When you think of wine, “casual,” “inexpensive,” and “simple” are probably not words that come to mind. But those are exactly the characteristics that’ve made wine bars so popular in recent years.
Obviously, the concept of a wine bar isn’t new, but many of these budding ones are far from traditional.
- NYC’s Sauced is a lively, menu-free spot with graffiti-covered walls that serves a handful of natural wines.
- Flawd, in the UK, is a laidback neighborhood joint that pairs elevated small plates with ~100 sustainable wines.
But why, when many restaurants and bars are suffering from dwindling sales or closing altogether, are these “barstaurant” hybrids proliferating across cities like NYC and London?
One reason, according to Bloomberg, is that they’re “rising to meet our economic moment.”
What does that mean?
Compared to restaurants, which have been crippled by rising labor and food costs, wine bars are usually less expensive to run, since they tend to:
- Be small in size, requiring less staff and making them easier to operate in cities with limited real estate.
- Offer leaner food menus and small portions, meaning lower food overhead costs and less waste.
- Require less labor, given pouring wine doesn’t take as much time as, say, making a cocktail, and there are fewer dishes to clean.
- Foster a casual atmosphere, so the expectation for service is lower.
Opening Flawd, co-owner Richard Cossins told Bloomberg, cost ~$100k, whereas a restaurant would’ve cost “maybe five times.”
A fine blend of factors
Beyond their economic viability, wine bars are also meeting our social moment.
They offer the many of us who are starved of in-person connection the opportunity to socialize in intimate settings, without the expectation of getting hammered like you might at a regular bar — which makes it just right for today’s generations, who are pulling back on drinking.
Plus, consumers are increasingly craving comfort and convenience over the formality of a restaurant, where you might spend hundreds of dollars on a multicourse meal with a two-hour time limit.
Wine bars, in contrast, present a more flexible experience — they’re typically walk-in friendly, and whether it be a quick bite with friends, or an impromptu, hourslong party, the adventure is yours for the making.
