Ilis

Le Crocodile is the kind of place that makes you wonder why every neighborhood doesn't have a serious French wine program tucked inside a bistro this unpretentious. Pricing leans steep at the top end, but the staff knows their stuff and the list earns its stripes — send a friend here without hesitation.

Nerina is doing something genuinely rare in New York: building a focused, serious Greek wine program in a neighborhood that could coast on vibes alone. If you've ever wanted a guided tour of Greek wine without booking a flight to Athens, this is your table.

Henry's End is a genuine Brooklyn Heights sleeper — a neighborhood institution with a wine list that quietly earned its Wine Spectator recognition rather than buying its way onto a fancy list. Send your wine-curious friends here with confidence; just steer them past the Jordan.

Antica Pesa is the right call if you want serious Italian wine in a room that actually feels like it warrants them — just know the markups on the trophy bottles are steep and the staff won't always be your guide through the cellar. Monday half-price wine nights are a genuine gift; plan accordingly.

The River Café earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence the hard way — with a list that's genuinely deep, a sommelier team that knows what they're selling, and a Madeira section that puts most wine bars to shame. Prices are steep across the board, but you're sitting under the Brooklyn Bridge with Manhattan lighting up the river, so you already knew this wasn't going to be cheap.