The Boot & Flogger: Southwark’s Original Wine-Bar Story

What it is

The Boot & Flogger is a historic wine bar and restaurant in Southwark, and the first Davy’s wine bar. Opened in 1965, it is closely tied to the rise of modern wine-bar culture in London and still trades on that identity. This is not a glossy, high-energy bar; it is a seated, wine-led venue where the emphasis is on bottles, fortified wines, and straightforward food rather than late-night noise.

Atmosphere and setting

The venue sits on Redcross Way, a short walk from London Bridge, in a dense part of central London where office workers, theatre-goers, and visitors all pass through. Inside, the mood is traditionally styled and compact, with a cosy, slightly cellar-like feel in places. The layout appears to include multiple rooms, semi-private spaces, and a courtyard, so the experience can shift from a quiet drink to a more enclosed dinner setting depending on where you sit. It feels urban and contained rather than expansive.

What visitors do here

Most people come for wine by the glass or bottle, a meal, or a tasting. The kitchen serves classic British food, which makes the place work as both a lunch stop and an evening restaurant. The pace is unhurried: a single drink can be a brief stop, but once you add food or a tasting, the visit usually stretches to two or three hours. Occasional live music and private events add variety, though the venue’s core appeal remains its wine list and old-school hospitality.

Practical expectations

This is an easy central-London stop if you are already around London Bridge or Borough. Public transport is the most sensible way to arrive, and walking from nearby stations is realistic. Driving is possible but awkward in this part of London because of traffic and parking constraints. The venue is indoors for the most part, so it works in all seasons; rain and cold mainly affect the walk in. Expect a mid-range spend, with costs rising if you order better bottles, tasting flights, or a full dinner.

Why it matters

The Boot & Flogger matters less as a spectacle than as a piece of London’s drinking history that still functions as a working neighbourhood venue. Travellers come here for a sense of continuity: a place that helped define the city’s wine-bar culture and still offers a calmer, more traditional alternative to the surrounding bars and restaurants of Southwark.