a.kitchen+bar
Rittenhouse's serious wine room hiding in plain sight
Rittenhouse Square · Philadelphia · American, French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at a.kitchen+bar lands with weight — we're talking 400 to 600 selections in a room that looks like a polished brasserie, not a wine bunker. France, Italy, and California anchor the program, and Wine Spectator just handed them a Best of Award of Excellence, so expectations are set accordingly. This isn't a list you flip through in 30 seconds.
Selection Deep Dive
The French spine is the main event here — Burgundy and Rhône are both well-represented, with names like Guigal and Chapoutier anchoring the Rhône side and the kind of Burgundy depth that makes you wish you'd skipped the appetizer budget. Italy holds its own with serious Piedmont presence — Gaja and Giacomo Conterno showing up means someone in this building genuinely cares about Barolo and Barbaresco. California Cabernet rounds out the power trio, leaning Napa, as you'd expect at this price tier. If there's a gap, it's outside the big three — don't come here hunting for Jura or Georgia (the country, not the state).
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is a generous program, running $12 to $25 — not cheap, but appropriate for the neighborhood and the caliber of the list behind it. The glass program reflects the bottle list's priorities: expect French and Italian representation to dominate. Rotation details are thin from the outside, but with two sommeliers running the floor, the pours are in capable hands.
Chapoutier, Rhône Valley — $45-$65 (bottle estimate)
Chapoutier consistently overdelivers at their entry price points — approachable, expressive Rhône at a tier where the markup hurts less than it does on the Burgundy side of the list.
Billecart-Salmon Champagne
Most tables go straight for the food-friendly reds, but Billecart-Salmon is one of the most consistently elegant Champagne houses on the market — and it plays exceptionally well across an entire meal if you're willing to commit to the bottle.
Krug Champagne
Krug is spectacular and we'll never argue otherwise — but at a restaurant markup on an already-premium bottle, you're deep into diminishing returns territory. Save the Krug for a retailer purchase and redirect that budget toward a bottle of Gaja.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo + Duck or braised red meat entrée
Conterno Barolo is built for the table — the tannin structure and acidity were made to cut through rich, fatty proteins. At a French-American brasserie leaning toward refined meat cookery, this is the bottle you open when the occasion warrants it.
🔥 The Bottom Line
a.kitchen+bar is the real deal — a deep, well-curated list run by sommeliers who actually know what's on it, earning that Wine Spectator badge honestly. The markups sting on the high end, but the depth and staff knowledge make this one of Philadelphia's best rooms to drink serious wine.
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