With the popularity of grapes on the uptick, Philly has been no stranger to the Wine Bar phenomenon. Too bad one of the oldest players on the team is getting little to no street cred, and he fucking INVENTED wine in this city. We are, of course, referring to Il Bar at Ristorante Panorama.
We got no beef with the aforementioned Vintage or even the redesigned Chick’s as places to be seen swilling on the nectar of Bacchus. But there’s cause for concern when the lushful sophisticates say they’ve never even heard of the place. We pimp because we love. And if you’re an oenophile, you can’t do any better.
Two features make this the Wine Bar To Rule Them All. The first is the ‘cruvinet’ system that no other watering hole has in our fair city. This winerobotmachine allows the bartender to serve you more expensive and rare wines by the glass and keep them as fresh as if they hadn’t been uncorked. The other is the ‘Panoramic Flight’, which is a Pepsi Challenge of similar wines compared in 1.5 ounce fills. They’re served in this totally boss wrought iron glass holder that’s classier than anyone in your family.
If you’re on the wine kick we are, you gotta stop in for a drink. Even your friends who know ‘every spot’ in Philly won’t have a clue where/what it is. You’re in the know. Il Bar is close enough to Old City to be accessible, but far enough away to be sophisticated. And if you think a place like Vintage can make you attractive based on style points alone, Il Bar is gonna get you LAID.
This place is the epitome of a well-kept secret. I’ve only been there once, and not even on a date, but it was fantastic. The “winerobotmachine” is practically sci-fi, and the bar is so dark it seems like everyone else there is a spy or something.
Totally forgetting their $15/20 tastings events … but I guess you’re new to Juice mailing list