconceptions, where anyone from a novice to a connoisseur can come and find something they enjoy.”
And the pair aren’t even wine professionals. “We don’t claim to be,” he says, with a smile, “we’re just two people who really like wine and want to provide something a little bit different on Leytonstone High Road.”
You can’t argue with that. Fancy a pint in the sun across the postcode? Check out our Top 5 outdoor spots in E11 here.
Article updated 25th Sept 2019
