The sandstone exterior of The Jamaica Wine House stands out among the mostly drab buildings of the City, when you can find it that is, tucked away amidst a maze of mediaeval passages, old alleyways and ancient courts. The current incarnation of The Jamaica Wine House is Victorian, dating from 1869, but is built on the site of London’s first coffee house, opened in 1652, by Pasqua Rosee, a Sicilian merchant. The interior of The Jamaica Wine House is a series of nooks and crannies with beautiful old dark mahogany panelling. In the basement is Todd’s Wine Bar, a cosy little place, unlike some of the larger, noisier City wine bars.