It should come as no surprise that fashion capitals of the world—London, Milan, New York City, Paris and Tokyo—also house some of the world’s best bars and restaurants. If you’re looking to refuel between shopping trips, here are some top spots in each fashion-forward city.
New York City
Benoit
A short stroll from Manhattan’s famous shopping stretch, Fifth Avenue, Alain Ducasse’s Benoit boasts a wine bar that combines Old World, Parisian charm with New York modernity. The expansive wine list includes famous French finds but also demonstrates a commitment to American regions, including selections from East Coast producers.
Racines NY
Studded with fashionable boutiques and dining destinations, Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood has become a playground for models, actors and designers. At Racines NY, the wine list favors small-estate and biodynamic producers, overseen by Arnaud Tronche, co-owner and beverage director.
Racines is just blocks from the Westfield World Trade Center, a recently opened shopping center, packed with stores like Kate Spade New York and John Varvatos.
The Iroquois Hotel
Centrally located in Midtown Manhattan, around the corner from the original site of New York Fashion Week at Bryant Park, The Iroquois Hotel is still a darling among designers. Once home to James Dean, this European-inspired hotel has been a part of the fabric of New York City for over 100 years.
There are two options for post-shopping refreshment—the elegant restaurant Triomphe, and cocktail bar Lantern’s Keep. Triomphe’s extensive wine list includes more than 20 choices by the glass, a menu of Coravin selections, along with a solid lineup of half-bottles from both the Old and New World.
River Coyote
With a selection of single-origin coffee for sale, along with beer, wine, and kombucha on draft, the ambiance at the newly opened River Coyote is modern and stylish.
Located on the Lower East Side and surrounded by the vintage and contemporary clothing stores of Ludlow Avenue, this coffee-shop-meets-wine-bar makes a great post-shopping pit stop.
London
The Champagne Room
This gem in London’s Mayfair Village is set behind elaborate drapery down a quiet corridor of historic hotel The Connaught, and it might be the city’s best-kept secret for Champagne fans. Drink from crystal Baccarat glasses and peruse a wine list including rare vintages like a 1914 Pol Roger.
Eneko at One Aldwych
Spanish wine fans shouldn’t miss Eneko, a Basque-influenced restaurant and wine bar helmed by Michelin-starred chef Eneko Atxa. Convenient to the new home of London Fashion Week, The Store Studios, and near the outposts of Chanel, Dior and Burberry in London’s Covent Garden, Eneko delivers an all-Spanish wine list with more than 30 by-the-glass options.
The Winemakers Club
You’ll feel like a wine insider at this atmospheric retail shop/bar nestled inside the brick-lined vault of the Holborn Viaduct. Visitors will discover an emphasis on biodynamic and organic bottlings from diverse locations that include Slovenia and Hungary. Along with cheese and charcuterie plates, there are 10 to 15 wines offered by the glass, and selections change nightly.
Dukes Bar at the Dukes Hotel
Dukes was a favorite watering hole of writer Ian Fleming, whom the hotel claims coined his famous “shaken, not stirred” catchphrase while sipping martinis there. Located in the fashionable St. James’s district, where travelers can find historic tailor shops and luxury boutiques, the iconic bar is best known for its martinis, though there is no shortage of wine. Perrier-Jouët fans can visit the hotel’s pastel-hued Champagne Lounge for glasses of the brand’s bubbly or cocktails.
Noble Rot
Noble Rot is the brainchild of Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew. Their offbeat Noble Rot Magazine has become a must-read for the city’s wine professionals, and the eponymous bar has turned into one of London’s most talked about wine destinations. This wine bar and restaurant is located in a townhouse on Lamb’s Conduit Street, a hub of clothing shops that include Oliver Spencer, Folk and Connock & Lockie. Wine devotees can try 600 selections that include bottles from the Jura, northern Italy, grower Champagnes, English sparklers and pretty much whatever else you can think of.
Paris
La Pagode de Cos
You won’t regret splurging on dinner and wine pairings at the sumptuous La Pagode de Cos, located in the La Réserve Paris Hotel and Spa in the 8th arrondissement. On the first Thursday of each month, a winemaker educates guests about their brand’s wines, and a four-course tasting menu is developed by the Michelin-starred Jérôme Banctel, the executive chef, to suit the pours.
Etna
There is no menu at this natural wine bar in Paris’s 6th arrondissement— interaction with your server is part of the experience here. Etna only serves wine made from organic grapes, with more than 300 selections available year-round. Make sure to stop by while taking in the neighborhood’s numerous interior design shops and couture houses, like Christian Lacroix and Yves Saint Laurent.
Espace Nicolas Feuillatte
Espace Nicolas Feuillatte fits in perfectly with the high-end stores that line the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. French industrial designer Christian Ghion, who has worked with brands like Lanvin, Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior, conceptualized the space. Wine fans can take a break from the famous flagship shops found along the Champs-Élysées and sample wines from the brand’s portfolio.
Le Restaurant
Le Restaurant at Hotel L’Hotel presents high-end dining experiences amongst the art galleries and boutiques of the Left Bank. The dining room reflects the dramatically atmospheric style of architect and interior designer Jacques Garcia. Dinner can be ordered à la carte, or a five-course tasting menu by Julien Montbabut, the head chef, alongside three sommelier-chosen wines can be yours for €155.
Milan
Signorvino
With breathtaking views of the Duomo, Signorvino is an expansive wine store and bar that’s easy on the wallet—a bonus if you plan to stuff your suitcase with Italian-made accessories from nearby stores. Guests can find bottles from an array of Italy’s top wine regions, and start at just €11.
Liquidambar Lounge Bar
Inside a former perfume factory in the midst of Milan’s design district lives the Hotel Magna Pars Suites Milano, where guests can find a secret door within that leads to Liquidam Lounge Bar. Enjoy an aperitivo or glass of Italian wine at the white onyx bar, before wandering down nearby Via Tortona to explore the some of the city’s edgiest ateliers and fashion-forward boutiques.
Vinodromo
This romantic bistro makes an excellent spot for a relaxed, wine-fueled meal near Porta Romana, with a list that focuses on organic and biodynamic producers. The eatery offers 30 wines by the glass as well as 550 bottles, primarily from Italian, French and Spanish producers. Diners can order plates of meats and cheeses to pair with their bottles, or spring for simple, fresh pastas and soups.
N’Ombra de Vin
This San Marco watering hole draws a cool crowd, where fine wine meets live music and a party atmosphere. Opening in 1973, N’Ombra de Vin was founded in the former refectory site of Augustinian monks, and it has been claimed that both Mozart and Napoleon’s army had frequented the cellars in previous centuries. Today, well-heeled locals enjoy a wide range of wines by the bottle, along with a breadth of bar snacks, from steak tartare to grilled octopus.
Tokyo
Blanc Rouge
The Toyko Station Hotel, situated inside the largest transit hub in Tokyo, showcases breathtaking views of the Imperial Palace Gardens, close proximity to Marunouchi Naka-dori (a tree-lined street renowned for its luxury shopping), and houses a fine-dining French restaurant, Blanc Rouge. Its cellar houses 1,000 bottles from around the world, including selections from Eastern Japan’s wine regions.
Apéro Wine Bar
At the bright and modern Apéro, visitors can choose from a wide selection of French wines made by natural, biodynamic and organic producers. “All the wines were imported by us,” says owner Guillaume Dupérier. “About 80 percent of the wines available are only sold at Apéro, a unique concept in Japan allowing us to provide very rare wines from small winemakers, wine made with rare grapes, or simply excellent wines unknown to most wine lovers.” The food menu includes cheese from France, prosciutto from Italy and organic beef from Hokkaido.
Parabola
Parabola was created by wine educator Richard Dawson, a Scottish transplant who also lectures at the Academie du Vin in Tokyo. His seventh-floor bar in the Nishi Azabu area features everything from rare bottles to value selections, frequent tasting seminars and BYOB nights. “We focus on off-the-beaten-track wines from places like Portugal and Austria,” says Dawson.
New York Bar
Recognize the killer city skyline views? Parts of the 2003 film Lost in Translation were filmed here. The Park Hyatt Tokyo’s iconic 52nd-story bar claims the largest selection of American wines in Japan—the floor-to-ceiling wine cellar houses picks from Oregon, New York and California, and you’ll find cocktails, sake and an extensive spirits selection among the offerings.
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Last Updated: May 4, 2023
