Whether you are meeting someone for the first time after taking the plunge on Tinder, or you’re just looking for a little bit of space away from work and kids, then how about Pickles? It’s a small basement wine bar, chunky natural wood dominating the colour scheme, the menu largely consisting of cheese and meat platters, and pâtés.
It’s completely informal, operates a no-bookings policy – so you just have to take your chances when you drop in – and it doesn’t even open until late afternoon. But if you do score a table and park yourself with her, or him, in front of a Scottish cheese board and a couple of glasses of appropriate wine then at least you have the building blocks of a great evening in place. Twinkly fairy lights wrapped round dried twigs – a decorative touch – add to the atmosphere and whether you’re picking at cheese, Mediterranean cold meats or wild boar pâté, the food always comes with bread, oatcakes and eponymous pickles.
It does beg the question though, that if you really think you’re on for a snog tonight should you be shovelling down the chorizo and gherkins? Fortunately the focus of your desire is doing exactly the same, so no problem.