NYC Italian Eats: Enotecas

Sip, swill, savor: best bets for vino and small plates

Over the last few years, Italian wine bars, or enotecas, have proliferated all over the city, creating casual stopovers for snacking and sipping. These aren't spots for heavy five-course meals or a gigantic shared platter of gummy lasagna. Here, it's all about convivial grazing and the jolly uncorking of bottles, where perfect little plates of crostini and salumi make the perfect accompaniment to a glass of Chianti or Orvieto.

These are among the most noteworthy and buzzworthy of the city's enotecas, many of which have highly curated wine lists filled with vintages both familiar and unknown, as well as accomplished sommeliers and bartenders who are always happy to guide you toward something exciting. Scarf down a panini—you'll need some grub so soak up all that vino. —Jane Lerner

Pictured: Tiny digs, big flavors at Gottino