13 Celsius

One of the best of a new crop of wine bars around town that includes Max's Wine Dive and So Vino, this place has the best name of the bunch (13 Celsius being the ideal temperature for wine storage), as well as an attractive urban edge. It occupies a former laundry in Midtown, with walls, floors, and ceilings that have been stripped down to their concrete, brick, and steel underlays to interesting effect. Though the place is sometimes quietly mobbed by after-work and late-night crowds, the bartenders still patiently and intelligently guide you through long wine lists, from bubbles (Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, Brut ler Cuvee Reserve, a sparkling Shiraz from California) and their "Light and Lean" whites (Italian Sauvignon Blancs, a crisp Riesling from Washington State) to "Heavy-Handed Brawlers" (West Cape Howe Shiraz, Clayhouse Vineyards Zinfandel). There's also an impressive selection of sherry and port, and the charcuterie samplings are numerous, meaty, and rich, from rosemary ham to bresaola.

Tip: Beer drinkers can also indulge here with 18 bottled selections, all from American and foreign microbreweries.