Best NYC Wine Shops According to Wine Pros
Leon & Son Wine, NYC
What makes an excellent wine retail shop? What doesn’t? As one of the United States’ largest wine markets, New York City has thousands of retail wine shops, each with a surplus of bottles to choose from. There’s something for everyone and every occasion - and that’s a good thing. However, filtering through unfamiliar label terms, endless shelves and styles, deciphering tastes from color, and equating value with price can be daunting for everyday consumers. So we asked the professionals for guidance.
As consumers themselves, several professionals across the city’s wine industry were asked about their favorite brick-and-mortar shops in New York - what they look for in a wine, what makes a great shopping experience, and which wines they’d love to see people drink more of.
Susan Ellis, general manager of a wine shop in Manhattan, says consumers are attracted to stores with “easy layouts and well-curated selections” and “friendly, knowledgeable staff.” Responses leaned heavily on the idea of hospitality because “hospitality is often lacking in retail,” says Simon Garron-Caine, Director of Market Development for De Maison East. Referring to some of our picks below, Garron-Caine says “...these are all shops that you will be greeted with a pleasant salesperson who is knowledgeable about what's on the shelf,” and explains that going above and beyond to invest in a consumer base via wine clubs, classes, and producer meet-and-greets helps shops succeed and establish a sense of community.
In addition to the hospitality drought in some stores, what makes a store not-so-great when it comes to what they sell? Our professionals' consensus: Monopolizing consumer choice with out-of-touch, mass-produced brands devoid of personality. Ouch.
The list below is not exhaustive and in no particular order (as always), as New York City and its five boroughs have many different outstanding shops to discover - and some to avoid.
Flatiron Wines & Spirits, Union Square
873 Broadway, Manhattan
Flatiron Wines & Spirits near Union Square
Out of the ten wine professionals surveyed, all mentioned Flatiron Wine & Spirits in some capacity. One step inside, you’ll understand why. It’s laid out as the most fabulous and convivial wine library you’ve ever seen, complete with a Beauty-and-the-Beast-esque rolling ladder. No acrobatics, please. Almost any bottle you’ve ever dreamed of could be found here. Yes, even a Chardonnay from China. Centered between the Flatiron Building on 23rd and Union Square at 16th, Flatiron Wines has been a hallmark for great wine since 2012, winning numerous awards. Success has allowed the shop to become bicoastal, opening Flatiron Wines San Francisco in 2016. In addition to wine, thoughtfully sourced premium sake, cider, and spirits are also offered. The shop offers amazing gift ideas, master classes, and delivery - local and nationwide! Who says you can’t have it all?
Wines to Try
2022 Palafox ‘Pionero’ Blanco, Valle de Guadalupe, México
Libby Winters, a sommelier at The Grill steakhouse in Midtown, recommends this gorgeous Mexican chenin blanc, adding, “[I] would love to see more Mexican wines on the market and being enjoyed by consumers.” It’s layered with minerality and stone fruit goodness, making it reminiscent of the great chenins of the Loire.
2025 Barbichette ‘Pompette’ Rosé, Seneca Lake, New York
Is it a deep rosé or a light red? You pick. Either way, serve this 100% pinot noir juicy juice from New York State with a slight chill.
Leon & Son Wine, Clinton Hill
Leon & Son Wine in Clinton Hill
995 Fulton Street, Brooklyn
“I love Leon & Son, as Chris and his team are absolute masters of hospitality,” says Vicki Denig, an NYC-based wine and travel journalist. Located on a homier stretch of Fulton Street and a 20-minute walk from Brooklyn Botanical Garden, you already feel you’re in the right place for excellent wine - whether a rare bottling (part of Leon’s newest venture, their inclusive auction house ) or something that’s interesting and of good value. The wooden grid of shelves is stocked magnificently, each glance making you salivate more than the last. You indeed feel heard and understood by the staff - and not in that Judgey McJudgerson way. The store has thoughtfully invested in its consumer base, offering classes which are a blend of science-y classes such as “Back to Basics: Fermentation” and tasting classes like “Icons Only: Nebbiolo” and everything in between. Another way to let the professionals do their thing is “Leon’s Circle” wine club, which Denig says is “killer” and the store self-describes as “giving you the tools to be a more savvy wine drinker.” There’s that hospitality thing again.
Wines to Try
2016 E. Guigal Ermitage ‘Ex Voto’ Blanc, Rhône Valley, France
Every somm has one bottle that inspired and propelled them further into their studies. For New York somm Alessandro Milio, it was the 2017 vintage of this wine. “The Northern Rhône Valley whites will always have my heart,” he says. Made only in the best years from old-vine marsanne and roussanne, this white is structured, toasty, and floral, with a brisk and honeyed finish.
2021 Place of Changing Winds ‘Grower Series - Heathcote,’ Mount Camel Range, Australia
Milio also recommends this cool-climate syrah made from 20-year-old vines; it features purple flowers, fierce blue-black fruit, and acidity that makes it light on its feet.
Cool Wine & Spirits, SoHo
375B Canal Street, Manhattan
Cool Wine & Spirits in SoHo
What makes a wine “cool”? A great label? A baddie winemaker? An off-the-beaten-path variety or region? A story to connect to? It’s all of these, but a great, eye-catching label is what draws consumers in, and the rest comes later. “I love a sexy label. The label tells you if it's traditional or new wave. I think it can also give you insight into the winemaker's aesthetic, which will probably come across in the wine,” says Libby Winters, a sommelier at New York City award-winning DRC haven, The Grill. Just off Canal Street on the corner of West Broadway is Cool Wines & Spirits, a shop where enticing bottle labels have lined its shelves since 2020. It’s a shop for the somms, wannabes, and those who like to discover and just drink “cool” wine! Here you can grab something classic and compelling (Barolo, Châteauneuf-du-Pape), a fun dry Tokaji to force on your weekly book club, or a cold bottle of grower Champagne (or other amazing sparklings!) to bring to one of nearby Chinatown's many BYOB restaurants such as Peking Duck House or the very famous Wu’s Wonton.
Wines to Try
2025 Ca’n Verdura ‘Supernova’ Blanc, Mallorca, Spain
Easy, breezy island wines like this one made from the Mallorcan grape moll “punch above their weight, offering serious structure, flavor, and great winemaking for a fraction of some of the industry’s more ‘popular’ regions,” Denig says.
2025 Weingut Schlossmülenhof ‘Pinke Pinke’ Landwein Rosé, Rheinhessen, Germany
A fun, splashy label with hot-pink juice inside! A German field blend of fascinating grapes, this accessible and easygoing wine is a crowd-pleaser, boasting a familiar, refreshing goodness from an unlikely rosé region.
Amsterdam Wine Co., Upper West Side
Amsterdam Wine Co. on the Upper West Side
271 Amsterdam Avenue, Manhattan
There is certainly no shortage of great places to drink wine on the Upper West Side, as we discovered in our last vino-venture. Between West 72nd and West 73rd, on Amsterdam Avenue, of course, is Amsterdam Wine Co., a quaint mom-and-pop-esque neighborhood wine shop. Tatum Chidlaw, a sommelier at Coqodaq, is drawn to wines from Oregon’s Willamette Valley and “anything from Central Otago, New Zealand” and expresses that Amsterdam is a favorite because of the “fantastic selection of small production wines, ranging from natural wines to biodynamic to classic producers.” The shelves are indeed lined with everything from DRC and rare South African bottlings to value Croatian wines under $25, among others. Chidlaw also ensures that the prices are very fair (they are), and the store offers a great sense of community - with in-store tastings every so often that include importer portfolio tastings as well as regional tastings. Spirits, aperitifs, and ready-to-drink options are also at your fingertips, in addition to a monthly wine club subscription that offers perks and discounts. Delivery options are available throughout Manhattan - and orders can even be placed on their very own smartphone app!
Wines to Try
2020 Smith & Sheth ‘Cru’ Chardonnay, Heretaunga, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
A scrump-diddly-uptious white wine from New Zealand that isn’t Sauvignon Blanc! A pristine Chablis-like chardonnay from Heretaunga, a small subregion of Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island.
2023 Bow & Arrow ‘Time Machine’ Red, Willamette Valley, Oregon
How about a melange of Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Cabernet Franc? This riveting rouge is spicy, with crisp minerality and buoyant red fruit. Great with a slight chill for those late summer cookouts.
Dandelion Wines, Greenpoint
153 Franklin Street, Brooklyn
Dandelion Wines in Greenpoint
Located in Brooklyn’s northernmost neighborhood, Dandelion Wines has been surprising and delighting since 2008 with its nuanced collection. The store has welcoming, chill vibes, as one would expect in Brooklyn, with a thoughtful and dazzling variety of everything from unique to classic wines, even sake and cider!
Charlotte Mirzoeff, Wine Director at neighboring restaurant Arthur, says the store is one of her favorites, and for someone whose go-to is “any coastal Italian region”, Dandelion delivers that and more. From Oregon to orange, Slovenia to Sonoma, grab-and-go chilled whites to “fancy” wines, Mirzoeff applauds the “fun selections that are always changing” and the “enthusiastic” staff. The store offers merch and convenient online ordering through their website. One thing Mirzoeff hopes for is that consumers will explore more of the many lesser-known Italian sparklers that line retail shelves - and Dandelion is the perfect place to start.
Wines to Try
NV Grosjean ‘Montmary’ Metodo Classico Extra Brut Rosé, Valle d’Aosta, Italy
This classic blend of chardonnay and pinot noir à la Champagne comes from Italy’s smallest (and coldest) geographical wine region — way up in the northwest corner of the boot. It has a low dosage and brisk, bubbly red fruit — think raspberry and strawberry — with a long, pleasurable finish.
2025 I Pastini ‘Antico’ Locorotondo Bianco, Puglia, Italy
This should be your new warm weather go-to. A salty and lemony white made from all Puglian grapes you’ve probably never heard of - Verdeca, Minutolo, and Bianco d’Alessesandro. A refreshing Southern Italian white that overdelivers for the price - stock up now!
Honorable Mentions
Table Wine, Jackson Heights
79-14 37th Avenue, Queens
Tucked away in food-centric Jackson Heights, this quaint retail shop offers an interesting selection, including Eastern European wines.
Waterbury Wine & Spirits, Williamsburg
53 Waterbury Street, Brooklyn
Located in East Williamsburg, this cool kid wine shop features an array of natural and off-the-grid wines and grab-and-go cocktails. All with sleek design and a classic record player pumping out groovy tunes.