Terroir

"We’re not usually crazy about wine bars. There are a few on this site that we can get behind, but generally we stay away. Why? Well first of all, there aren’t many that serve good food, and it’s rare that we’re heading out to drink without some serious eating on the agenda as well. Second, wine bar crowds are usually a room full of awkward first dates, and that girl who turns bright red after two glasses and spends an hour telling her friend and everyone else within thirty feet how ugly Becky’s bridesmaid dresses were. Inside voices please. So it’s not often that a wine bar comes with an enthusiastic Infatuation Approval, but Terroir’s new outpost in Tribeca most certainly does. Yes, we love it because the food is awesome, but we also love it because owners Paul Grieco and Marco Canora clearly don’t take themselves too seriously. These guys are enjoying themselves, and so are the people that come to their establishments. We found no sign of the typical wine bar crowd, but rather a full house of happy people tearing into some food and drinking (a lot). That’s more our speed. The menu has all the snacks and charcuterie that you might expect to find, but there are also some gems like the meatball sandwich and pretty much anything with the word “balls” in it. Check the Food Rundown for our favorites, and also take a look at this wine menu next time you have a few hours to kill. That sh*t is crazy. Food Rundown Meatball Sandwich An excellent meatball sandwich of a manageable size. We love this, and so do you. Red Wine, Oxtail Risotto Balls Meaty risotto balls with oxtail inside. These are dark and earthy, and really good. Veal and Peppers Sandwich Another solid sandwich of veal and diced peppers. Order this and the meatball and split them with someone. Or don’t. Sage Leaves with Lamb Sausage Insanely good lamb sausage surrounded by a delicious crust of fried sage. Salty and delicious. Frisee, Crispy Duck Confit Salad This duck confit was delicious, but putting it on frisee and calling it a salad seemed strange. The duck sits on top of the bed of frisee like a wet mop, and let’s be honest - greens under a pile of duck cooked in it’s own fat isn’t really a salad. Bone Marrow, Garlic, Chive Bruschetta This would be better if there was just a little less bone marrow. I know, that’s pretty much like saying money can’t make you happy, but this thing looks like it’s got an entire femur’s worth of the stuff on one piece of bread. Give me a few extra pieces of toast, and we’re in business." - Chris Stang

"If you or your date has an interest in wine beyond rosé at the beach and having seen Sideways, share some wine flights and steak tartare at Terroir in Tribeca. The massive wine list is annotated with quotes and facts, and it should keep you entertained during lulls in your discussion about your childhood golden retrievers." - team infatuation

"For a laid-back snacks-and-wine experience, try Terroir. Terroir used to be a chain of wine bars, but this is the only one left. That’s a shame, because more neighborhoods could use a Terroir. The food is better than it needs to be—especially the meatballs—and the service is incredibly friendly and unpretentious. They also project sports games on a big screen in the back, in case you want to watch sports in a non-sports bar environment." - bryan kim, kenny yang, hillary reinsberg

"Terroir used to have multiple locations throughout the city, but there’s only one left, and we’re glad it’s still around. This place has a big bar area with lots of seating alongside a few communal tables, and there’s an extensive wine list that’s full of essays and entertaining rants. The food menu—which includes things like escargot, pigs in a blanket, and wiener schnitzel—is quite large. If you come after work, the crowd feels a bit corporate, but it gets more neighborhood-y on the weekends." - Carlo Mantuano, Matt Tervooren, Kenny Yang, Bryan Kim

"If you want to impress someone with your wine knowledge (even if you don’t actually have much, yet), bring them to Terroir in Tribeca. The huge wine list is full of detailed notes, which you can try to repeat out loud as casually as possible. You could also suggest doing a flight tasting of five ($50), six ($62), or eight wines ($68), curated by a member of the staff who will walk you through each wine, explaining the varietal, tasting notes, and producer. All of which you can say you definitely already knew." - matt tervooren