Perched above Zaap Thai in the Grand Arcade (with the entrance found at the bottom of Merrion Street), the light, airy space it occupies has been transformed since the pop-up Christmas shop into an ultra-modern kitchen, food hall and wine bar. Upon entering, you are presented with the shop, which sells everything from fine red wine, craft lager, delicious cured meats and luxury cupboard items, such as Iberico pork fat and Garlic Confit Mayonnaise. For those with a sweet tooth, there’s also a fully-stocked fridge of tasty Northern Bloc ice-cream, as well as a selection of eye-catching books, which cover topics ranging from charcuterie to modern art. Truffle Pecorino To the right of the store, you’ll find a cheesemonger, offering a mouth-watering range of locally sourced produce. I sampled the Truffle Pecorino and the lemony infused Richard III Wensleydale, which were both a delight. Take flight up the winding staircase, and you’ll find the mezzanine, which overlooks the bar and stocks yet more premium wines. The bar itself is a sight for sore eyes, all marble, copper and bathed in warm light from an attractive set of Edison bulbs. I enjoyed a glass of rich, juicy Cabernet Sauvignon and was pleased to discover that the wine list changes on a daily basis, with a new set of wines sourced from the shop. A bottle will cost you an additional £10 for corkage, which means you can indulge in some of the finest wine you’ll find in the city for a fraction of the cost charged in your average restaurant. For my second tipple, I went for the Northern Monk Eternal Session IPA. As someone that’s not usually impressed by craft ales, I was impressed with the light, citrus fruit tang and mild hoppy edge. Final verdict British charcuterie has certainly come along leaps and bounds over the last few years, and we can’t recommend this place highly enough. In a nutshell, if you like your wine and charcuterie, then Ham & Friends is well worth checking snout (sorry, couldn’t resist that one). Words by Jordan Fletcher