La Barrique Wine Bar & Restaurant

My partner and I stumbled into a group of friends who were on their way from the ExCel Center to find some food, and we were invited along. We found yet more friends already at La Barrique. It’s a small place, but pleasantly laid out, not too loud and not too crowded. There’s a selection of «Beers of the World» (including a number of Swedish Rekorderlig ciders), plus a wine list and the usual selection of other drinks.
Heard no complaints from anyone else regarding food. My partner and I tried the crostini sampler plate and then split a pizza. The bread was well made, and the variations were quite good (particularly the Piccante, which features a very spicy Calabrese salami). The pizza was tasty. A final note: perhaps it was the occasion, perhaps it was just very busy, but the sodas and waters our table ordered were free of charge apparently — I suppose they’re included with the order, but the menu states this nowhere. It was a nice surprise. Beer and wine, of course, are another matter entirely.
I dithered between three stars and four, and decided to be generous despite the one rather negative spot: the very long wait. I believe it went more than half an hour before food was served to us, and I suspect the only reason it was delivered to us when it was was because we decided to ask why a party that arrived 10 minutes after us got their food (pizzas) first.
I understand that the convention-​related crowd, combined with the waiters understaffed, caused problems, but at least a portion of the blame must be put on the staff themselves for basically never giving us another look after taking our initial order and (eventually) providing our initial drinks. They seemed friendly but vaguely harassed.
With the company we had, the wait was almost a blessing as it gave us a real chance to hang out after a very long while since we’d last seen each other (we’re talking last decade), but still, staff could have been more attentive.
I’d eat here again in a heartbeat… provided that it looked like it was a quiet night for them or, alternatively, I was in no hurry.

Hidden between the excel and Custom House DLR, I was surprised to find such a nice establishment.
Pizza is the main food sold here, we found it to be really tasty and reasonably priced.
As you might expect for a wine café they also specialise in wine, we tried a recommended £28 of New Zealand Sauvignon which was fantastic.
Only negative was a takeaway coffee I got there on another occasion which wasn’t great, but not worth dropping a star for as I’d certainly go back again. Easily the best food & drink in the Royal Victoria area.