The beloved wine and spirits shop, McCabes Wine & Spirits, has been on the Upper East Side for more than 57 years pleasing customers from all around the city. It officially reopened its doors on October 16 after an impressive expansion and redesign. McCabes proudly continues its tradition of local family ownership. Today, it is led by Daniel Mesznik, a seasoned wine expert and former general manager of Best Bottles on the Upper West Side and Acker Wines in Lincoln Center. The shop’s customers often ask for Mesznik, reflecting the relationships he has built and his dedication to the community. He continues McCabes’ important legacy of supporting the neighborhood through donations and partnerships with local schools, churches, synagogues, and other non-profits.

Wine Tasting at the Opening

The shop anchors the corner of Third Avenue at 77 Street, just a block from the #6 subway line in the heart of the Upper East Side. McCabes’ interior and displays are truly stunning. The brightly lit store allows customers to easily peruse all the bottles and the wide aisles are ideal for strollers or customer’s assistive devices such as wheeled walkers. The pleasant and knowledgeable staff make purchasing a pleasure, whether they are suggesting a gift or a bottle of wine for tonight’s dinner. Dining out? There are some area restaurants that charge a nominal corkage fee if you bring your own bottle. Purchase at McCabes and enjoy your personal choice and a savings over restaurant wine prices.  

Owner and Wine Expert Daniel Mesznik

We stopped by McCabes to check out their collection of wine and spirits for the holidays. We were delighted to meet Daniel Mesznik and have an informative chat. He commented, “We want every guest to feel comfortable asking questions, learning about wine and spirits, and discovering something new. Our staff is highly knowledgeable yet approachable and is always more than happy to guide guests through the store to assist them, myself included.” 

Interior of McCabes

Daniel took us for a tour of the reimagined space that includes an expanded wine collection with every price point. In the front of the shop, there’s a sale area with 24 carefully chosen wines and the selection changes weekly. We like the way the store is thoughtfully organized with wines grouped by regions from around the globe. Whether you are shopping for an Old World or New World favorite, you are sure to find a great choice. The Reserve is a very impressive temperature-controlled room that houses the finest wines and spirits, an afficionado’s destination. McCabes has also expanded its selections by up to 35 percent in key categories including Champagne, Burgundy, Kosher wine, and Tequila. The store now offers the largest selection of Kosher wines in Manhattan, alongside a variety of spirits from local distilleries such as Fort Hamilton Distillery and Kings County Distillery. With two new refrigeration units, you can purchase a perfectly chilled wine to take directly to your meal table.

Here’s more good news about McCabes Wine & Spirits.  Every Thursday evening from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., stop by their “Tasting Bar” to sip and savor select wines. Additional tasting days are planned during the holiday season. On Friday nights in December, the venue offers Champagne tastings for people planning to pour bubbles at their gatherings. There are so many good reasons to shop at McCabes. It has an admirable history in the area, the selection of wines and spirits is extraordinary, and you can depend on being treated like the special customer that you are. McCabes is located at 1349 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10075.  For more information and to place an order, please visit McCabes Wine & Spirits: Shop Our Collections Online & In-Store, New York, NY  and call 212.737.0790.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of McCabes Wine & Spirits