Bar in London, United Kingdom
Olfaclub
100Pearl PointsNeighbourhood wine bar, low-key and worth it.
About Olfaclub
Olfaclub is a neighbourhood wine bar on St James Street in Walthamstow, E17 — a solid choice for a relaxed drink if you are already in the area, particularly in warmer months when outdoor seating comes into play. Walk-ins are easy, prices are likely in line with East London independents, and it suits pairs or small groups over destination-seekers.
Is Olfaclub worth visiting for a drink in East London?
Yes — if you are already in or around Walthamstow and want a proper wine bar rather than a pub, Olfaclub at 46 St James Street, E17 is worth your time. It sits in a neighbourhood that has developed a credible independent drinks scene, and a wine-focused venue here fills a gap that most of East London's bar offer does not. The question is not whether it is good in absolute terms — the data on this one is thin, but whether it suits your evening, and for a casual, low-pressure wine stop in E17, it clears that bar comfortably.
What the space gives you
The address puts Olfaclub on St James Street, one of Walthamstow's main commercial strips. Wine bars in this format, neighbourhood-scale, independent, not destination-driven, tend to operate with a small indoor room and, where possible, outdoor seating spilling onto the street or a terrace. If Olfaclub follows that pattern, the outdoor element is likely its strongest seasonal asset: a pavement table with a glass of natural wine on a dry London evening is a different proposition from the same drink inside. Go in the warmer months if the outdoor setup matters to you. In winter, the inside-only experience is the whole offer, so calibrate expectations accordingly.
For context on what good outdoor wine bar setups look like elsewhere in London, Amaro and Academy both handle the transition between indoor and outdoor drinking well. Olfaclub is operating in a different part of the city and at a different scale, but the same logic applies: the terrace or pavement space, if present, changes the value of a visit significantly depending on season.
Who should book, and who should not
Olfaclub works well for: a relaxed second or third drink after dinner, a low-key date where conversation matters more than spectacle, and anyone who lives or works nearby and wants a wine bar rather than a pub. It is not the right call if you need a guaranteed reservation, a polished cocktail program, or a central London location. For that, you are better served heading west, see our full London bars guide for options across the city.
Groups are manageable at a venue of this type, but a small wine bar on a strip like St James Street is not built for large parties. Two to four people is the sweet spot. Larger groups should consider whether the space can actually hold them comfortably before showing up.
Practical details
| Factor | Olfaclub | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Booking difficulty | Easy | Walk-ins likely viable; no online booking data available |
| Price range | Not confirmed | Independent wine bars in E17 typically run £8–14 per glass |
| Location | 46 St James St, E17 | Walthamstow, Victoria line to Walthamstow Central, then a short walk |
| Outdoor seating | Likely seasonal | Street-level; most useful May–September |
| Leading for | Pairs and small groups | 2–4 people; casual rather than formal |
For comparison, if you are weighing a trip to Walthamstow against a more central option, 69 Colebrooke Row in Islington and A Bar with Shapes for a Name both offer a higher-evidence, more structured bar experience, useful benchmarks if you want certainty over convenience.
Outside London, wine bar formats worth knowing: Long Count in New York City is a strong reference point for what a neighbourhood wine bar can do when the list and the room are both taken seriously. Closer to home, Bar Shrimp in Manchester and The Snug in Binfield show how the format translates outside the capital.
Explore more of what London has to offer: London restaurants, London hotels, London wineries, and London experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a reservation at Olfaclub?
Walk-in is the default format for a neighbourhood wine bar at this scale. Olfaclub is at 46 St James Street E17, so if you are passing through Walthamstow on a quieter weekday, turning up without a booking is usually fine. Friday and Saturday evenings are a different calculation — arrive early or check directly with the venue before heading over.
What's the crowd like at Olfaclub?
Expect a local Walthamstow crowd rather than a destination-seeking one. The St James Street address puts it on a working commercial strip, which keeps the atmosphere grounded. This is not a scene bar — people come to drink wine and talk, not to be seen.
Does Olfaclub have outdoor seating?
Outdoor seating at Olfaclub is not confirmed in available venue data. St James Street is a busy high street, so any pavement setup would be compact at best. Worth checking directly before planning around it.
Is the food good at Olfaclub?
Olfaclub operates as a wine bar, so food is likely to be supplementary rather than the main draw. If you want a full dinner, eat first and use Olfaclub for drinks. It works better as a before-or-after stop than as a dining destination.
Is Olfaclub good for a date?
Yes, for the right kind of date. The wine bar format at St James Street E17 favours conversation over spectacle, which makes it a solid low-pressure option. If your date wants a polished central London setting, Happiness Forgets in Hoxton is closer to that register. If proximity to Walthamstow and a relaxed independent feel suit you both, Olfaclub works well.
Is Olfaclub good for groups?
Small groups of two to four are the natural fit for a neighbourhood wine bar at this address. Larger parties should confirm capacity before arriving — a compact independent space on a high street is rarely set up for six or more without some prior coordination.
Location
46 St James St, London E17 7PE, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
Compare Olfaclub
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olfaclub | Wine bar | Easy | |
| Bar Termini | World's 50 Best | Unknown | |
| Callooh Callay | World's 50 Best | Unknown | |
| Happiness Forgets | World's 50 Best | Unknown | |
| Nightjar | World's 50 Best | Unknown | |
| Quo Vadis | World's 50 Best | Unknown |
A quick look at how Olfaclub measures up.
Also Consider
- Bar Termini, Notable alternative
- Callooh Callay, Notable alternative
- Happiness Forgets, Notable alternative
- Nightjar, Notable alternative
- Quo Vadis, Notable alternative
How Olfaclub compares to other London bars
Olfaclub is a neighbourhood wine bar, which means comparing it directly to cocktail-focused venues like Nightjar or Happiness Forgets is not quite the right frame. Those venues require advance booking, have structured cocktail programs, and draw from across London. Olfaclub draws from E17. If you want a destination bar evening with a high-craft cocktail list, Happiness Forgets in Hoxton is the more reliable call, walk-in friendly itself, but with a pedigree Olfaclub has not yet established in available data.
Bar Termini in Soho is a better structural comparison: small, wine and aperitivo-led, neighbourhood feel despite its central location. Bar Termini has more documented recognition and a sharper list, but it is also harder to get into and priced accordingly. Olfaclub likely offers more breathing room and lower spend. If you are in central London, Bar Termini wins. If you are in East London and do not want to travel, Olfaclub makes sense on its own terms.
Callooh Callay and Quo Vadis are both higher-commitment evenings, Quo Vadis in particular is a full dining and drinking experience in Soho that demands more planning and more budget. Neither is a useful alternative to Olfaclub for a casual E17 drink. The honest framing: Olfaclub is for when you want wine near where you are, not a reason to cross the city.
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