The NYC Wine Hit List, Fall 2025 Edition: Saint Urban, Ops East Village, and More

There’s so much to say about Popina, from its signature hot chicken Milanese to its impeccably curated wine list and expansive backyard. However, the real star is, well, the star himself — James O’Brien, culinary student turned Union Square Hospitality Group (Gramercy Tavern, Union Square Cafe, etc.) alum turned Brooklyn restaurateur. O’Brien flawlessly nails classic old-school hospitality, a seemingly fleeting aspect of much Brooklyn dining these days. Popina is also home to one of the most rewarding happy hours in town, featuring $15 pastas and $10 rotating by-the-glass pours. If bottles are more your thing, you might turn to the 2021 Ioppa ‘Rusin’ Rosato ($56) from Piedmont, both an indicator of O’Brien’s love of the nebbiolo grape, and proof that a bit of age on rosé can defy common beliefs. Its zesty aspects harmonize with the hot chicken. But Popina also has deep cuts of Burgundy, as with the 2020 Domaine de Cassiopée Aligoté En Gerlieus ($85), which highlights O’Brien’s talents in finding great quality in France, here in a bottle from the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, where Hugo Mathurin and Talloulah Dubourg are proving the capability of this ‘secondary’ Burgundian white variety.

Translating to “village” from Italian, Borgo marks the first Manhattan-based venture from Brooklyn restaurateur Andrew Tarlow, the face behind Diner, She Wolf, and other highly regarded Kings County establishments. Decked out with old-school martini carts and a wood-fired oven, the space also features a smaller yet impeccably curated wine list, dominated by low-intervention wines from France, Portugal, Spain, and Italy. What you need to know is this: The wine program is run by Lee Campbell, who for some two decades has been a treasure in New York’s wine scene. In addition to the bottle list, Campbell has also built a rotating selection of 15 wines by the glass at all times; current highlights include Catherine and Pierre Breton’s La Dilettante, a non-vintage brut from Vouvray, as well as a varietal nero d’Avola from Sicily-based La Robbe, Aschero’s Vermentino from the Ligurian riviera, and more. But also, stay for the pastas, wood-fired vegetables, and desserts — wood-oven roasted cherries with vanilla bean ice cream, anyone?

While neighborhood wine bars have been popping up for well over a decade in Williamsburg, few have garnered as much industry attention as With Others. Spearheaded by Shanna Nasiri, who left her pre-pandemic tech job to pursue her passion for wine, its compact list highlights natural minded producers, mostly in France, Italy, and the United States, who focus on indigenous varieties. In addition to rotating by-the-glass options, Nasiri also keeps things (figuratively) spicy in the kitchen by welcoming local chefs for mini residencies. That limits the menu offerings, though the mentality is quality over quantity; a recent jaunt presented confit sunchokes and gigante beans prepared with caramelized squash, garlic confit, and bread crumbs, which paired with a salty, Sicilian white blend from Barraco ($17/glass). You also might delight in the 2023 Domaine de la Taille aux Loups ‘Montlouis Remus,’ ($88), a prime example from the Blot family of how Loire chenin has become a new icon, in this case from 50- to 80-year-old vines. If you’re more into red, the 2022 Gemma Miró Garnatxa Les Agulles ($94) from Catalonia underscores why Miró should be a household name — at least in households that dig unsulfured garnatxa.

It would be hard to top the wine selections at the original Bushwick Ops, but Mike Fadem and Marie Tribouilloy just might have accomplished that with the roster at the newly opened East Village location. In addition to an updated pizza situation, with new tavern-style pies (the Hawaiian is excellent, and no, we won’t abide your anti-pineapple stance), the wine program manages to be both more approachable and more edgy than in Bushwick, just the right stance for the East Village in 2025. You can start with Champagnes from Vouette & Sorbée, Salima and Alain Cordeuil or Georges Laval, move on to modish whites from Jean-Marc Dreyer, Domaine Valette, and New York’s Barbichette, and dive deep on modern classic rosé and reds from Yvon Métras or Christian Tschida, or new discoveries like Château La Peyruche in Bordeaux. If any of those names sound familiar, that’s because you’re probably plugged into the current stars of the natural wine realm, and realize that Team Ops has compiled an absolute powerhouse of the wine avant-garde.

So let’s get the big thing out of the way: No, you cannot get Jonathan Waxman’s iconic roast chicken at his new wine bar, next door to Barbuto. (You can get a standout chicken Milanese, however.) But many other highlights of Waxman’s repertoire are on offer, including meatballs, heady pastas, and pizzette, namely a lobster pizzette that’s the quintessence of shore-adjacent summer on a pie. And let’s face it: His food has always been supremely wine-friendly (although there’s an excellent martini here, as at Barbuto) which makes a wine-bar format a perfect extension. The copper bar feels like it’s been there since time immemorial, the 500-selection wine list shows curiosity without feeling philosophically strident (yes, there’s natural wine; no, you won’t know which it is), with picks like the Turley White Zinfandel (a fully dry rosé from one of the top names in California) and a Romain Chamiot Apremont from the Savoie that’s a perfect pasta wine. This is a wine bar conceived and run by grownups, which makes it a delightful addition to New York’s often attitude-driven wine bar roster.

Can’t make it to Paris for an early evening glass en terrasse this summer? L’Apéro promises a satisfying alternative. Founded by the folks behind L’Appartement 4F, this Brooklyn Heights-based wine bar highlights French-inspired light bites and an eclectic selection of naturally-minded wines, all set in the same space that houses L’Appartement’s daytime bakery. With just 25 seats, the vibe is cozy, reminiscent of the many hole-in-the-wall natural wine bars that make up Paris’ eclectic bar à vin scene. The bar’s low-intervention list rotates regularly, and unsurprisingly, leans French in its selections, as with Les Vins Pirouettes’ Orange Cubique Pierre, the latest skin-contact effort from that poppy Alsatian label; but not entirely, as with the Barbichette Cache Cache, an eminently drinkable cabernet from New York’s Finger Lakes. Best of all, guests will enjoy fresh, slowly fermented sourdough bread prepared at the bakery daily, along with a selection of local cheeses, housemade jams, and a selection of French-inspired pastries and desserts.

This Dimes Square-adjacent sake bar is the work of three alumni of Decibel, the city’s original sake bar (which remains on point and popular after 30 years). Yuri Itakura, Shintaro Cho, and Arianna Cho came together to bring perhaps a more low-key and food-forward approach to sake, and one that makes it a perfect place for the sake-curious to discover what they like. The intended ethos taps into Yuri and Cho’s upbringing in late-’80s Japan, but the design is very 2020’s slimmed-down. Food is similarly low key: karaage (of course), udon with mentaiko-spiked mayo, a pork shabu-shabu, oden in the winter. But Asoko’s superpower is the constant presence of its owners tableside, pouring tastes of what excites them. You can’t go wrong with classics here, like a Midorikawa Junmai ($75), but the less expected cuts are where the excitement lies, as with a Daishichi Honjozo Kimoto ($65) that applies old-fashioned brewing techniques to the fortified honjozo style, often considered of lower quality but in this case wonderfully lifted and savory.

The Tavern somehow remains one of New York’s best-kept wine secrets, perhaps because Red Hook remains a relative transit desert. Those willing to make the trek aren’t complaining, because the list here is a wonder, deep on what amounts to big names for the well informed about postmodern France and beyond: Domaine du Collier, Champagne Marguet, Jean-Louis Dutraive, Meinklang; as well as more staid classics (Volnay’s D’Angerville family, the Rhône’s Domaine Jamet). Thank the omnivorous thirst of owner Billy Durney, whose interest in wine now parallels his expertise in barbecue (Hometown BBQ). If being a tavern diner means you can drink Domaine de la Romanée Conti — or, more a bottle of Pierre Guillemot’s Savigny-lès-Beaune ($124), if you feel like preserving some of your retirement savings — with with burgers and a standout shrimp cocktail, well, we’re very here for it.

From the start, this pitch-perfect Carroll Gardens neobistro has had a wine list to match its quiet tweaking of French classics. (Its leeks vinaigrette remains one to beat.) Wine here is guided by Nick Ferrante, an alum of Paul Grieco’s Terroir, who’s an omnivore when it comes to styles and trends. A lightly chilled red like La Porte Saint-Jean Biturica ($74) from the Loire can inhabit space right next to La Staffa Verdicchio ($64) from Italy’s Marche. There’s no shortage of notable names (Antoine Arena, Envinate) but also more than a few surprises. Notably absent? Any sense of dogma. This is a contemporary list from a team that clearly loves wines across the spectrum, to match an exceptional menu, all of which makes it one of our favorite modern French bistros in New York.

It’s heartening to think that, as with The Four Horsemen, Noreetuh is now a decade old — in part because Jin Ahn’s neo-Hawaiian bistro can be easy to miss along the thrum of First Avenue, but also because the very concept was never on anyone’s next-big-thing lists. Managing partner Ahn, a Per Se alum, has not only persevered, but also continued to build one of the city’s most charming wine lists. Aged riesling is often considered the focus, but scratch a bit more and you’ll find Ahn’s fondness for classic Burgundy, modern German wines like Wasenhaus, and especially well-priced older Bordeaux. If Bordeaux isn’t exactly fashionable right now, Noreetuh’s picks are less a matter of trophy hunting than a chance to be reminded why the region’s wines have generations of fans. In other words, a bottle like the 1994 Château Lascombes ($185) is a thing you can indulge here — or you can go more chill with a weeknight gem like the Burlotto Barbera d’Alba ($69).

Tucked in the space of former wine powerhouse Veritas, this brings a new kind of tasting menu experience to Flatiron. The restaurant itself was initially conceptualized in Syracuse by chef and owner Jared Ian Stafford-Hill, and like its predecessor, Saint Urban’s wine picks hold equal weight with what’s on the plate. In addition to an award-winning bottle list, there’s also a tiered pairing structure, which highlights producers and vintages in conjunction with each month’s theme. (Past themes have included Tuscany, Northern Rhône, and the South of France.)  Current highlights from the 120-page list include verticals from ​​Agrapart & Fils, R. Lopez de Heredia, and Cappellano, as well as back-vintage bottles from Simon Bize, Giacomo Conterno, and more. The full circle moment? Stafford-Hill worked as a server at Veritas early in his career, making his return to this address even more serendipitous.

The evolution of the wine bar hit its peak in 2025, and the team behind Sixty Three Clinton nails it perfectly at Cactus Wren. Offering a more laid-back ambiance, Samuel Clonts and Raymond Trinh have created a space where indulgent yet creative plates are anything but ordinary, in a jazzy wine-bar format. The kitchen presents a bit of everything — lobster pot pie, Thai-style chicken wings, seven-layer dip served with flour tortillas — with both high-quality ingredients and a sense of approachability. If Sixty Three Clinton highlights the usual wine suspects from Champagne and Burgundy, the lineup here more eclectic, with picks from young, up-and-coming producers, particularly from South Africa, Portugal, Australia, and the West Coast. That said, the list remains serious and discerning, without ever veering too far into hipster-land. Head bartender Nemanya Popovich has also created a lineup of easy-drinking cocktails that pair perfectly with the menu; the Penicillin-inspired Smoke Stack remains a Resy team favorite.

Books or wine — why choose? Lovers of both can simultaneously indulge their yen, all in the comfort of a dimly lit, library-inspired space. Tucked away on Mercer Street, this daytime café turned wine bar by night is a sanctuary amongst the commercial-heavy stretches of SoHo, perfect for those looking for a place to enjoy a quiet glass or bottle. Bibliotheque was founded by author A.J. Iacono, with the beverage program overseen by passionate sommelier (and bibliophile) Scott Woltz, formerly of Eleven Madison Park, La Sirena, and Tom Colicchio’s restaurants. By day, Bibliotheque serves up brews and bites sourced from Onyx Coffee and Bien Cuit, respectively. Its wine list spans nearly 3,000 bottles, and is organized to reflect various literary genres — think classics, romance, and beyond. It includes plenty of selections under $100, including Beaujolais from Anne-Sophie Dubois, nero d’Avola rosé from Martha Stoumen, and dry riesling from the Rheingau’s Eva Fricke, but you can also go big with bottles from Domaine de Trévallon and Vega Sicilia. Food leans apéro inspired, with an emphasis on tinned fish, cheese and charcuterie boards, and housemade sandwiches. Bibliotheque also hosts a number of events each month, including author readings, wine classes and movie nights.

While Peasant always has us coming back for more, there’s something extra special about popping into the rustic, brick-walled space during the fall. Is it the smell wafting from the wood-fired hearth? Or maybe it’s the simple but perfectly classic Italian dishes, and the impeccably curated, accessible wine list. While the kitchen is overseen by chef Marc Forgione, that list is carefully maintained by Michael Laudenslager, who formerly oversaw the beverage programs at Quality Branded and JW Marriott Essex House. True to the restaurant’s roots, Laudenslager keeps the list — which hovers around 150 selections — all-Italian, with a focus on deep cuts. Classic Italian enthusiasts will enjoy selections from Montenidoli (Tuscany), Colombera & Garella (Piedmont), and I Custodi (Sicily), while those looking to venture off the beaten path can explore varieties like cesanese from Alberto Giacobbe in Lazio, vitovska from Kante in Friuli, and petite arvine from Elio Ottin in Valle d’Aosta. Our advice? Come open minded and let Laudenslager lead the way.

We continue to sing the praises of the selections at this Williamsburg bar precisely because it’s known for so many things that aren’t wine. (See: absinthe, cocktails.) Rarely do you find such an eminently drinkable list of mostly forward-thinking French producers. There is of course plenty of Muscadet — try the various crus of Fay d’Homme — and Champagne because oysters are key to the experience here. But there’s a also great focused roster of reds, too — especially from Beaujolais and southern France. You might look for the reds of Raphaëlle Guyot, from very northwestern Burgundy, or to heady bottles like Château Falfas ($75) from Bordeaux or Nicolas Carmarans’ Mauvais Temps ($80), from high in the Massif Central, with brandade or a bavette steak.