In a paragraph
Vin Santo is a Watergate Street wine merchant and wine bar in historic crypted cellars, serving wine, champagne, cocktails, beer and wine-bar food.
What it's like
Vin Santo is not just a bar. It is a wine merchant and bar, so you can buy bottles to take away, sit in for a glass, ask for advice, or book a small table in the crypt.
Wine in a Watergate crypt
The shop side opens earlier than the bar. Treat the 10am opening as merchant hours, not a promise that you can settle in at a table with wine from breakfast-adjacent territory.
Worth knowing
Vin Santo works best when you treat it as a wine place, not a bar that happens to sell wine. The food is there to help the glass along, not to replace dinner. Book indoors if the plan matters, and check direct if access, dogs or exact food service times are important.
The essentialsVisit
Getting there
under 0.1 miles from The Cross.
Hours
Wine merchant hours are Monday-Thursday 10:00-21:00, Friday-Saturday 10:00-23:00 and Sunday 12:00-21:00. Bar hours are listed as Sunday-Thursday 12:00-21:00 and Friday-Saturday 12:00-23:00.
Food & drink
Ballast, not dinner: snacks, cheese, charcuterie, houmous, pate, olives, nuts and crackers. The official food page lists cheese and charcuterie as choose three for £12.
Access
Check direct. Historic crypt and cellar surroundings should not be treated as step-free certainty.
9.2 OpenStreetMap - Hours
- Wine merchant hours are Monday-Thursday 10:00-21:00, Friday-Saturday 10:00-23:00 and Sunday 12:00-21:00. Bar hours are listed as Sunday-Thursday 12:00-21:00 and Friday-Saturday 12:00-23:00.
- Address
- 21 Watergate St, Chester CH1 2LB
- Booking
- The venue says it has six indoor tables to book and does not take bookings via social media. Call or use the booking system.
- Pay
- cards, contactless
- Dogs
- Dogs are listed as welcome.
- Access
- Check direct. Historic crypt and cellar surroundings should not be treated as step-free certainty.
- Getting there
- under 0.1 miles from The Cross.
Nearby plan
Nearby pubs and bars
Make it a plan
Nearby attractions
FAQ
Where is Vin Santo in Chester?
It is on Watergate Street, in historic crypted cellars.
Is Vin Santo a restaurant?
No. It is better treated as a wine bar and merchant with small plates.
Does the bar open at 10am?
Do not assume that. The official hours split the wine merchant and bar, with the bar listed from noon.
Do you need to book Vin Santo?
Book indoors if the plan matters. The venue says it has six indoor bookable tables and outside tables are first come, first served.
Does Vin Santo do wine tastings?
Yes. It runs public tastings and private Snug tastings for small groups.
