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Top Cuvée, the Highbury wine bar that used deft logistics and a freely available pun to convert its lockdown closure into a wildly successful delivery service, is opening a new space dedicated entirely to Shop Cuvée, just down the road from its home on the corner of Blackstock and Mountgrove Roads. Founder Brodie Meah told Eater that it will open mid-September, expanding the current deli offering pig’s head terrine, guinea fowl rillette, and whipped cod’s roe made at the restaurant, as well as offering further wine storage. The new space is at 189 Blackstock Road, according to Hot Dinners.
In its own words, Shop Cuvée was “born out of necessity,” with Top Cuvée’s Meah and Max Venning, of lauded Dalston cocktail bar Three Sheets, working together to bring both their businesses to delivery. Helped by some early spring sunshine, certain corners of the capital’s seemingly unslakable thirst for bottles of Chin Chin’s vinho verde [other wines are available], and the Instagram-ready label on those bottles of Chin Chin’s vinho verde, what started as a meal kit delivery service with wine soon turned into a wine and cocktail delivery service with meal kits.
Allied to an impressively quick set up of national next day delivery and a natural wine subscription service, it essentially built a second business with the legs to last longer than lockdown. The restaurant has also changed its game, with menu looking sharper, and less cluttered, than prior to its temporary closure.
With restaurants now cautiously reopening for dine-in, Shop Cuvée’s wine shop / deli operation is getting a home of its own.