Every year, Esquire magazine chooses its favorite watering holes across the nation. While the criteria is vague — it’s a sense of place, the editors explain, and one you want to return to again and again — many Bay Area bars have joined the hall of fame over the years, including San Francisco’s Bar Agricole and Whitechapel.
This year, a stylish Oakland wine bar has joined their ranks. Among the list of 21 best bars in America: Ordinaire, which is located at 3355 Grand Avenue near Lake Merritt, is a love letter to natural wines, which are loosely defined as wine that are made using grapes that are grown organically and then fermented naturally in the cellar with no additions except small amounts of sulfites. This allows the natural character of the soil and site to come through in the wine.
Esquire editors praised Ordinaire’s intellectual vibe — you’ll find classic paperback novels tucked in between bottles of cult-y natural wines — and a whole lot of hipsters lingering over a glass of something crisp, unfined and unfiltered. Bottles start around $20, and friendly sommeliers are always on hand to help you pick the right wine for meal, occasion or both. There’s also cheese, charcuterie, tinned fish and a beautifully-decorated wine wall.
Now that everyone knows about this neighborhood gem, plan ahead for your next visit. Ordinaire is open noon to 10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and until 11 p.m. Saturdays. For information on classes and events, visit Ordinaire.