Cavatappo Wine Bar (CLOSED)

On a stretch of the Upper East Side where pitchers of suds are the beverage of choice, Luca Marcato has created a quiet outpost for grape lovers: Cavatappo Wine Bar. The exposed-brick room is accented with blood orange walls, a tin ceiling and, to reinforce the wine theme, a collection of 40 corkscrews (cavatappi) and a counter made of corks frozen in acrylic. Seating is limited to 15, though swirling while standing is encouraged. You'll have plenty of choices: There are 55 wines from Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, South America and the U.S.—a dozen by the glass or carafe. Most of the food is in snack form (Italian cheeses and meats), but one cooked dish such as a gorgonzola-filled puff pastry will be offered daily from Marcato's nearby Luca Restaurant.