specialist food drink around north city centre

Despite the run-down nature of this area, the fans of Little Italy have been making pilgrimages to stock up with all things Italian - arborio, big bottles of Bove, dried porcini, Lavazza coffee - as the shop has hopped to different locations in and around Smithfield....

A charming neighbourhood shop, of a style now sadly departed from so many neighbourhoods....

They have a fine eye for a bargain in Verling's. Just about every time you go through the door of the shop, alongside the excellent range of fine wines there are likely to be a couple of new arrivals, snapped up by Jim or Julie, which offer knock-out value. They also run wine appreciation courses, held upstairs, and it's the kind of shop where there is always an opened bottle, waiting to be sampled, a signal of their friendly, down-to-earth, unpretentious approach to the world of wine....