Provisions Holloway Road

Stepping off Holloway Road and into Provisions is like breathing a different air. It's quiet, with only a few other diners, which serves to heighten the intimate atmosphere, stoked by soft lighting, wax candles, hanging plants and wine-lined walls. With a bevy of cured meats, cheeses and more on display, you might already be planning your meal before you've even sat down.

We started off with salted Spanish almonds and a duo of olives - a bowl of plump, juicy green olives, and another of incredible salty bitter black olives. Provisions puts together a feast platter for those who prefer eating over choosing, and a feast it certainly is - five types of cheese accompanied by rillettes de canard, saucisson, jamon, cornichons, sourdough bread, homemade churned butter, mussels, and, yes, more olives. The mussels were tender and meaty, the butter light and creamy. We found the rillettes de canard and saucisson to be good quality, but ultimately underwhelming; however, the cheese was a different story.  

Fromage fans take note - this is cheese as an out of body experience. We sampled goat’s cheese, Manchego, Tomme de Savoie, appenzella and bleu de Gex, and each was faultless. The Manchego particularly was star of the show - creamy and crumbly with the perfect amount of bite.  

Provisions is as much about wine as it is about food, and we sampled a number of wines on the night, each one highly recommended by knowledgeable staff who were eager to tell us the provenance of every bottle. Oenophiles who love to try new bottles will be right at home here; we tried an intriguing Milouise, for example - a complex cuvee made from many different grapes with a thrilling acidity to perfectly balance out the richness.

Putting excellent food and wine aside, perhaps the thing that defines the Provisions experience is the staff, who's excitement and infectious enthusiasm is palpable. They're incredibly attentive, asking each guest what they are looking for and tailoring the menu to their individual tastes. The carefully-sourced products are fully capable of speaking for themselves, but the knowledge and diligence of the staff really elevates the experience.

Provisions is making wine and artisan food affordable and accessible across London. Just a stone’s throw from the Emirates Stadium, this homely spot is a deli by day and living wine bar by night.  

Heritage is king at Provisions. It is after all an importer, specialising in raw milk cheese, natural wine and artisan food products carefully selected from small organic producers in France and beyond. Stepping into Provisions is like entering a microcosm of Europe, with ingredients that stretch from the Swiss alps to the Greek Coast, as well as shelves full of wine from Italy, France and more.  

There’s a strong ad-hoc feeling in this space, with stools perched around tills, some guests sitting by the windows and the rest standing around or perched on the large table in the centre. The black and white chequered floor lends itself to the deli concept, and the walls are lined with delicious artisan products to browse after your meal.  

It’s difficult to predict what will feature on this constantly evolving menu, but it’s sure to be chock full of Provision’s artisan products including cheese plates, cured meats and ‘feast boards’ of antipasti and raw milk cheese.  

Wine is the other star of the show here and selections have been made to showcase distinct flavours from a mix of regions. Various orange, red and white wines are available by the glass, and there’s even a ‘refill bottle’ option, where you can refill your bottle from a wine tap. If you’re a wine novice or simply curious to learn more, Provisions also runs a prestigious wine school with courses.