Restaurant in London, United Kingdom
Low-pressure wine bar, serious list.
A low-key wine bar off Carnaby Street with a small upstairs dining room, Antidote is the right call for a wine-focused evening in Central London without the formality of a tasting menu. Recognised by Opinionated About Dining's Casual list in 2025 and rated 4.1 across 500+ Google reviews, it's easy to book and best visited early in the week for the most relaxed atmosphere.
If you've been to Antidote once, you already know what brings people back: a genuinely low-pressure atmosphere tucked off Carnaby Street, a wine list that rewards curiosity, and a small dining room upstairs that doesn't try to be anything it isn't. On a return visit, the question isn't whether the formula still works — it does — but whether to commit to a table upstairs or plant yourself at the bar with a glass and graze. For a food and wine enthusiast who values depth over spectacle, Antidote earns its place on a serious London wine bar shortlist. Book it for a Tuesday or Wednesday evening when the post-work Carnaby crowd has thinned and the room breathes more easily.
Antidote sits on Newburgh Street, which puts it a short walk from the chaos of Oxford Circus without inheriting any of that energy. The atmosphere is deliberately laid back , this is not a room built for big celebrations or corporate dinners. The ground-floor bar sets the mood: the noise level is conversational, the energy is low-key and wine-focused, and the whole place leans into the idea that you're here to drink thoughtfully rather than perform. On busier Friday evenings the bar fills quickly and the ambient noise climbs, which is worth knowing if you're prioritising conversation. Earlier in the week, or arriving before 7 PM on a weekend, gives you the version of Antidote that matches its reputation leading.
The small dining room upstairs is a different experience from the bar. It's the format to choose if you want a proper sit-down meal rather than a plate or two with a glass at the counter. Sarah Chougnet-Strudel runs the kitchen, and Antidote's recognition from Opinionated About Dining's Casual category in 2025 positions it firmly in the upper tier of London's casual wine bar-dining crossover , comparable in seriousness of purpose to 40 Maltby Street or Quality Wines Farringdon, though with a more central location that both of those can't match.
On the question of whether food travels well from here: Antidote is not built for takeout. The format is fundamentally about the pairing of food and wine in the room , the small plates and wine-bar cooking that works at a counter loses context when it leaves the building. If you're weighing off-premise options in this part of Soho, you're better served by a dedicated delivery kitchen. Antidote's value proposition is the experience on-site: the selection, the atmosphere, the ability to talk through what you're drinking. That's what you're paying for, and it doesn't transfer to a takeout box.
The Google rating sits at 4.1 across more than 500 reviews, which is a reliable signal for a venue in this category , high enough to confirm consistent quality, grounded enough to tell you it's not chasing hype. Booking is direct, and Antidote doesn't require the kind of advance planning that comparable Central London destinations demand. For the wine-focused traveller or the London resident who wants a serious glass with thoughtful food without a tasting menu commitment, this is a sound call.
For wider London context, see our full London restaurants guide, full London bars guide, and full London experiences guide. If you're planning a trip and want hotel recommendations nearby, the full London hotels guide is a useful starting point.
Reservations: Easy to book; no significant lead time required for most visits, though Friday and Saturday evenings fill faster. Location: 12A Newburgh St, Carnaby, London W1F 7RR , a short walk from Oxford Circus tube. Format: Ground-floor wine bar plus small dining room upstairs; counter seating available at the bar. Leading timing: Tuesday to Thursday evenings for the most relaxed atmosphere; arrive before 7 PM on weekends to secure bar space without the late-evening noise spike. Dress: Casual; no dress code in effect. Groups: Better suited to two to four guests given the small dining room upstairs; larger groups should confirm capacity in advance. Award recognition: Opinionated About Dining Casual, North America category, 2025 , a credible signal of quality at this price tier.
Comparing Antidote to CORE by Clare Smyth, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library, The Ledbury, or Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is comparing different categories entirely. Those are all multi-course, formal or semi-formal dining destinations at the leading of the London price range. Antidote is a casual wine bar with food , the comparison is more meaningful against 40 Maltby Street, Lady of the Grapes, and Quality Wines Farringdon. If you want internationally recognised fine dining and are prepared to spend accordingly, any of the ££££ venues above deliver that. Antidote does not compete on that axis and doesn't try to.
Within the casual wine bar category, Antidote's central location gives it a practical edge over 40 Maltby Street (which requires a deliberate trip to Bermondsey) and Quality Wines Farringdon (which sits in a different neighbourhood entirely). Lady of the Grapes in Covent Garden is the closest direct rival in terms of format and accessibility , both are easy to book, both reward a wine-focused visitor. Antidote's Carnaby Street position makes it the stronger pre-theatre or post-shopping option for anyone already in the West End. For international comparisons in the same format, Aldo Sohm Wine Bar in New York City or 4850 in Amsterdam give a sense of where Antidote sits globally in the serious casual wine bar tier.
If you're building a longer itinerary around this part of London, the following are worth adding to your list: CORE by Clare Smyth for modern British cooking at the leading of the London fine dining tier; Restaurant Gordon Ramsay for a formal French-European experience; and London wineries if you want to extend your wine focus beyond the bar format. For broader trip planning, the full London restaurants guide and full London hotels guide cover the full range of options across the city.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antidote | Wine Bar | Central London wine bar with small dining room upstairs, tucked away behind the madness of Oxford Circus tube station at the start of Soho, just off Carnaby Street. Whilst the atmosphere is laid back...; Opinionated About Dining Casual in North America (2025) | Easy | — |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Modern British | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Contemporary European, French | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | Modern French | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| The Ledbury | Modern European, Modern Cuisine | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Modern British, Traditional British | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how Antidote measures up.
Antidote's wine bar format with small dining room upstairs gives the kitchen flexibility, but specific dietary accommodation details aren't confirmed in available records. Your safest move is to contact them directly before booking. For venues where dietary menus are explicitly documented, look elsewhere in the Soho area.
Specific menu items aren't documented here, and menus at wine bars like Antidote change regularly. The format is wine-led with food designed to complement the glass, so lean on the staff for pairing suggestions — that's where a place like this earns its keep.
The address (12A Newburgh Street) is a short walk from Oxford Circus, but the atmosphere is a complete departure from that chaos — low-key, with a small dining room upstairs if you want a proper sit-down. Antidote holds an Opinionated About Dining Casual recognition (2025), which signals it punches above a generic wine bar. Booking is easy with no significant lead time needed most nights, though Friday and Saturday evenings fill faster.
It works well for a low-key celebration where the wine matters more than the spectacle — think anniversary dinner for two who'd rather drink well than be seen somewhere grand. For a milestone that demands ceremony, the dining room upstairs at Antidote is intimate but not formally occasion-dressed. If you want white-tablecloth gravitas, The Ledbury or CORE by Clare Smyth are better fits.
For a step up in formality and price, CORE by Clare Smyth and The Ledbury are the obvious moves in London. For similarly casual but food-forward experiences, check OAD Casual London listings for comparable spots. Antidote's specific advantage is the Soho location combined with a relaxed format — alternatives in that neighbourhood tend to be noisier or more tourist-facing.
The venue has a small dining room upstairs alongside the bar, which suggests limited capacity for large parties. Groups of 2-4 are the natural fit; larger groups should check the venue's official channels to check availability. For private dining at scale in this part of London, Antidote is probably not your first call.
The atmosphere is described as laid-back, so this is not a jacket-required situation. Dress as you would for a relaxed evening out in Soho — smart but not formal. There's no evidence from the venue record of a dress code.
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