A Michelin Guide-listed French restaurant in Cheshire has just launched what it claims is Britain’s first bottled water menu. At La Popote, a fine dining restaurant in Marton near Macclesfield, diners can now choose from seven premium waters sourced from across Europe, with prices ranging from £5 to £19, The Sun reported.
For some, it may sound like satire: water being presented like wine, complete with tasting notes and provenance. But for chef-owner Joseph Rawlins and water sommelier Doran Binder, the move is less about gimmickry and more about reimagining what non-alcoholic luxury dining can look like.
Turning a basic into a brand experience
The water list includes Icelandic Glacier Water (£12), described as “sharp, dry, and metallic tasting,” and Portugal’s The Palace of Vidago (£19), a sparkling option with a “delicate and salty” profile. Binder’s own Cheshire-based Crag spring water, positioned as smooth and creamy, starts at £5. The menu is served with the same formality as a wine list, with water poured into wine glasses to emphasise its elevated status.
On the face of it, paying nearly £20 for something freely available from the tap may seem bizarre. But viewed through a branding lens, La Popote is tapping into two powerful forces reshaping consumer behaviour: premiumization and the demand for non-alcoholic alternatives. Global sales of premium bottled water already surpass $200 billion, while the no- and low-alcohol drinks market is forecast to reach $30 billion by 2025.
From gimmick to market opportunity
Rawlins says fewer diners are ordering alcohol, often because at least one guest in smaller groups is driving. “The restaurant scene has changed,” he explains. “A bottled water menu gives non-drinkers a premium choice.”
Binder, one of just five certified water sommeliers in the U.K., adds that water’s taste is defined by its mineral content, or total dissolved solids (TDS). “It’s not just water. It has depth, profile, and mouthfeel — just like wine.”
What may seem gimmicky today could be tomorrow’s brand opportunity. Coffee, chocolate, and even salt have all been rebranded from commodities into experiences. If diners are willing to pay for artisanal coffee beans or Himalayan pink salt, perhaps bottled water with terroir isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds.
La Popote’s bottled water menu officially launches on August 22. Whether it becomes a trend or remains a curiosity, one thing is certain: in the world of branding, even the most ordinary product can be transformed into luxury.