The Anxious Beginner’s Guide to Wine
Sitting at Bars in Restaurants
After enjoying the perks of sitting at bars in restaurants, I’ll never ask for a booth again
My family didn’t have a lot of extra money to throw at restaurant dining when I was young. When we did our family of five would search for an open booth.
My adult self did the same for a long time out of habit, but today I know better.
Reasons to sit at the bar
On a busy night, I may have to work for a seat or seats at the bar. It’s not uncommon for people to prioritize sitting at the bar because it turns out it’s fabulous.
Whether I want to talk to and meet new people or shove my face into my glass of wine (or martini)for a night of solitude, the bar is there for me and no one knows to judge.
Bar sitting for the Drinkies
Not only is sitting at the bar the place to eat, it’s also the place to drink. Who here is surprised? Me, a bit.
I’m both a foodie and a …drinkie? That isn’t a word. BUT.
Sitting at the bar is the place for foodies and drinkies alike.
Sitting at the bar is the place to sit if I want to get the best stuff. It’s the place to sit if I want to chat up a new friend and glean a bit of what they know about their medium and their craft.
What’s more, it is absolutely the place to sit if I want to taste wine.
Bar sitting for the Bartenders.
Bartenders love drinks, food, and the people who consume them (and tip them). They vary as all humans do, but there is a bartender for everyone.
Bartenders are like tour guides, but they know a lot more. They’re often knowledgeable about their surroundings and the city they’re slinging in.
In travel currency, their recommendations might as well be gold. A good bartender can tell me the best thing on the menu, the best bottle on the shelf for the price, and the best places to go for just about anything I want or need.
Bar sitting to see Passion.
Bartenders are full of surprises. Most are charismatic and F-U-N. Many love to nerd out about their trade. These are the gems of the business.
I treat them right and we often become single-serving friends.
They may just tell me about a wine they just got in that is fabulous and not yet on the menu, but they’ll sell me a glass anyway. They may have accidentally opened an expensive bottle that they’ll sell me at a discount.
They might even sample me some limited edition, parchment-label rum. But that’s another story.
Whatever they’re on about, they’re on about it with a fire that can’t be quenched. They are excited. They are visual. They can see that I’m thirsty. It’s a great combination.
Bar sitting for the Accessibility.
I forgot to make a reservation! That’s fine. I’ll sit at the bar if there’s space. I may even sit at the bar if there isn’t, waiting for my turn to rest my weary ankles on a stool made for sipping.
It’s alright, I’ve no need to wait too long. Even restaurant bars are most always emptying and filling so I’ll likely be able to nab a spot at the bar sooner than at a table.
Bar sitting to enjoy Life.
Most anything goes at the bar. I have experienced both privacy and connection at the same bar on the same night.
Each experience dining at the bar is a kind of adventure I don’t need to travel to enjoy, a kind of adventure I can have in my own backyard.
Stepping out of “booth culture” is like stepping into the wind: it is mostly out of my control, but it is also unbelievably exciting.
Heck, sometimes it is just what I need.
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On Sassy Self-Pleasure: When I Say “It’s My Pleasure” I Don’t Really Mean It
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