Best Wine Bars in SoFla

When it comes to eating out, my friends and family always ask me for the best fill in the blank restaurant. So when it comes to the Best Wine Bar...

I can only think of three places I would recommend or go to myself for good wine, tapas and atmosphere. In order, here they go:

Hollywood Vine is a spacious and attractive wine boutique with an excellent wine bar. Their wine tastings on Tuesday nights bring in steady foot traffic throughout the week. The crowd can appear pretty diverse, especially for Fort Lauderdale, but if you sit at the bar you are sure to meet a fellow oenophile sipping on any of the 20 wines by the glass offered. While Hollywood Vine doesn't have a restaurant license, they do have a fantastic selection of cheeses, salamis, olives and pates that pair perfectly with the wide array of wine and imported beers. The staff is very friendly, and if you go more than once, bar keeps Steve or Jeremy will very likely to remember your name. Don't tell too many people about this local “Cheers” hangout and shop because part of its success is its low key and unpretentious atmosphere.

W Wine Bistro is as close as we will get to a New York-style wine bistro. Their small but exquisite bar menu is sophisticated, and paired perfectly with their extensive wine selection. Also a wine boutique, this midtown spot is popular among the downtown locals. Try the antipasto, W Wine Bistro Plate, Duck “Parmentier”and for dessert order the Crispy apple tart with vanilla ice cream. The atmosphere in the evenings can be slightly pretentious with interesting characters coming out of the Miami woodwork, but well worth it for its delicious food and wine your after. And here's a secret - again don’t tell too many people about this… you can find a $25 off (for $10 , or less if you find a code) certificate on Restauarant.com. So there you go, Miami chic that’s a great value too.

Bin 18 is hip, loft-style bistro with gorgeous chandeliers hanging from exposed pipes. Their Spanish-style tapas and wine flights are a hit among the young and trendy. They get way too crowded for me during happy hour. I personally like going to Bin for a light dinner and red wine. And if you are into whites or obscure imported beers Bin delivers there too. Before opening Bin 18, Venezuelan Chef Alfredo Patino, made a name for himself at the Ritz Carlton’s Bizcaya. Try any of the anitpasto tablas, gazpacho, warm fig salad, Cuban sandwich and crispy half boneless chicken. Oh, and trust me on this one, order the brownie a la mode, if they have it. It’s truly an experience. Go on a Friday night and listen to musical stylings of DJ Pauer. He plays a great mix of bossanova, tango and electronica.