Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA

Pictures: Annette Schiller and Christian Schiller at Aldo Sohm Wine Bar in New York City

New York City

This is my list of favorite wine bars in New York City. It includes wine bars that I know and have visited and will go back to. It also includes wine bars I have not yet visited, but I have heard about them and would like to visit them.

It includes wine bars in the pure sense, where the focus is on the wine and the food is on the back burner. It also includes restaurants that have a nice bar area, where they serve interesting wine.

It also includes some places that do not impress me because of the wine, but because of other factors. Sardi’s – the icon in the Theater District – is an example. Or Günter Seeger NY, a Michelin starred restauraunt with a strong focus on German dry wines.

This is an update of:  Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA (2013)

Harlem

Red Rooster
310 Lenox Avenue (125th Street)

The racial and ethnic variety in the vast bar and loft-like dining room are virtually unrivaled in New York. The restaurant may not be the best to open in New York City last year. The scene is amazing: a pulsing, cheerful and virtually always-packed bar that gives way to a crowded and sleek dining room beyond it, decorated with the work of local artists. In the seats: Harlem itself, along with many visitors from downtown and afar, everyone playing a role in the restaurant’s grand vision.

Pictures: Red Rooster

Manhattan

Upper West Side

The Tangled Vine Wine Bar & Kitchen
434 Amsterdam Ave.

This UWS wine bar was conceived with the inquisitive drinker in mind. Though the interior is generic, the wine—a mostly organic and biodynamic collection of Old World bottles—more than makes up for the setting. The eager sommelier-barkeeps steered us toward offbeat discoveries like a rare white Gravonia rioja that was rich, raisiny and as viscous as sherry. There are also bargain gems like a crisp green-apple Chiorri Grechetto. Snacks from former Mercat chef David Seigal round out the experience.

Bar Boulud
1900 Broadway

Bar Boulud is Daniel Boulud’s wine bar and bistro located across from Manhattan’s Lincoln Center. Daniel Boulud is a star and plays almost in the same league as Alain Ducasse. He is a chef, owns now a little restaurant imperium across the globe and just got his third star Michelin. In contrast to Alain Ducasse, however, he is not at all established in his home country, France.

See also:
New York Manhattan Wine Bars -- Bar Boulud, The Ten Bells, Terroir and Clo.

Pictures: Metropolitan Opera, just Opposite of Bar Boulud

Upper East Side

Theater District

Sardi’s
234 West 44th Street

In the Theater district. A famous restaurant for pre-show and after show dinners. Has also two bars, one next to the entrance and one on the first floor where Sardi’s serves decent wine. Nothing special.

Picture: Sardi's

Morrell Wine Bar and Café
West 49th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue, Rockefeller Center

Wine store plus small wine bar (a 14-seat curved black granite bar make for a cozy atmosphere) plus large sidewalk area. More than two thousand bottles are available from their extensive list, with fifty wines by the glass.

Picture: Morrell Wine Bar and Café

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar
155 W 51 Street

Branch-offs can often snap under pressure, but Le Bernardin has sprung a stem as strong as its base. Sitting across the galleria from that vaulted seafood restaurant, Aldo Sohm’s annexed vino hub is far less buttoned-up than its big brother—no reservations or suit jackets required—but the level of detail here proves this apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

See: Summer of Riesling. All Summer. All German. – 3 German Rieslings from Tesch, JJ Prüm and Leitz at Aldo Sohm Wine Bar in New York and Germany-North 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Pictures: At Aldo Sohm Wine Bar

Picture: Sommelier Aldo Sohm and Christian Schiller at the 2015 Rieslingfeier in New York City, USA. See also: A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2015, USA

Midtown West

Clinton - Hell’s Kitchen

Ardesia
510 W 52nd St

Le Bernardin vet Mandy Oser’s iron-and-marble gem offers superior wines in a relaxed setting. The 75-strong collection of international bottles is a smart balance of Old and New World options that pair beautifully with an eclectic selection of small plates. Ardesia is a casual food and wine bar located in Hell's Kitchen in New York City inspired by the neighborhood's historic past and vibrant present.

Midtown East

Grand Central Station Oyster Bar
89 E. 42nd St. at Vanderbilt Ave.


This is the best place in town for New England Chowder and of course oysters, in a beautiful space under the world’s most famous station. The wine list is also impressive.

Picture: Grand Central Station Oyster Bar

Murray Hill

Vanguard Wine Bar
530 2nd Avenue, between 29th and 30th

Vanguard is that ever-sought-after idyllic wine bar that balances good drinks with approachable, contemporary small plates. The American food has French influences, which goes nicely with the cozy, wooden tables and low lighting. The wine list speaks directly to casual drinkers; it's broken up by color, body, and taste. - For dessert, the Champagne float, served in a coupe glass, has just enough Champagne to keep your buzz going, with a sweet scoop of vanilla ice cream thrown in for good measure. Lettie Teague praises Vanguard Wine Bar. Open until 2 am.

Chelsea

Rouge Tomate Chelsea
126 W 18th St

The Michelin-starred, health-focused restaurant closed in 2014 after six years on the Upper East Side to relocate downtown. Two months after closing, Chef Andy Bennet and Master Sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier (both partners now) signed a lease at 126 West 18th Street, home to a roofing company at the time.

Picture: Eva Fricke, Clemens Busch, Pascaline Lepeletier, Rouge Tomate, Paul Grieco, Terroir, Johannes Weber of Hofgut Falkenstein, Mosel, Lars Carlberg

Rouge Tomate 2.0 is less formal than the original, and feels a little more like a wine bar. Lepeltier and her team of sommeliers have curated a wine list that boasts over 1,600 bottles, with a strong focus on domestic varietals.

The Lobster Place
75 9th Avenue, between 15th and 16th

Not a wine bar. One of the best, if not the best, resource(s) for fresh seafood in New York, in the Chelsea Market. Last time we were there, we had Sushi.

Pictures: Sushi at The Lobster Place

Veloce
176 7th Avenue between 20th and 21st Street

One of New York’s best known Italian wine bars. The Seventh Avenue digs of this congenial Italian wine bar are roomier than its East Village original, but the prices remain unchanged: Most small plates cost less than $8. Only one bartender caters to the after-work, wine-swigging crowd. Has two other locations in New York plus one in Beijing.

Trestle on Tenth
242 10th Avenue (West 24th Street)

A neighborhood favorite and a citywide destination that focuses on small growers, winemakers and vintners from around the world who have a hands-on relationship with the natural wines they produce.  An AAWE Rheinhessen Riesling Tasting with Stuart Pigott in 2012 took place here.

Gramercy

Gramercy Tavern
42 East 20th Street

Gramercy Tavern has one of the best wine lists in town, including a large list of wines by the glass. The selection of Riesling speaks for itself: Perhaps 20 Riesling wines - mostly from the Mosel Valley, with 3 dry wines.

Eataly
200 5th Avenue

A huge Italian food and wine marketplace in the Flatiron District. into New York City’s premier culinary mecca. Eataly offers 7 sit down restaurants with both table and bar seats. Each restaurant is positioned next to the market area that provides its ingredients.

Picture: Light Lunch at Eataly

Meatpacking District

West Village

Günter Seeger NY
641 Hudson St

In the movie Pretty Woman, Richard Gere says to Julia Roberts: Opera - you either hate it or you love it. The same applies to Günter Seeger NY: You either love it or you hate it. We love it!! This may be partly due to our German soul. All three of us have spend several decades in the US, but were borne and grew up in Germany.

See: Dining at Günter Seeger NY, a Temple for Natural Cuisine and German Wine in New York: Brilliance and Simplicity on the Plate and Ultra-premium Dry Red and White Wine from Germany in the Glass

Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller with Chef Günter Seeger at Günter Seeger NY

Uphostery Store: Food and Wine
344 West 11th Street

Chef Kurt Gutenbrunner is the king of a little Austrian empire in New York City, comprising 5 very special restaurants and wine bars. One of them is the Upholstery Store: Food and Wine, which used to be an intimate wine bar serving a variety of wines by the glass and by the bottle and offering a selection of charcuterie and cheeses.

After a year-long shutter and makeover, the Upholstery Store (henceforth to be known officially as the Upholstery Store: Food and Wine) reopened recently. The newly revamped wine bar from the Wallse team is airier than its predecessor, and while it still looks like Austria, this is today's Austria, not grandma's. There's a large bar, small tables and a sofa by the window, and larger seating options as guests move back into the space. The design is simple and clean with exposed brick and lots of blue throughout. Michelin-starred chef Kurt Gutenbrunner's small plates menu hops around from oysters topped with passion fruit and seaweed to lobster rolls, and venison served with wild mushrooms and blackberries. To drink, there is a lengthy wine list from partner and sommelier Leo Schneemann.

Picture: The "Old" Upholstery Stor

Terroir at the Porch on the High Line
High Line at West 15th Street

From May through November, this alfresco café functions as the park’s only sit-down restaurant.

Greenwich Village

Charlie Bird
5 King St.

All bottles on list are available to be opened by the glass. You have to commit to two glasses and they will pop open any bottle.

Michelin: Of all the out-of-the-way restaurants that dot this stretch of SoHo, none are hipper than Charlie Bird. You'll be greeted by a blast of music upon entry, where a long bar leads to a brick-lined dining space with leather seats. From there, things just take off: along with a clever menu, upbeat service, and a thoughtful wine list brimming with Puglian reds and organic Catalonians, the kitchen delights long before Chef/co-owner Ryan Hardy's renowned pastas hit your plate. Think rigatoni with fennel-roasted suckling pig; or spaghetti alla carbonara formed into a ball and topped with buttery spring onions, smoked bacon, and a bright yellow duck egg. Baby sib Pasquale Jones offers similar modern-Italian cuisine with an emphasis on Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas. 

Gotham Bar and Grill
12 East 12th Street

A truly quintessential New York restaurant, with a classic bar.

Corkbuzz Wine Studio
13 East 13th Street (b/t 5th Ave. and University)

Corkbuzz is many things: a wine bar, a wine-centric restaurant and a place for wine education that offers classes. A Terry Theise recommendation.

Picture: Annette Schiller with Florian Lauer, Weingut Peter Lauer, and Dominik Sona, Weingut Koehler Ruprecht at Cork Buzz during the Rieslingfeier 2016 Welcome Party. See: A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2016, USA

East Village

Fifty Paces (Former Terroir East Village)
E 12th St, (between First Ave and Ave A)

(The last I heard is that it was closed)

Marco Canora (Hearth) refurbishes the old Terroir wine bar, bolstering its menu with an expanded list of by-the-glass vino (albarín blanco, sankt laurent) to complement small plates like pork ragù sloppy joes and broth bowls with gingered beef-neck and garlic-chicken meatballs. This is the initial Terroir, with 24 seats, just next to Heath Restaurant.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, German Wine Queen Julia Bertram, Ursula Heinzelmann, Eva Vollmer, Christine Huff, Mirjam Schneider and Christian Schiller at the old Terroir (East Village)

See: The 31-Days-of-German-Riesling Concert Cruise Around New York Harbor with the German Wine Queen Julia Bertram and the 3 Wine Amazones Tina Huff, Eva Vollmer and Mirjam Schneider from Mainz, Germany

Hearth Restaurant
403 East 12th Street

Paula Redes Sidore: Some of the best, most honest, simple yet sophisticated food in the city with a great, geeky wine list that can be viewed online.

Picture: Hearth

Momofuku Ssam Bar
Second Avenue East 13th Street

At some point on the San Pellegrino list of the 50 Best Restaurants in the World.

See:
The World's 50 Best Restaurants (2014) - San Pellegrino
Lunch at Momofuku Ssäm Bar in New York City, USA

Pictures: At Momofuku Ssam Bar

Katz’s Delicatessen
205 East Houston Street

Not at all a wine bar: Pastrami! Major institution.

Pictures: Katz’s Delicatessen

SoHo

Balthazar
80 Spring Street b/w Broadway and Crosby Streets

Major institution open for breakfast and all day, into the morning hours. Sit at the beautiful pressed metal bar and have a steak frites and order a glass of Hermitage.

See: Breakfast with Doreen Winkler at Balthazar – An European (German) Sommelier in New York City, USA

Picture: Christian Schiller and Som Doreen Winkler at Balthazar in New York City

Lower East Side

The Ten Bells
247 Broome St.

You’ll need a magnifying glass to navigate the chalk-drawn wine list at this dimly lit vino depot, oddly named for Jack the Ripper’s hunting grounds. Happily, knowledgeable servers are there to help, and the collection of global organic wines—16 glasses, most for less than $10, and 50 bottles—rewards your troubles. Snacks are basic but tasty—stick to cold plates like oysters and tartares. Closes at 2:00 am in the morning.

See also:
New York Manhattan Wine Bars -- Bar Boulud, The Ten Bells, Terroir and Clo.
In the Glass: 2007 Riesling trocken from Wuertz Rheinhessen with Oysters at the Ten Bells in the Lower East Side in Manhattan

Pictures: At The 10 Bells

Lower East Side

Tre
173 Ludlow St.

Trendy Italian restaurant with organic Italian wines, mostly from small producers. Pull up a stool at the (small) bar.

Picture: Tre

Tribeca

Terroir
24 Harrison Street

Pictures: At Terroir - Annette Schiller with Caroline Diel, Sylvain Taurisson Diel, Justin Christoph, Danielle King, Paul Grieco, Valerie Masten of Skurnik Wines and Husband and Wine Journalist Jon Bonné with Sommelier/ Wine Consultant Sabra Lewis

See also:
Terroir(s) Wine Bars in London, New York and San Francisco – Wines with a Sense of Place versus Natural Wines

Racines NY
94 Chambers Street (Church Street)

One part Paris, one part New York, Racines NY offers a unique and exciting blend of fine dining and bistro-a-vin that has instantly made its mark on the Manhattan culinary scene. The exquisite cuisine of Michelin-starred Chef Frederic Duca reflects his origins in Marseille and his classical training while offering inventive creations based on the finest farm-sourced American and European ingredients. The fascinating wine-list of owner-sommelier Arnaud Tronche focuses on small estates practicing organic and biodynamic farming and natural vinifications, while highlighting lesser-known regions such as the Loire Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon and Corsica. Service at Racines NY is attentive and professional while maintaining a casual atmosphere, enhancing conversation and the dining experience.

The Restaurant may be enjoyed after-work or before dinner at the wide marble bar offering sophisticated small plates created by Chef Duca while sampling the creative and extensive list of wines by-the-glass offered by Mr. Tronche. House cocktails and craft beers are available as well. The dining room opens at 6pm with an a la carte menu and a tasting menu, both changing frequently.

Williamsburg

The Four Horsemen
295 Grand Street

The interior sparseness is contrasted by a wine list comprising nearly 250 bottles and a dozen by-the-glass selections ($10 to $15) that highlight natural wine heavyweights: Sicilian orange selections from Frank Cornelissen of Italy’s Mount Etna region and a biodynamic rosé from Fabien Jouves of Cahors, France.

Pictures: At The Four Horsemen

Maison Premiere
298 Bedford Ave.

While it is often referred to as an oyster and absinthe bar, this charming Williamsburg establishment is so much more. With more than a subtle nod to the French heritage of New Orleans in the décor, drinks and food, Maison Premiere is hopelessly romantic. With dollar oyster specials, it can also be hopelessly packed. Although it opened in 2011, Maison Premiere feels more like a 19th-century Parisian bistro. The marble-topped horseshoe bar offers plenty of standing room and that quickly fills up. Oysters and other food can be ordered at the bar or at the tables in the back. But the seats in the window are strictly for drinks. A wood and classic New York safety glass back bar separate the bar area from the tables and the oyster shuckers. On nice days, the garden seating under a wisteria arbour surrounded by large ferns is a sought-after oasis.

Pictures: At Maison Premiere

Brooklyn

Roberta’s Pizza
261 Moore St Brooklyn,NY
Subway: L line, Morgan Ave

A mix between a pizzeria, an organic farm, a creative kitchen, a craft beer garden and a serious Italian oenoteca. This fascinating place is located in Bushwick, an up and coming neighborhood in Brooklyn that is a bit further away than Williamsburg coming from Manhattan, but nevertheless quickly reachable with the L line. Artist and students are settling down here and their craving for good food is only satisfied by a few places. One of those is Roberta's.

Pictures: At Roberta's Pizza

June
231 Court Street

Dive deep into the all-natural trend at this sulfite-free–champing Cobble Hill bar, a joint effort from Henry Rich (Rucola, Fitzcarraldo) and Tom Kearney (Farm on Adderley). The romantic, railroad-style room rouses ’20s-era Midnight in Paris vibes, with curved oxblood banquettes, globe light fixtures and a marble-top bar canopied with hanging stemmed glasses, so it’s no surprise that the wine list operates largely in the Gallic canon, with European vintages offered by glass, quartino, bottle or “big bottle” (that would be one-and-a-half liters).

Schiller’s Favorite Jazz Clubs

Village Vanguard
178 7th Avenue
A top club. No food.

Blue Note
Aged megastars.
131 West Third Street

Birdland
315 West 44th Street
A top club. Used to be in 104th Street and moved to Times Square.

Arthur’s Tavern
57 Grove Street
No entry fee. One of the oldest Jazz Clubs in New York (since 1937)

Schiller’s Favorites

Here is a complete list of Schiller's Favorites:

Europe

Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Würzburg, Franken, Germany
Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Wine Taverns in Freiburg, Baden, Germany
Schiller's Favorites: Frankfurt Apple Wine Taverns that Make their own Apple Wine
Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Winemakers in the Saale-Unstrut Region, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Trier, Germany
Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, 2013, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France - An Update
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City - An Update
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and other Wine Venues in Chablis, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne
Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne, France (2015)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France (2015)
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France
Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France, 2014
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, 2012 France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City) (2012), France

UK, Spain, Austria, Hungary

Schiller's Favorite Winebars in London, UK
Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, 2012, UK
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary
Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)

USA

Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, Washington State, USA - An Update
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA - An Update
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Austin, Texas, USA
Riesling Crawl in New York City – Or, Where to Buy German Wine in Manhattan: Schiller's Favorite Wine Stores, USA
Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, USA (2013)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA (2013)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA (2013)
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, 2012, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA (2013)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California

Asia

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Singapore
Schiller s Favorite Winebars in Beijing, 2014, China

Africa

Schiller's Favorite Wines of Madagascar
Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar

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