Cru Wine Bar

Cru has been a neighbourhood staple of Kew for more than ten years. But there’s more to it than first meets the eye. During the day it’s a bustling cafe. By night, it’s an intimate Euro-leaning wine bar with a dimly lit dining room and moody eight-seat wine cellar.

Pop in on a Friday afternoon and you’ll see exactly how diverse the offering is. In one corner there could be a group of parents and kids sipping on milkshakes. In another, a group of suits enjoying knockoff drinks.

Breakfast offers smaller options from breakfast sliders to Croque Monsieur; through to heartier dishes like baked eggs with meatballs, sugo and herbed ricotta. There are also smoothies, milkshakes, fresh juices and cocktails. And, as for coffee, Cru roasts its own beans.

By the mid-afternoon Cru begins its transformation into a neighbourhood bar and restaurant. There are more than 400 wines on offer, alongside bottled beers and a classic cocktail menu. The space is also licensed for takeaway if you need a bottle to go.

The dinner menu offers sharing plates, through to larger dishes influenced by Mediterranean islands including Corsica, France. To start, there are gorgonzola and potato croquettes with house-made yoghurt and herb oil, cannellini beans and macadamia puree; and chestnut polenta lined with prisuttu (Corsican cured ham) and brocciu (Corsican sheep’s milk cheese). For mains, go for standout duck lasagne, comforting porchetta with braised lentil, or veal shank with cannellini cassoulet. And, for special occasions, you can book the eight-seat wine cellar for an intimate degustation surrounded by its wine collection.