This is a superb wine shop to stop at if you're passing through, it has a very interesting and…read moreinspired selection and the people running the place are very knowledgable and enthusiastic. I'm not a wine connoisseur as I have a preference for beer so spend my time drinking that, but we picked up a few bottles of red from the under £10 section and they were all fantastic. The budget section was large enough for anyone but they also had far more wines which were pricier, and I'm sure of great interest to those who are into their wine. They run wine tasting classes if you're getting into the field, and to my pleasure they also stock a small selection of interesting real ales.

This very old, well-established wine merchant in the centre of Shipston is the spot to go if you…read moreneed to buy wine other than standard, supermarket-pushed brands. The staff are really knowledgeable and pleasant; the selection is outstanding (from budget to top quality fine wines) and its location is very handy with plenty of parking. I've bought a variety of wines from here from cheap and cheerful to exceptional and never been disappointed. Its worth going on a wine tasting visit which is fairly priced, incredibly interesting and of course, you get the chance to sample some lovely wines. The tour of their huge cellars while listening to an overview of their history is truly fascinating. They are looking at doing some fairly major and sympathetic development in their courtyard very soon which will be a joy to experience, I'm sure. Having the opportunity to sit and quaff in such lovely surroundings will be fantastic. Remember, if a wine is stocked by a supermarket, Sheldon's won't carry it! Very highly recommended!

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate! It's all about the chocolate…read more.. Chocolate Delight run chocolate making workshops in various locations around the country. I attended the workshop in Brighton, and my gosh, what a perfect way to spend a Saturday morning. There was 11 of us in the group this morning, a perfect number to get the best out of our class. We were in the company of a chap called Alan who was a chocolate expert (my perfect man, perhaps??) who not only taught us how to make the most amazing chocolate truffles, but all so taught us a lot about the history of chocolate. There was also a chocolate fondue on the table with marshmallows for dipping (OMG!!), plus licking of bowls, spoons, hands etc was in no way discouraged, in fact it was expected! First we were shown how to make the truffle centre for our chocolates, next how to temper the chocolate for the outer shells, and finally how to add a coating such as coconut, chopped nuts or cocoa powder. The finished product were 50 beautiful, if slightly mis-shapen chocolates to take away with us. We were also shown how to package them in bags and cellophane, tied with ribbon. What a great experience and lovely gifts for friends (yeah right!) And so what if I came out with chocolate in my hair, its all part of the process...

From the owner: An innovative & unique company offering chocolate experiences across the UK & Europe…read more We offer experiences in Chocolate Making Workshops, Chocolate Portrait Painting, Chocolate Fountains, Chocolate & Wine Tasting & Chocolate Teambuilding events. We have something for everyone. Call us today to see how we can help you.

Wally's deli version 2 is the Arcades Wally's sweeter cousin. Bustling with Easter goodies at the…read moremoment it's hard to tell what is normally carried, but I for one do not give a damn when their is so much scrumptious chocolate on display. Being an upmarket deli, you'll get lots of beautifully decorated food. You pay for it, but your paying for quality that feels deserved. I love the shop as well, floor to ceiling glass and brightly lit, Wally's oozes with metropolitan class. You great great service, with lovely staff. Put all those ingredients in a blender and you've got your self tasty metaphorical pie.

I've been going to the Wallys Delicatessens in the Morgan arcade for years, so was very interested…read moreto see what I would make of their first ever new store in the St David's 2 center. On the whole I was quite satisfied and impressed. The store is not as big as the original, nor does it have as much stock. This is for the better though, as it is ascetically pleasing, and I have often felt that the other store packs far too much in. A further difference is that this new store focuses far more on the sweeter things in life. There is a mouthwatering selection of handmade chocolates, a wide variety of old fashioned sweets, and some simply breathtaking gingerbread houses, which are already on my Christmas list for next year. They do sell some of the more savory products (though if that's what your after I'd head for their other store), including a rather nice selection of oils, which are far superior to anything you get in a supermarket. Finally the great thing about this store, is that it really makes a nice change from all the big brand names that dominate St David's 2. It's so nice to see an independent retailer doing so well, and I would truly encourage anyone to check out Wallys.

Just gorgeous. Its a Spanish tapas restaurant, with wifi and doubles up as a language academy to…read morelearn first class Spanish with the aid of some lovely tutors. They host delectable paella night, dishing up the saffrony rice feast from a huge pan and serving it with a cheeky bottle of Rioja. Inside is cavernous, though tiny (only seats 24 people), the acoustic musicians that frequent pulse their folky and flamenco sounds around the place. The music nights are free entry too - bargain. Right now, I can truly think of nothing better than settling down to some chorizo and calamari tapas, a glass of red and chilled musical entertainment on a Friday evening.

The front window of El Rincon does remind me of a little restaurant down the side streets of…read moreBarcelona. It's colours and decorations draw your eye in and when we walked past the music caught our ears as well. Walking in, we arrived before the main rush, your greeted by a simple bar and relaxed staff each of whom snippets of Spanish can be heard from. We where shown to a table and offered a menu which covered all the tapas dishes we've come to expect of a Spanish menu and decided on a jug of the house Sangria. Service gave us a good amount of time to choose whilst the Sangria helped us along the way, even had a visit from the most relaxed dog we've shared a space with all adding to the ambiance. The dishes we chose were a good range and came pretty much all at once, given the size of table, dish jenga ensued however because we managed to fit it all in. We managed to get a second round in and also spoke to the waitress about the Spanish lessons they offer there. By this time it was really busy with a few locals getting ready for the live band. This place definitely packs all it can in a space. The band was excellent and spontaneous dancing occurred really excellent crowd. All in again really impressed and on a sunny day a serious bit if Spain. Fully visiting again.

The Metropole Lounge is the main bar area serving the Hilton Hotel on Kingsway in Cardiff, this is…read morewhere Afternoon Tea is served, away from the standard restauraunt inside the hotel and breakfast area, it is right opposite the check-in desk and often brodcasts both live sport and live music. The staff here are all Hilton staff, as this bar is operated by Hilton, they seemed quite nice. I ordered a Welsh Afternoon Tea, one thing I liked is they shown me what I would be getting beforehand, rather than hoping for the best and I was pleased with some nice sounding sandwiches, and the value at just £16.50 as the four sandwiches came with a ginger-cake, a cherry bakewell, a flapjack and a scone with clotted cream and jam, being gluten free of course which they are able to offer once you have given around 24 hours notice. My sandwiches were quite nice, however I would have preferred five rather than four, especially considering all my sandwiches had a lid, apart from one of them which made me think the chef got hungry and wanted to try some gluten free bread, the bread was okay however it wasn't fantastic, which sums up standard gluten free food anyway. Moving onto my cakes, which I was less than impressed with, the ginger cake did taste warmed up, but it just didn't taste very nice, the same was with the flapjack, which tasted inedible, and like a treat you would give to a cat. The Cherry Bakewell was just the typical thing you would get from Sainsbury's or Tesco. I also enjoyed my scone, which came with a large portion of clotted cream and some jam which tasted quite nice and fresh, and I did enjoy this too. The Movius tea (or something like that) was served here, which was okay but sadly wasn't loose leaf, which gives Afternoon Tea a bit more class, which you would expect in a Hilton. Overall, this is quite a nice place to call in while staying at the Hilton, it is quite a nice, comfy relaxed place and the staff even didn't mind watching my bag when I went to the toilet, and also handing me a free Hilton pen with my bill, so I feel The Metropole, which I'm pleased to finally get off the mark in terms of Yelp reviewing terms, deserves a solid three star rating.

Monica's is a really friendly and helpful corner shop in Cotham. Seemingly family run, the…read moreshopkeepers are always extremely polite and will help you find what you want; they've even let me put posters up in the window in the past. Those with kids might like to know that there's a little toy stand at the back, selling small gadgets and action figures. They also sell a selection of homemade curries and fresh pastry items, which are reduced towards the end of the day.

Monika's is located in Cotham, Bristol. It is a small convenience store which is open until late,…read moremeaning it is great for last minute alcohol dashes or chocolate fixes! They always have deals on for alcohol, such as 3 bottles of wine for £10 which easily rivals the big chain supermarkets. There is a good selection of products, ranging from fresh bread, fruit and vegetables to packaged foods and tins. As Lisa pointed out, they also supply a variety of homemade curries which are really very good for their price. The exterior of the building is a little off putting though. There a lot of posters and various adverts everywhere which is a bit overwhelming, however don't let this put you off as the owners are really polite and lovely, and more willing to help you as you look for things.

Not just a great name, but a great wine merchants too…read more The welcoming and knowledgeable staff are an ideal team for someone as useless as me when it comes to picking a bottle of the good stuff. With their friendly and un-patronising tone they'll guide you through the basics up to the best that they offer. (It's a great way to bluff yourself through dinner conversation, and learn an interesting thing or do). But it's not just wine they have on sale but spirits and ales too. So if you're looking for a bottle of something to take to a party, be sure to pop by to Corks of Cotham.

One of Bristol's few independent wine merchants, Corks of Cotham offers a little more character…read morethan the beer and wine aisle of your local supermarket. It's more of a general off licence really, with generous spaces given to spirits and beers in the shop. They do know their stuff about wine though, and will happily talk you through the basics or discuss some obscure vintage. The staff are always friendly too and don't take themselves too seriously. They do tasting sessions, which are a laugh. I can't take this sort of thing too seriously, but I'm sure there's plenty to learn. Doing so whilst having a couple of glasses of wine can't be a bad thing either. It's certainly preferable to guessing at the quality from what the label looks like, which is what I usually end up doing at the supermarket. Corks of Cotham is a niche store where you'll probably end up buying a better bottle than you otherwise would.

A unique retail experience, you enter The Clifton Cellars by going down a several stone steps into…read morea cellar that wouldn't look out of place in a Harry Potter film. You'll be greeted and asked what sort of occasion you're buying for from a sales clerk that seems to know what they're talking about. The selection is extensive and you can buy in bulk. There are wine quizzes, tastings,and talks, which I can't vouch for. But they at least suggest that the people here are serious about their wine. The prices go from cheap to ridiculous but then that's wine for you. If you're serious about your wine then the range on offer means you'll probably find something affordable Plus, the sales clerks can be very good at explaing just why this particular bottle is so special. This means that whatever you end up buying from The Clifton Cellar, you'll probably end up with something you're happy with.

Ah, the height of Clifton Village living - a wine cellar tucked beneath the street with all the…read morehidden mystique of a secret society. Wine and secrets - what more could you want? This hidden gem is actually a very good wine and alcohol shop. The stock is dynamic and always very impressive. Not such a good place top pick up some cheap plonk but then life is far too short to drink bad wine. If you are on a budget there are often a lot of good deals on; last time I was there it was twelve bottles of some nice French for £75 - not bad at all! They also house a great range in beer and cider from breweries local and further afield.