Vin et Fleurs

I have the pleasure of being on “staycation” this week, which I sometimes prefer to an actual vacation because I get to explore my city during the week. And go to wine bars that are open in the afternoons, such as the beautiful Vin et Fleurs was today. This bar is located in Soho at 69 Thompson St.

The thing you notice about Vin et Fleurs immediately is that it is a gorgeous bar. The name translates to Wine and Flowers and that’s really what you see here. There are flowers and other botanical arrangements everywhere. It’s really very charming and chic; very fitting for a Soho bar. It actually has more of a café vibe to it with the little wooden chairs and tables and the open front wall. It was very inviting.

The menu was smaller than I would have expected. They have very few wines by the glass. Only five whites and four reds. However, they are priced well at no more than $12 a glass. Bottles are on average between $35 and $65, with just a few being more than that. The most expensive was $195. Despite the very French name, not all of the wines are from France. Some are from Italy as well, but the food on the menu was all French cuisine. No complaints there!

I ordered a glass of the 2009 Mas De La Source Pays D’OC Chardonnay for $9. It smelled very much like bread dough. I’m glad I touched on this topic in my last review because this told me once again that this wine was aged sur lie, meaning it was aged with its sediment and the dead yeast cells (lees) were stirred into the wine. This gives the wine the fresh bread dough smell and the creamy texture. This Chardonnay surprisingly had a bit of spiciness and tanginess to it, which I wasn’t expecting. It tasted a little like apricot and had a touch of lemon to it with a white pepper finish. I liked the spicy surprise.

The service was great – I was greeted and seated immediately and the waiter took my order once I looked like I was ready. They checked up on me often and were courteous.

My favorite part of Vin et Fleurs was that they seem to have thought of every detail in the décor - right down to the worn wooden floors and the distressed looking tin covered bar with a granite countertop. I like it when bars choose eclectic lighting and this place definitely has it. The hanging bulbs that are above the bar and all of the tables look almost Edison era. Very cool! It is a simply beautiful place for an afternoon glass of wine. I could see this being the perfect spot to stop in for a light lunch after shopping in Soho. It’s a nice garden-like escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

I give Vin et Fleurs a rating of 3.4 out of 5 glasses. It was one of the more visually interesting bars I’ve been to, but the wine list could have been much more exciting. Cute and worth a visit though!

The chic interior of Vin et Fleurs

My lovely little table setting

The view outside from my table