Restaurant launches menu just for water - with bottles costing up to £19

A Michelin-guide restauranthas unveiled a water-only menu, with bottles priced at up to £19.

La Popote's co-owner Joseph Rawlins teamed up with one of just fiveBritishwater sommeliers, Doran Binder, to craft the unique selection. Le Popete is a fine dining French restaurant located in Cheshire.

He said: "We just wanted to offer something different and Doran is mad for water... water's not just water." He added that this decision was due to an increase in interest, explaining that "if there was any negativity behind it, we wouldn't have done it".

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He added: "It has a wide price range so people can try something different". It comes after a state pension warning for millions of Brits who are between two specific ages.

He revealed he was initially approached by Binder about the concept three years ago, but didn't give him the green light until the beginning of this year following a water tasting session.

Binder has been developing the menu for the fine dining establishment for the past seven months. Diners can select from seven premium waters sourced from across Europe - four still and three sparkling.

Costs begin at £5 for Binder's own Crag Spring Water and rise to £19 for a bottle of Portuguese sparkling water, The Palace of Vidago, reports Sky.

In a new post, the restaurant unveils its select menu dedicated to water. Many viewers commented on the absurdity of a bottle service for H2O, with one reader named Mel writing: "What sort of idiot is going to pay £19 for a bottle of water?

"Laugh & mock, but there will be a few 'hipsters' out there stupid enough to do it! Manipulation of the brainless wealthy? Certainly seems that way."

On the contrary, JoH wrote: "As a non-drinker, it gets rather tedious when dining out, that you are presented with the alcohol menu as if it is an expectation. When ordering a soft drink or water, you often find yourself looking at the children's menu or no menu at all." The writer claimed: "I welcome a water menu."

Bethan claimed: "What a dreadful world we inhabit where some countries lack clean running water and others import bottles of water from abroad for the obscenely rich to fritter their money away on."

A third user called GrayUK highlight: "If you can pay £19 for a bottle of water, please donate at least the same amount to Water Aid." The Mirror has contacted La Popete.