Forest Wines is the kind of neighbourhood wine shop that Walthamstow locals rightly adore — an independent, family-run spot on Forest Road that's been pouring natural, organic, and low-intervention wines since 2014. You can grab a bottle to go, linger over a glass or two in-shop, or join one of their relaxed tasting evenings. With a growing craft beer selection, a few spirits, and a chef-driven food offering that reviewers rave about, it's as much a casual hangout as a bottle shop.
A family-run natural wine shop since 2014 where you can grab a bottle, settle in for a glass with excellent food, and feel like a local from the first visit.
Drop by on a Thursday from noon — you get the full 9-hour window and it's quieter than the Friday and Saturday rush.
Walthamstow's beloved natural wine haunt
If you live anywhere near Walthamstow, Forest Wines is almost certainly already on your radar — and for good reason. Opened in 2014 by a local couple who simply wanted a proper neighbourhood wine shop, it's grown into one of E17's most beloved independent spots. The shelves are stocked with a genuinely thoughtful selection of natural, organic, biodynamic, and low-intervention wines from small producers, and the staff actually know what they're talking about — ask for a recommendation and you'll get something interesting rather than a generic safe bet.
What sets Forest Wines apart from your average bottle shop is that it doubles as a proper place to hang out. You can settle in with a glass, pair it with food that reviewers describe as excellent — one French-speaking reviewer called it "un véritable petit bijou local" and praised the presence of the chef — and make an evening of it without ever feeling like you're in a formal wine bar. The tasting events are relaxed and intimate, aimed as much at curious beginners as seasoned wine nerds.
The opening hours lean towards the afternoon and evening (3pm–8pm Mon–Wed, noon–9pm Thu–Sat, noon–6pm Sun), so it's more of a post-work or weekend destination than a lunchtime stop. With a 4.7-star Google rating across 257 reviews, the locals have spoken: this is a genuine Walthamstow institution that earns its reputation every time you walk through the door.