Get Your Wine on the Go from Please Tell Me

Apr 12

Apr 12 Get Your Wine on the Go from Please Tell Me

Walk through the streets of Florence, Italy and you’ll eventually encounter a small opening in a wall, better known as a wine window or “buchette del vino.” Tell it what you’d like and a hand will emerge holding a perfectly poured glass of wine, ripe for the taking. You don’t have to book a plane ticket for the experience, because the centuries-old Florentine tradition has landed in Williamsburg.

Listening bar Please Tell Me welcomed the return of warm weather on Wednesday with the opening of their own wine window—which looks more like an actual window than a hole in a wall, adorned with fresh springy flowers. Every Wednesday night and weekend afternoons, the window is open for passersby to grab a glass and take a seat in the venue’s new sidewalk patio. Or get a sealed to-go cup and take that wine on a walk around the neighborhood—your choice!

Any self-proclaimed wine connoisseurs will appreciate Please Tell Me’s curated list of natural, New World wines from unexpected regions: think Merlot from Mexico and Syrah from Japan. If you’re in the mood for a cocktail, head inside to the bar for a classic espresso martini or something new like the “Drink That Drake Drinks,” an effervescent mix of tequila, prosecco, and peachello inspired by the rapper’s favorite drink.

Please Tell Me celebrated the new wine window with a special Winyl Wednesday, a weekly party where local DJs spin vibey vinyl tunes. Music lovers who stop by can enjoy half off all glasses and bottles of wine.

The bar’s owners, Austin Woolridge and Eric Griego, were inspired by Japanese-style listening bars, which have cropped up all over New York in the past few years. But they still had trouble finding venues that played what they really wanted to hear: ‘90s hip hop, rap, and R&B. Please Tell Me invites DJs to play all sorts of genres, from UK grime to Nigerian pop, but they returned to their roots this past Winyl Wednesday for a night full of classic ‘90s jams.

They also passed around elevated bar bites from their updated menu. No frozen mozzarella sticks here! Try instead perfectly crisp and creamy ham croquettes, or sea salt potato chips topped with a smoked trout rillette spread. You can have your dinner too with a $28 strip steak served with mashed potatoes and chermoula, or a $23 plate of creamy linguine made with tomato confit and roasted squash.

Weather permitting, Please Tell Me’s wine window is open Wednesdays from 5 to 10 pm and Saturdays and Sundays for brunch from 12 to 5 pm. For more info, check out https://www.instagram.com/pleasetellmebk/.