Beauneu's Wine Bar

By Jessica Brady, tbt* Staff Writer
Published September 12, 2007

Vitals: 2009 N 22nd St., Tampa. (813) 241-8587. 5 to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Credit Cards accepted. www.westpalmwines.com

The spot: Beaune's Wine Bar is a classy yet comfy lounge perfect for a first date or an intimate night with friends. Patrons can choose to sit at tables or relax in sleek leather couches and chairs with plush pillows. A long wooden bar stretches across the room, offering a nice spot to mingle. The low lights and tawny-colored walls compliment the old brick building and posh European decor. A long curtain divides an area for private parties and an attached wine store. There are no TVs and the indirect lighting gives the perfect atmosphere for relaxation. Everything is exceptionally clean and polished.

Prime location: Like a needle in a haystack, Beaune's Wine Bar blends in with the other brick buildings a few blocks north of Ybor City. Unless you're paying close attention, you can easily pass the dark corner where it's located. But, parking is not a problem. Beaune's has its own fenced, illuminated parking, which is nice because it gives some peace of mind while sipping a glass of wine.

The crowd: Diverse is the best way to describe the crowd at Beaune's. A love for wine brings together people in their mid '20s and older from all cultures and classes. Everyone was respectful and unobtrusive, flashing an occasional smile across the room.

Juice: Unless you're in the mood for wine, this isn't the place to visit. The wine list is a well-catalogued roster of mostly European import wines. All wines are moderately priced, so almost anyone is able to enjoy a glass or bottle. If the wines on the list don't please your palate, you'll be able to go into the store and pick out a bottle. There is a $20 bottle minimum if you're going to drink it in the bar, but the choices are vast. Tours of the wine cellar add a nice touch to a mellow evening.

Music: Music can make or break even the most perfect of atmospheres, but the right volume of soothing jazz sets the right mood. There's no live music yet, but there is talk of a possible baby grand piano in the corner.

Grub: The menu is simple, with a wide variety of cheese and meat platters to seafood hors d'oeuvre all accompanied by a basket of bread with herb dip, dried fruit, nuts, olives and pickles. Pretty much everything needed to enhance the flavor of any wine. It all starts at $11. The menu also consists of two entrees with a weekly chef special and for dessert, a ricotta cheesecake or flourless chocolate cake.

[Last modified September 12, 2007, 11:25:04]