Diogenes the Dog’s owner Sunny Hodge has recently returned from a road trip through Texas on the back of a Harley-Davidson, visiting vineyards that produce wines which have drawn a comparison to those from Portugal. It’s not the first time he has taken a journey like this to find offbeat winemakers and regions that he can add to his esoteric menu – and it certainly won’t be the last. Hodge opened the wine bar on a quiet street near Elephant and Castle station at the end of 2018. Flooded with light in the day and moodily lit by low-hanging lamps and candles in the evening, the two-storey space (which regularly hosts jazz nights in the basement) has exposed-brick walls neatly stacked with bottles and rustic wooden floors filled with bountiful foliage that gives it a simultaneously snug yet stylish atmosphere. It’s a vibe that is fitting for somewhere named after the Greek philosopher Diogenes the Cynic, who believed that all the artificial elements of society – money, power, fame and possessions – were incompatible with happiness. It was better instead, he thought, to live simply, in the present moment, and embrace what the natural world has to offer.
DRINKS
For a bar specialising in wines, Diogenes the Dog has an edgy, streamlined menu – only new regions and old winemakers who are experimenting make the cut. On the continuously changing list, there might be an orange from the Czech Republic; a citrusy white from Texas; red from the Shanxi region in northern China; or wine from Champagne that is not, in fact, Champagne. Because the offerings are typically underrepresented in the UK, ordering glasses rather than bottles is highly encouraged and, with most staff being trained sommeliers, guests will be given a full background on each one. While the service is polished, the price point is reasonable – it’s Elephant and Castle not Mayfair, after all – and Hodge really wants to share his unusual findings with the world without putting people off.