While talking about the best West Village wine bars ad nauseam might sound like a yawn (I mean, really, they’re a dime a dozen), I promise, somewhere between pretentious sommeliers and $6 glasses of happy hour house wine is a swath of unique spots that will please even the pickiest epicure.
Dining and drinking in NYC isn’t just a practice of good food and innovative cocktails. It’s like traveling to different countries within a span of three blocks. Visiting West Village wine bars is a true testament to this—you’ll be transported to France, Italy, and Greece in the process and could even head to Japan for a nightcap at Angel’s Share, one of the best West Village cocktail bars, should you please.
I’ve visited several of the bars on this list personally; however have yet to make it to Lelabar, Turks & Frogs, L’Accolade, Gottino Enoteca e Salumeria, St Jardim, Temperance Wine Bar, and St Tropez. Those bars come at the recommendation of other locals and have high reviews from guests.
If you’re craving a good Burgundy or want to discover something completely new from more obscure wine regions like Bosnia and Herzegovina, sip through these West Village wine bars:
1. Lelabar
422 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014
Lelabar’s tight space revolves around an oval-shaped bar serving a list of 700 globally sourced wines, craft beer, and artisanal cheese and charcuterie. The cozy wine bar received the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence for five years in a row.
Extensive wine lists can be overwhelming. To help guide you in your pursuit of the best wine in the West Village, Lelabar offers private, guided sommelier wine tastings for groups of six or more.
Happy hour is available daily until 6 pm. Reservations can be made on Resy, however, walk-ins are allowed.
2. Stafili Wine Cafe
796 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10014
There are few more popular West Village wine bars right now than Stafili Wine Cafe. The exposed brick nook on Greenwich Street has dedicated itself to Greek wines, sometimes serving them through its wooden casement windows.
As a huge fan of Greek wines, I don’t know why I never considered trying to find a Greek wine bar, I’m happy to know now that one exists in the city, and the West Village crowd seems to agree.
When I reached the wine bar at 5:45 pm on a Saturday night, the wait time had already grown to an hour for a party of one (I don’t even want to know what it would be for a larger group). The space was buzzing with friends enjoying girls’ night and couples seeking a relaxed date night spot in the West Village.
The friendly waitstaff made the experience far less isolating as a solo imbiber, and I thoroughly enjoyed the dessert wine I tried to close my night—Petrakopoulos Wines of Kefalonia Melitino Zakynthino 2019, a tart dessert wine hailing from Cephalonia on Greece’s, Ionian Islands.
You won’t be expected to commit blindly, staff is more than happy to let guests sample wines before selecting, one of the true hallmarks of a good wine bar.
Happy hour is available from 4 pm to 7 pm, daily. Stafili Wine Cafe has an additional location in Tribeca. Reservations for both locations can be made on Resy.
3. Turks & Frogs
323 W 11th St #2, New York, NY 10014
Pairing Turkish-inspired fare with an impressive wine list, Turks & Frogs stylish wine room, clad with whimsical antiques, is quickly becoming a favorite of West Village locals.
Turks & Frogs’ wine selection mainly has French origins. However, you’ll also find a smattering of wines from Argentina, Italy, Spain, and Türkiye. Those who don’t enjoy wine have a small selection of cocktails to choose from.
Reservations from Turks & Frogs can be made on OpenTable. Note that guests not ordering anything will need to pay a $15 cover fee.
4. Sogno Toscano Market & Wine Bar
17 Perry St, New York, NY 10014
Embrace the charm of Tuscany at Sogno Toscano Market & Wine Bar. These days, the Italian deli is more parts wine bar and sandwich shop than it is a market, squeezing tables together to pack a cosmopolitan crowd into the intimate space.
Sogno Toscano is one of the best West Village wine bars with live music, often bringing in musicians on the weekends to accompany its panini sandwiches and Italian wine. I ordered the Contadina, a vegetarian sandwich stacked with robiola cheese, eggplant, borettane onions, and grilled artichokes, topped with a pile of arugula on crispy focaccia.
At the recommendation of my waiter, I paired the sandwich with the La Lastra, Vernaccia Di San Gimignano, DOCG 2021, a light Tuscan white wine that complimented the panini without stealing the show.
While I wasn’t quite as impressed with Sogno Toscano Market & Wine Bar’s wine list as I was at other West Village wine bars, I’d absolutely return for the spot-on atmosphere. It’s the perfect place for a group of two to share a conversation over a glass of wine on a sunny afternoon.
Sogno Toscano reservations can be made on OpenTable.
5. L’Accolade
302 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014
Part French restaurant, part natural wine bar, L’Accolade is a simple space putting big emphasis on a highly curated wine list offering a fresh, eclectic selection and food menu carefully crafted to highlight them.
During warmer months, guests can drink and dine outdoors in L’Accolade’s lush private courtyard. Go during happy hour for a discount on the wine bar’s carb-heavy snacks and small plates, or sit for dinner to challenge yourself with the gastronomic entrées chefs Ben Traver and Nate Kuester (formerly of the Modern and Aquavit, respectively) have dreamt up to accent the flavors of L’Accolade’s cellar.
Happy hour is offered Tuesday through Friday from 4 pm to 7 pm. Reservations can be made via Resy.
6. Gottino Enoteca e Salumeria
52 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011
Despite being hailed as one of N.Y. Mag’s “Best Of” Wine Bars in NY, Gottino Enoteca e Salumeria doesn’t want to be called a wine bar. Instead, chef Jody Williams cherishes her neighborhood Italian enoteca as a “gastroteca,” a play on “gastropub” that embodies the not-a-wine-bar’s focus on the trifecta of mouthwatering food, exemplary service, and of course, wonderful wine.
Localvore small plates like crostini topped with sweet dried figs, fresh ricotta, honey, and almonds add to the gastroteca’s rustic, romantic atmosphere. Wines are sourced from all over Italy, and are scrawled onto a hanging chalkboard.
Settle into Gottino’s private garden for outdoor dining conversation you’ll actually be able to hear. Tucked behind the restaurant, the secluded space is a far cry from the street-side dining structures of late.
Gottino currently does not appear to accept reservations. As the space has just five tables, going early will help in securing a spot.
7. Amelie Wine Bar & Bistro
22 W 8th St, New York, NY 10011
Though its upholstered wall seems like it’s seen better days, Amelie Wine Bar & Bistro, a mod French wine bar and bistro fits into 8th Street like a puzzle piece, even if it’s bright red decor isn’t exactly date-night material. It’s relaxed, certainly not pretentious, in true French bistro fashion, has prime people-watching real estate via its outdoor dining structure.
Being in Greenwich Village, it may not be a true West Village wine bar, but is so close that it may as well be. While I can’t say that it’s particularly interesting compared to others on this list, and I wouldn’t go for full-service, it’s a worthwhile happy hour spot when the bar offers $14 wine flights.
The bar’s Jojo flight, the dry white flight, delivered exactly what I love—arrestingly dry whites that pack a punch. Flight pours were generous and consisted of an apremont, sauvignon blanc, and txakolina.
The sauvignon blanc was the greatest surprise, as someone who typically reaches for an Italian dry white over sauvignon blanc. It was a stunningly aromatic, crisp white that I fell in love with—I’ll be coming back for a full glass of that one.
The final wine of the flight, the txakolina, was a surprise. Though it had very little nose, the white wine was boldly fruity and undeniably dry.
Amelie Wine Bar & Bistro has another NYC location on the Upper West Side, in addition to locations in San Francisco, Fairfax, and Washington D.C. Reservations can be made via Resy, though if you come for happy hour (and you should), you probably won’t need one.
8. Vin Sur Vingt
192 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014
Vin Sur Vingt was my first introduction to West Village wine bars, and as such, it holds a special place in my heart. Though its snug location on West 11th Street, which I loved so much, is now closed, the wine bar still stands in the West Village at a larger, airier location on 7th Avenue South.
The wine list is French, complemented by typical bistro fare. The wine list is ever-rotating, so, unfortunately, you likely won’t be able to find the exceptional dessert wine I’m still thinking about years later, but should be able to discover something interesting. If anything, the bar makes for a great first-date spot in the West Village (speaking from experience, of course).
Vin Sur Vingt operates several additional locations in New York City, including NoMad, 51st Street, Riverside, Upper West Side, and the East Village. Happy hour is available at the West Village location daily until 7 pm. The wine bar is walk-in only.
9. St. Jardim
183 W 10th St, New York, NY 10014
St. Jardim is a small but energetic space of low-intervention wines and seasonally mindful small plates.
The space is warm, modern, and approachable. During the day, it serves as an espresso bar serving a smattering of light breakfast options, however, in the evening, the focus is purely on hard-to-find natural vinoes from across Europe that draws in the city’s most loyal wine aficionados.
Reservations for St. Jardim are accepted on Resy, however, the bar saves counter seating for walk-ins.
10. B’artusi
520 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014
B’artusi, the younger sister to West Village mainstay L’Artusi, isn’t like the refined Italian restaurant. The corner bar is instead a bright expression of paninos, bright cocktails, and Italian and French wine.
Though it doesn’t hold the same gusto in NYC’s wine scene as some of the other West Village wine bars on this list, it’s a great pick for lighthearted food and wine in a youthful space—so long as you don’t mind the investment banking crowd.
11. Temperance Wine Bar
40 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014
You’d be pressed to find a recent list of the best West Village wine bars that doesn’t include Temperance Wine Bar. The bar claims to have the “best by the glass wine list in the world.”
The bar might be onto something with that—each of the bottles on the bar’s 100-plus wine list is available by the glass, a rarity in the wine world. Wine cocktails are also available, as is a small selection of locally brewed beers and non-alcoholic options.
Wine hails from around the world and, unlike some of the other top wine bars in the West Village, offers a few options for emerging wine regions such as Slovenia and Georgia (two of my personal favorites). It’s obvious that Temperance is a wine bar for serious oenophiles, though the bar’s experienced staff will be happy to guide you through if you’re not.
The bar is a must-go if you’re looking for a late-night happy hour in NYC. During the last hour and a half of service Tuesday through Thursday, the bar offers 50% off of a bartender’s choice bottle, assuring, “We will take care of you. Promise.” On Wednesdays, Temperance offers blind tastings for $35 from 4 pm to 6 pm.
Reservations can be made via Resy.
12. St Tropez West Village
304 West 4th Street, New York, NY 10014
An all-French wine bar with more than 40 by-the-glass wines on its menu, St Tropez West Village feels more like a first date spot for the couple that “just didn’t know where to go” than a true wine bar.
The wood-clad space won’t let you sit for a quick glass—both tables and stools come with the expectation that you’ll dine. Visitors suggest that the waitstaff is indifferent to providing recommendations and not exactly enthusiastic about sampling, yet the West Village wine bar remains popular. Early on Saturday night, it was already packed to the brim.
Glasses are more reasonably priced than at bars nearby and are broken out by type and region to help guide those in the know. Accompanying the French wine list is a full menu of French cuisine for both brunch and dinner.
The location is perhaps best for those looking for a fashionable spot with South of France fare and a solid wine menu that maybe isn’t the solo star of the show but is certainly far better than your average neighborhood bar. I can’t help but imagine this as a great spot to meet up with a good group of girlfriends.
St Tropez has an additional location in SoHo. Reservations can be made on Resy. Walk-ins are allowed, however will likely be met with a lengthy wait on the weekend.
West Village Wine Bars: FAQ
St. Tropez West Village, Amelie Wine Bar & Bistro, L’Accolade, Vin Sur Vingt, St. Jardim, Gottino Enoteca e Salumeria, and Sogno Toscano Market & Wine Bar are West Village wine bars with outdoor seating.
Temperance Wine Bar, Vin Sur Vingt, Amelie Wine Bar & Bistro, L’Accolade, Stafili Wine Cafe, and Lelabar are the best West Village wine bars with happy hour.
Looking for more to do in NYC? Discover the links below:
10 Innovative West Village Cocktail Bars You Won’t Be Able to Stop Thinking About
14 Incredible East Village Cocktail Bars (That Aren’t Grungy Dives)
8 Food Delivery Apps in NYC for When You Really Just Don’t Feel Like Going Out
The Totally Instagrammable Bakeries in SoHo You Need to Know
xx,
E
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