The Savoy’s black-and-gold former cabaret lounge has reopened as Beaufort Wine Bar, with half of a 250-bottle cellar poured by the glass and vintages going back to 1975.
The Beaufort has changed its drink. The Savoy’s bar in its old cabaret lounge spent its recent life on modern cocktails. In October 2026 it reopened as Beaufort Wine Bar, which the hotel calls its house of wine, with more than 250 wines from 18 countries and half of them poured by the glass. The room is the same, and so are its black-and-gold walls.
From the Winter Garden to the cabaret stage
Theatre is in the hotel’s foundations. Richard D’Oyly Carte opened The Savoy on the Strand in 1889, beside his theatre, as a place where theatregoers could dine, meet and stay under one name, and its first guests were astonished by its electric light and lifts. The Beaufort began as part of the hotel’s Winter Garden. Over the years it became the hotel’s cabaret lounge, built around a stage that could rise from the floor so performers could play to guests at small tables. The Savoy describes the room’s finish as the timeless glamour of the art deco era, in jet black and gold. Music has stayed with the room through the relaunch: live performers share the evening with a dedicated vinyl setup that plays records cut for the bar.
Fifty years in the glass
The collection runs from 1975 to 2025, from First Growth Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundy to mature Champagne and lesser-known regional bottles. Poured through Coravin, more than 120 of them are sold by the glass, a programme The Savoy counts among the largest in the country. A glass of rare Bâtard-Montrachet no longer means buying the bottle.
The spirits list follows the same rule and stays with the grape: Cognac, grappa and pisco, with wine cocktails built on them. Food is written to sit beside the list. Cured meats and Jamón Ibérico are carved at the table from a flywheel slicer trolley made for the bar, with British cheeses alongside, and Champagne with caviar for the later hours.
Romain Audrerie’s list
The list belongs to head sommelier Romain Audrerie, who has more than 15 years in wine. He was on the opening team at Chiltern Firehouse before becoming global wine director for André Balazs Properties. The hotel says his aim is to make exceptional wine feel inviting, whether a guest arrives knowing a great deal or wants to try something new. The bar opens from 17:00, Tuesday to Saturday, and runs late. The Savoy has no formal dress code, though it asks guests to dress for the occasion.
A black-and-gold room for 120
The Beaufort is also one of The Savoy’s private event spaces. The hotel lists it at 105 square metres and up to 120 guests, the same black-and-gold room taken over for a reception. For larger numbers the hotel has the River Room, for 300, and the Lancaster Ballroom, for 800.