Ron Ciavolino’s top wine bars

King Cole Bar, St. Regis Hotel

Why he loves it: “The sheer elegance of the interior of the room and that beautiful mural. It’s one of the great interiors of New York—St. Thomas Fifth Avenue, Low Library, Grand Central Station. You can’t find these anywhere else.”

When is a good time to snag a drink there? “I occasionally, even though I’m a Roman Catholic, I do attend a communion service at St. Thomas Fifth Avenue. And after that Communion service is over, there is a small, discreet procession, either to the University Club on one side of Fifth Avenue or to the St. Regis on the other. To have the King Cole burger—which is the only safe thing—and a couple of Bloody Marys is a great way to start the weekend.”

King Cole Bar
2 E. 55th St. at Fifth Ave.
212-339-6721