7 Essential Wine Shops in Manhattan

Walking into a wine shop can be intimidating—so many bottles, so little time. And when you’re rushing to grab something for a dinner party (or hey, a date with Westworld and your couch), you need a top-notch wine pro to help you sift through the seemingly endless options. That’s why we’ve gathered this list of the best wine shops in Manhattan. Not only are the selections on point but the staff really know how to pick ’em.

The mecca of wine and spirits in New York City, this massive store on Lafayette has just about everything that’s worthwhile in terms of wine (and, uh, spirits). You can search by region, but your best bet is to have the knowledgeable staff point you to something new, unexpected and within your budget. For a real wine geek-out, walk into the cold room where the shop stocks back vintages and hard-to-find wines, like vin jaune (yellow wine) from the Jura region in France. Interest piqued? Stop by for wine classes in the on-site classroom as well as regular free tastings from a counter in the store.

399 Lafayette St.; astorwines.com

This is the ultimate place to go when you’re looking for a bottle to pair with food—yes, that includes takeout. Rather than being organized by region, like most wine stores, the shop is arranged by what wines work with what types of food. On the website, categories such as seafood are broken down even further, so you can differentiate between fatty fish and shellfish. Our Netflix-and-Seamless nights just got so much classier.

5 W. 19th St.; bottlerocket.com

This spot specializes in Bordeaux futures (purchasing bottles before they come to the market) but that doesn’t mean it doesn't have a solid selection of drink-now labels from some pretty rad producers. Standouts include experimental Italian winemakers, grower Champagnes (the “small businesses” versus heritage house Champagnes like Veuve Clicquot), wine from all the famed regions (Burgundy, Rhône Valley, Piedmont, Tuscany, Mendoza, etc.) and everything you’d ever want to age in your imaginary cellar.

1355 Second Ave., millesima-usa.com

Step into this neighborhood gem and you’ll find exposed brick, warm wood tones and bins full of wines and spirits from the world’s best small producers. Wine snobs will want to purchase every bottle on the shelves, while those newer to the world of vino will receive an education in minutes from the staff. Whether you’re looking for something under $20 or a cult-favorite bottle stashed in the back (like, say, one of 500 different Burgundy selections), this shop just might just become your newest obsession.

929 Broadway, flatiron-wines.com

If naturally made wines are your thing, this is your spot. The cozy Tribeca shop specializes in organic, natural and biodynamic wines, and the knowledgeable team is prepped to give you thesis-level details on its producers. You can even filter the website results to find wines that are low in sulfites (the hangover-inducing preservatives added to most wines). While most of the bottlings here come from Europe (especially France, Germany and Austria), you’ll also find U.S. producers like Long Island’s Macari Vineyards. Local and natural FTW.

148 Chambers St.; chambersstwines.com

Three friends started this chic shop because of their shared love of wine and food. The store stocks the best of the world’s major wine regions, but it skews European in particular—as evidenced by its selection of Riesling (perfect for summer). To really impress your fancy friends, you can throw down for something from the Fine & Rare department—or just browse the excellent selection of bottles under $30.

153 E. 57th St.; crushwineco.com