Just days before the pandemic, I toured New York Vintners, the private wine club on Barclay and Church. Then everything imploded and I assumed they had gone dark. But I was wrong: turns out their business model, which includes online retail wine, fit right into the pandemic culture. And now, they are back on track, with a newly renovated 20,000-square-foot space mostly below grade at 100 Church and a diminutive but charming bar in the storefront called The Foyer.

It’s safe to say that you have not seen anything like this in the neighborhood, or really, anywhere. It’s cavernous: seven themed rooms accessed by back staircases and surprising turns that all together have a capacity of 200, but room by room range from eight to 150. There’s a resident artist, Leopoldo Gout, who presides over the studio space and creates special finishings and furniture throughout; an open kitchen for dining and classes; a wine storage room for members.

Keep in mind that most of this space is for members only; the public can use the bar just about any night, and if there is nothing booked in the dining room behind it, they can spill over. Also the only space with windows is The Foyer; everything else is below grade or behind the bar.

The business was originally founded by Shane Benson at 21 Warren if you recall — it closed in 2017 and later moved to Barclay in November 2019. At about that time, Tribecan Harris Greenstein, who was then a customer, signed on as a partner. After curating wine lists for the bulk of the pandemic, they opened the club to members in 2021. The bar in front opened last June but just three days a week. It seats 12 inside and six outside.

Memberships have a one-time fee of $30,000 with a $5000 annual spend. They have 95 members right now. Members can store up to 120 bottles, hold events in the many rooms, hire a wine concierge for an evening. Definitely worth seeing if that’s your thing, but in the meantime, grab a glass at the bar.

The Foyer at New York Vintners
63 Barclay | Church & West Broadway
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 5 to 10p
Moving to full hours in September