London’s Burgeoning Wine Scene Now Stretches All the Way to Highams Park

Halex, the first wine bar in Highams Park, north east London, is set to open on Thursday 29 November, from the owners of café and delicatessen Pantry & Co. on Winchester Road. The bar marks another worthy opening for E4, an area that has slowly been transforming itself over the last few years.

Pei-chin Lee opened Pantry & Co. in 2015, deciding to pursue her love of baking after a career in the fashion industry for the likes of Burberry, Paul Smith, and Hobbs. The new opening builds on the success of Pantry & Co’s wine offering and the Highams Park Wine Club, led by Pei-chin’s Spanish husband Joan Torrents, who is currently wine importer Enotria and Co.’s director of wine buying.

Torrents is a sparkling wine specialist, a member of the Champagne Academy and a Chevalier of Cava (a title afforded those with the ability to sabrage a magnum of cava), and the couple have recently been trialling dishes for the new opening during their ‘tapas nights’ at Pantry & Co., with razor clams and lamb chops with orange and kohlrabi making an appearance.

Halex will also be serving draught beer and cocktails, as well as a food menu in the evenings, likely to focus on tapas-style dishes.

Halex will open at 483 Hale End Road, Highams Park, E4 9PT.

More soon.

Correction: an earlier version of this article stated the opening was 22 November.