Vinateria
Harlem's best-kept Old World secret
Harlem · New York · Italian, Spanish · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 20, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You're on Frederick Douglass Boulevard, not in some tucked-away West Village wine bar, and yet the list that lands on your table punches well above its neighborhood expectations. Italy and Spain are front and center — Barolo, Brunello, Rioja — and it feels curated rather than assembled. This is clearly a place that takes wine seriously, even if it doesn't advertise the fact loudly.
Selection Deep Dive
The 150-200 bottle list zeroes in on Italy and Spain with real conviction — Piedmont and Tuscany anchor the Italian side, with Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino making appearances that justify the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence the restaurant has held since 2017. Spain doesn't get shortchanged either: Rioja Reserva and Gran Reserva plus Priorat producers give the Iberian section some genuine teeth. There's a smart lean toward Southern Italian whites — Vermentino and Greco di Tufo — that suits the food better than a Chardonnay-heavy list ever would. France shows up through Languedoc-Roussillon, which is a savvy choice: serious wine at prices that don't require a second mortgage.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty options by the glass is genuinely generous for a neighborhood restaurant of this size — you can actually explore here rather than resign yourself to the house red. The inclusion of Sicilian natural wines by the glass is where things get interesting and where Vinateria earns its Wild Card status. Glass pours run $12–$18, which is honest money for this quality level in New York.
Vermentino — $12-$14
Sardinian or Tuscan Vermentino by the glass is the smart opening move here — crisp, savory, food-friendly, and priced where a second pour doesn't feel reckless. Exactly the kind of white that makes the burrata sing.
Languedoc-Roussillon selections
Most tables are eyeing the Barolo and Brunello — understandably — but the Languedoc-Roussillon bottles are where the value hides. Southern French wine from this region delivers Rhône-adjacent complexity at a fraction of the prestige-label price, and Vinateria's picks here reward the curious.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The Gran Reserva is tempting on paper, but at this price tier you're likely paying for the category name more than a specific producer that justifies the premium. Go Gran Reserva at a place with a dedicated Spanish specialist; here, the Reserva tier gets you nearly as far for less.
Greco di Tufo + Burrata
Greco di Tufo's natural bitterness and mineral edge cut right through the fat of fresh burrata without overwhelming it — it's a classic Campanian instinct, and Vinateria's menu is practically built for this move.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Vinateria is the kind of wine-forward neighborhood restaurant that Harlem deserves and visitors routinely overlook — an Old World-focused list with real range, fair prices, and enough by-the-glass surprises to reward curiosity. Send your friends here, and tell them to skip the house red and ask about the Sicilian naturals.
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