WOULD that every Lancashire mill town had a small stretch of street accommodating a 1920s-retro ‘Vegan Restaurant and Cocktail Bar’, a cutting edge small batch coffee specialist, a bistro with obvious food guide ambitions and now the smartest wine bar this side of Prestwich. Which is where the original Grape to Grain set up shop.
It hasn’t taken co-owners Tom Sneesby and Joannes Hubertus van Goethem (call me Baz) to launch their second outlet, in a former Ramsbottom estate agent’s, aided by a Kickstarter campaign. It’s both a wine bar and a retail shop that aims to break down the snobbery bout wine appreciation.
And as Dutchman Baz pours ToM a glass of soft-cherryish Farnese Sangiovese in advance of one of their regular ticketed thrice weekly tastings (this one around Italy), where the public also get to try some of the best cheese and charcuterie platters this side of Prestwich (sic) he outlines the pair’s plans for world domination – well, maybe a small chain of GtoGs.
We’re all in favour if they can stock some of the wines on show (to drink in or take away, there’s also an Enomatic machine for adventurous samples by the glass). New Zealand, in particular, caught our fancy with the likes of Greywacke, Tinpot Hut and Man O’War.
Grape to Grain, 43 Bridge St, Ramsbottom, Bury BL0 9AD. 01706 828200. Book here for Wednesday and Thursday 7pm and Saturday 3pm tastings. Numbers limited to 12. PS It's handy for the dentist's too!
The rest of Rammie
Two doors away from Grape to Grain, at No 45, this is an artisan coffee bar with a capital A. They source from an array of roasters such as North Star Leeds and Heart and Graft, offer a range of brewing methods. Up there with the best in the region and the breakfast and lunch food offerings use fresh, local ingredients.
Across the street at No 76, Joe Kaczmar’s charming bistro has gone from ugly duckling cafe to a fully fledge bistro after a major refurb, now serving an ambitious but not pretentious a la carte menu with a wide-ranging wine list sourced from The Vineyard (see below), yet it’s also a place to grab a coffee, sandwich or a small plate of potted Bowland beef (pictured below). Welcoming service.
Strictly speaking, the address of this vegan meets cocktail fashionista of a bar is Market Place but much of it fronts onto Bridge Street. A runner-up for Observer Food Monthly’s ‘Best Ethical Restaurant’, it’s family-friendly, dog-friendly, using organic local produce, renewable electricity, recyclable and biodegradable products. The food's imaginative and, oh, it’s fun, especially when the cocktails get shaken after dark.
SQUARE STREET might be of interest, too?
Turn off Bridge Street and experience the mighty triumvirate of Joe Botham’s universally acclaimed homages to Spanish asadors and Basque pintxos, Levanter and Baratxuri (our 5 star review) /and Stuart Rothwell’s redoubtable wine merchants and specialist spirits emporium, The Vineyard. How blessed are the gluggers of Ramsbottom.
Add in acclaimed food pubs The Hearth of the Ram and The Eagle and Child, the perennially popular Chocolate Cafe and a clutch of good local cafes and brewers and what are you waiting for? Pay a visit. A good weekend route is via the East Lancashire Railway’s steam service.