Tilly's is a new family-run neighbourhood wine bar in Shepherd's Bush

The growth in London's wine bars is continuing apace and the latest to open is Tilly's, a new neighbourhood wine bar which has just landed in Shepherd's Bush. 

It's run by Shepherd's Bush local Tilly James, who has "worked in restaurants since the age of 13" but started in London working with Sam Harrison. More recently, she has run The Hawk's Nest and The Bush Tavern before opening her own space, fundraised with £10k support from backers. 

We caught up with her to find out more about Tilly's. "Growing up in Cape Town and spending a lot of time in Portugal have both hugely influenced my inspiration behind Tilly's: easy, simple, and warm places that focus on doing a few things really well," she tells us. "Above all, I think hospitality is about giving people the opportunity to connect. That's really at the heart of Tilly's."

Obviously, the wine list at Tilly's is the focus. "I don't pretend to be a sommelier, nor am I a wine expert, but I am someone who loves drinking good wine at a good price. The list is heavily rooted in Portugal, but reaches further afield too, with bottles from Lebanon, Cyprus, Spain and South Africa, as well as closer to home in the Cotswolds.

"We lean towards a more traditional style of wine and champion small, family-run producers making seriously good stuff with a lot of love and care. The list is exciting, considered and concise, but above everything, I think it offers properly good value. I want people to feel comfortable ordering a bottle on a Tuesday night without it feeling like a huge occasion." Bottles start at £32, which is pretty great for a wine bar these days. You'll also find a short cocktail list, and every Wednesday, Negronis will be £9. 

On the food side, they have gildas alongside snacks like pan con tomate, goat's curd, burnt leeks and walnuts on sourdough and smoked mackerel pâté with dill and cucumber. There's also the dessert of the moment: chocolate mousse with olive oil and sea salt. 

As for the place itself, they've taken over what was an old pottery studio. "The space functions as a coffee shop by day and Tilly's by night," Tilly explains. "The building itself is pretty special: it has these amazing industrial bones and incredibly high ceilings, which we've softened with comfortable seating, vintage furniture, loads of lamps and candles, and walls covered in art and photography from local artists."

It's also something of a family affair. "All three of my siblings and my mum worked on opening night - washing dishes, bartending and DJing." 

So if you're in the area, heading down to Tilly's seems like a must. As she says, "Ultimately, I wanted to create the kind of place where you immediately feel welcome. Somewhere you come in for one glass and somehow end up staying all night."