When I heard that the team behind my local coffee shop, Brickwood Coffee & Bread, was going to open a wine bar in Clapham Common I was obviously very curious. And that was before I knew that the bar was located in a 100 year old former public convenience underneath Clapham Common tube station!
WC Wine & Charcuterie opened a few weeks ago and it has already changed the look of the Clapham Common crossroad, thanks to the outdoor seating space behind the station’s exit. It’s a welcome addition to the area!
I went down to WC last week with fellow Claphamite Jacintha, editor of the lifestyle and photography blog Urban Pixxels.
We ordered a glass of Italian white wine from the ever-changing wine list and a cheese & charcuterie board to share. The waiter presented the food to us in great detail, with information about the provenance of the different cheeses and cured meats (mostly sourced from British suppliers). We wiped the board clean, except for the Roquefort which sadly we both left, not being fans of blue cheese…
We had a lovely time and I really enjoyed sitting outdoors having an aperitivo, it all felt so Italian! Prices unfortunately are not very Italian at all: I would have liked to try the Aperol Spritz, but at £9 a glass I thought it felt a bit over-priced.
Anyway, this is London and WC is in a prime location, so I was happy to pay the price for a nice evening out.
The amazing part obviously is the bar downstairs, which the owners worked on for two years to clean, restore and bring back to life as a charming wine bar. Everything that could be saved from the previous incarnation of public toilet has been kept there, from the wall tiles to the sky windows located at street level. Thanks to these sources of natural light WC is not as cavernous and dark as you might expect. It’s also not too small either, in fact it apparently can sit up to 40 people.
The bar is nicely decorated with quirky beer tabs and cured meats hanging from the top railings. I was pretty impressed by it and I can certainly imagine myself spending many winter evenings down there with a glass of wine in my hand! I’m looking forward to it actually!
WC, The Pavement, Clapham Common, Clapham, SW4 7AA. Open seven days a week from 6pm til late Mon-Fri and from 12pm til late on Sat-Sun.
