Corney and Barrow at Monument Restaurant / Wine Bar

The City, London –

Corney and Barrow at Monument is one of a dozen C&B branches that dot the City of London, providing an escape from the area’s banking bustle and access to a world of wine and sumptuous sharable plates.

After descending several steps in the shadow of towering financial offices, patrons enter a stylish cellar where intimate booths host tailored executives engrossed in business plans and young traders get the lowdown on new stocks.

The venue is split between three vaulted arches, with the first enclave dominated by a large bench set against the exposed brick walls, where colleagues gather for traditional English breakfasts in the morning and drink bottles of Sancerre long after offices have closed.

The main seating area unfolds to reveal an array of candlelit tables, most of which host old-boy city workers networking over a vintage varietal, as successful businesswomen gather to catch up over plates of Cumberland sausage, tempura prawns, and antipasti platters.

Modern spheres of light throw a glow on the groups of savvy brokers that lean across the bar with their pints, while trendy couples on romantic dates tuck into alcoves and check out the futuristic ceiling ducts as they sample something off the impressive wine list.

Mellow and refined, Corney and Barrow at Monument is the kind of place that’s made for a proper after-work drink, but is so cozy that most guests stay for several more rounds.