In the last 15 years, natural wine bars have gone from French fringe to global shorthand for a certain philosophy and style. Whether in Mexico City or Vienna, you’re as likely to find stripped-back walls and coolly designed posters for winemaker events as you are to find bottles of cloudy Jura and punny pét-nats, with plates of sourdough and tartare alongside. In many cases, natural wine bars are excellent restaurants in small-plates’ clothing. So whether you’re stopping by for a glass of Moussamoussettes before your dinner across town, or settling in for a full meal and a few bottles of Tschida, natural wine bars are a great way to dip into the new in any city. Because natural-wine drinkers are passionate and opinionated, it’s remarkably easy to strike up a conversation, no matter the language barrier. Chances are, they’ll lead you to other wine bars, restaurants and cafés that aren’t yet on the radar, pointing them out to you on their Raisin app. Just carry a tote bag from La Buvette or The Four Horsemen and get ready to unlock the city. Copenhagen, Paris and Tokyo are the meccas, but interesting scenes have grown in New York, Mexico City (check out the Japanese-run wine bars), even Venice. As to the belief that natural wine doesn’t give you a hangover, you’ll have to work your way down this list and report back.
Paris
Septime La Cave | Around the corner from the award-winning restaurant Septime is its popular sibling, a cozy, always-packed little room where an all-star lineup of bottles can be enjoyed with exquisite bites, be it grilled bread with smoked butter and black truffle, or slices of Spanish Wagyu.
La Buvette | Camille Fourmont’s endlessly charming sliver of a spot has been drawing regulars for over a decade — not just for her charm (and her famous white beans), but for the adventurous bottles she stocks. Check Instagram for pop-up events with global chefs — quite a feat considering there’s no kitchen!
Le Baratin | Arguably the one that started it all, this Belleville staple holds legendary status both in the natural wine world and among the city’s best chefs. Although there are a few seats at the bar for drinkers, it would be a tragedy not to book ahead for lunch or dinner so you can experience Raquel Carena’s earthy, soul-satisfying food before she retires.
Café de la Nouvelle Mairie | A natural wine bar for those who’d prefer a more classic setting, this vintage café near the Pantheon is of the zinc-tables-on-the-sidewalk variety, and also happens to have excellent food.
Bordeaux
Soif | An unpretentious outpost of natural wine and a menu that runs toward hearty, updated classics, this lovely husband-and-wife-run spot has 350 natural selections on offer — because it can’t be all Left Bank first growths all the time. Better yet, they’re open Monday (as well as for lunch).
Copenhagen
Den Vandrette | Opened by the importer who helped kick off the city’s considerable natural wine scene, this cozy, subterranean spot on Nyhavn Harbor has an on-point biodynamic list, as well as small dishes of the minimalist Danish variety. In summer, it turns into a harbor-side party, with BBQ nights filling the picnic tables.
La Banchina | It’s worth the bike ride beyond Noma to discover this waterside seafood and vegetarian all-day-café-cum wine bar. In the summer, people swim between glasses. In winter, the sauna is its own reward (book ahead) — as is a dinner reservation for one of the restaurant’s 16 seats.
