I’ve decided to head to Vintage Wine Bar which is a part of the iconic string of restaurants along 13th. Vintage had opened in 2006 and takes the wine bar title very seriously with their massive selection of over 30 different wines from across the globe offering rotations of red and white flights to make quick stops along the way. I walk past this restaurant all the time always saying, “oh my gods I’ve been dying to try this place!” And then never getting around to it. But tonight, that’ll change!

Vibes

The vibes of this place definitely give its individuality on this street. A lot of the restaurants have this modern contemporary mixed with industrial vibes but this gave vintage. Walls were lined with locally made art for sale, old boxes that are used to protect and age wine line the walls, a cork divider to allow customers to not notice the hustle and bustle in the kitchen, and the centerpiece, a wine bottle chandelier.

It was really nice to see the owners of this place get passionate and have fun with the creation of their restaurant, it perfectly sets the vibe with the mood lighting, low jazz music, and friendly attitudes.

Food & Drink

So I didn’t do a whole lot of their menu but I did the classics together, wine and charcuterie. This way I made sure to get a bit of variety in their arrangements and what to expect. Somethings I took note of was a bit of creativity, making sure everything goes together smoothly, and the portions. So I got their cheese and charcuterie board, they have three selections starting with this one, a regular charcuterie board, and then a meats and cheese charcuterie. It pretty much just allows to have options on what you want on your board. What I really loved, and even do in my own charcuterie, is seasonal items. The board might always come with fruit but it rotates out based on the seasons which keeps everything feeling fresh. On the board, grapes, apple slices, jam, caramelized onions, three different cheese, soft baguette, cornichons, and dates. To be honest, I did skip out on the dates, I’m not a huge fan but I pretty much ate everything else. And if you do come here with someone else, this can definitely pass as an appetizer without filling you up. The fruits, jams, and onions really flowed nicely together with the end of summer brightness but tied in with the smoky savory of fall flavors.

Okay, in case I haven’t made it clear, I love cheese. Not in the way of loving every type of cheese, but in the way of always being down to try cheese and I’ll eat it no matter the circumstance. Making tacos? I’ll dig into my shredded cheddar cheese bag. Making a charcuterie board? I’ll save some parm and brie just for a snack while I cook. Coming home from a night out with friends? Light on the mac and stacked with the cheese. It is the perfect food item for a snack or a meal. So I obviously had to get the cheese and charcuterie board. This board was accompanied with a soft cheese, gouda, and a cow cheese. I tried each cheese with a slice of bread and then by itself. The soft cheese was creamy and had undertones of a citrus flavor and garlicky after taste. I really enjoyed it and it smeared really nicely on the bread. Next was the gouda, which I can get picky about my gouda’s. Smoked gouda, hell no. This gouda with a smokey after taste, hell yeah. The gouda also just had this incredible melt in your mouth feel that just made all the flavor pour into every taste bud. While I saved the soft cheese to come back to later, I ate up the gouda quickly. Last I tried was the cow cheese, which I’ve had cow cheese I liked throughout my life. But this one? Really lived up to the stinky taste. This is no offense to the restaurant this is just how my tastebuds reacted. The cow cheese tasted stinky, smokey, and harsh. Of course, if that is your cup of tea, all the power to you. But I would say the soft cheese and gouda was my favorites!

Now to take a flight! I’m not a super taster when it comes to wine so I can’t tell you what tastes like the salt from the tip of the Himalayan mountains or how ripe the grape was when it was picked to be fermented. But! I do know the difference of sweet, dry, and when a wine has a hint of a fruity taste. I wasn’t sure at first how I wanted to try their wine, maybe a red? Then a sangria? And a port? Instead I decided to do their Interesting Red flight, which rotates out wines often.

Each glass was 3oz and it lasted through all of my dinner. This flight specifically had a Cuvee Julien, which was not super dry, fruity smell and taste but before you’re done it leaves a burning lingering fruit taste on the back of your tongue. This was super good, I’m more about the dry and aged taste but I enjoyed this and hope to try it again. Next was a Montepuiciano, which was a nice middle having less of a fruity taste and leaving a lasting aged flavoring in your mouth. Lastly a Chateau Morin which was the driest out of all of them, along with being less fruity and giving more into that aged taste. If you’re not a sweet wine enjoyer, this flight was perfect!

Service

Service was incredible! Quick, reliable, and personable. If this is your first blog read, one of the things I love most is when waiters connect with costumers. Sarah, who was wonderfully dressed, started talking about our matching jewelry, offering me a chance to sit wherever, and how we agreed on choosing a window seat cause we love to people watch. It made me feel so welcomed and comfortable which made the dining experience that much more fun. I was immediately given a bottle of water with a glass and some time to look over there menu. She would check on me here and there but nothing overbearing and when she would take dishes away she was quick and efficient about it.

There was also some interactions between the bartenders, servers, and what I could assume was repeated customers that was really cool to see. Again, it’s about building those relationships and being personable that makes the restaurant experience so inviting and wanting to go back for more. It really showed that Vintage has a little community with people who really love being in this space.

Reservations

Super easy! I even got to make a reservation for one person which does not happen at most Philly restaurants (sometimes we want to enjoy a meal alone with the assurance of a table, is that too much to ask for?) So that is a big plus from me! Even on the busier nights, I can still give my self a chance to have a table and enjoy the lively night. And as I said earlier, Sarah gave me the chance to pick any table I wanted since they weren’t super busy so that was really thoughtful.

Final Thoughts…

I’m going back. I might actually become a weekly customer, I would be a daily customer if I had the money. But this place was so unique, open, and delicious! A lot of the restaurants I’ve been too on 13th street had pretty similar vibes, still great food, but nothing popped out too much at me. But this place, the people who created this place from ground up, at the bar, and in the hot kitchen, have passion and enjoy being here. It’s not just another job for them, but an experience.

Thank you so much for reading! Have a wonderful day!