Uptown, Baby: A Trip to Harlem Wine Room
Last Friday night, I hopped on the 1 train to Harlem to visit the newest edition on Broadway. Situated right next to its sister establishment Harlem Cigar Room, Harlem Wine Room is a cute and cozy bar with an emerging wine, beer, and cocktail list.
On any given summer night in the city, there’s never a shortage of places you can go and grab a drink after a long work day. My friend Rhanisha and I pulled up to Harlem Wine Room at 6 o’clock on the dot - with more than enough time to enjoy round or two during happy hour.
The bright aqua door surrounded by grape vines makes this place hard to miss, and welcoming at the same . Walking down the steps into the lounge is also reminiscent of entering a wine cellar with the rustic decor to match. We decided to sit at the bar, which ended up being the perfect decision because we would later have a front row seat to the live music that started at 8 PM. The bar staff was gracious enough to let us try as many of the wines as we wanted before ordering a glass of our choice. I’m never shy when it comes to taste testing because some wines hit better than others. ;-)
The wine menu is organized by whites and reds, with a short list of cocktails and beers on the opposite side. Immediately, I was drawn to the cava (because, I love bubbles) and wanted something to cleanse my palate before jumping into one of the many red wines on the list. After having the chance to taste almost all of them, I landed on a glass of the 2017 Epifanio - a full bodied Tempranillo from Spain that gave me everything I needed and more. Paired with the yummy charcuterie board of Parmesan, Swiss, thinly sliced meats and cheesy toasted baguettes, this wine was - in my opinion - the strongest on the menu that I had the opportunity to dry. What the Harlem Wine Room does is offer a range of different wines for diverse palates - but one thing I would like to see is them outlined a bit clearly. If you’re not familiar with how to read a wine list, you may not know what you’re looking for to satisfy your unique taste.
Carla G and her incredible guitarist!
After about an hour, we had a chance to meet the owner Felix who had popped over from the Cigar Room next door. to give a warm welcome to everyone who had gathered at the bar. Shortly after, the growing crow was serenaded by the sounds of Carla G - who is one of the many live musical acts that will be featured at Harlem Wine Room in the upcoming weeks.
Overall, the trip Uptown was worth it, and I’m excited to see how Harlem Wine Room will continue to grow and serve its community. If you find yourself in Harlem with an hour or two to spare, I would definitely suggest popping in to grab a glass of vino with friends or on a date night.
Cheers!
Harlem Wine Room is located at 3454 Broadway in Harlem, New York.
