At La Popote, a Michelin Guide French-style eatery in Cheshire, England, diners can now toast… with something way more simple than wine: water! That’s right—your go-to fizzy or flat H₂O just got a snazzy upgrade. The restaurant launched a dedicated water menu featuring three still and four sparkling bottled options—plus good old complementary tap water for those keeping it casual.
But this isn’t your everyday hydration. The idea came from Doran Binder—a bona fide water sommelier—who convinced the restaurant owners that water can be just as transformative as wine. After a playful tasting session at Binder’s “water bar,” complete with pairings like Parma ham, chocolate, Manchego, Comté, and olives, they were hooked. They confessed it was “mind‑blowing” when they realized that “water isn’t just water”.
Prices? They span from a modest £5 to a luxurious £19 for “The Palace of Vidago,” a sparkling Portuguese gem. The menu reaches across Europe—from Italy to France —and each is served wine-style: at room temperature, perhaps with a lemon slice and ice, to let the flavor shine through. It’s all part of a larger, cheeky culinary shift embracing the “sober-curious,” offering a refined, alcohol-free alternative with some serious epicurean flair.
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