Wine Depot & Bistro 555, an all-in-one wine store, wine bar, and bistro, has opened its doors to visitors and residents of Miami Beach. The low-rise, warehouse-style building, more SoHo than SoBe, is divided into two main areas: an indoor, 6,700-square-foot space that can seat 90 for casual dining and drinks, and a 2,250-square-foot patio that can seat 150.
The indoor area houses the main retail section, with more than 40 wine racks displaying some 400 affordable wines and champagnes priced from $7 to $30 and classified by country. Varieties from South Africa, Australia, Spain, Chile, Italy, and Argentina make an appearance on the racks, as do organic wines from California and a pinot noir from Oregon. Aside from an ample selection of French wines displayed along the wall—the owners are Philippe Buchbinder and Jean Luc Oizan Chapon—Wine Depot also carries house wines.
The kitchen serves a mixture of French and Spanish-style tapas, as well as daily specials. On the French side, the menu offers up croque monsieur, charcuterie platters, baguette sandwiches, foie gras, and pates, among other dishes. Iberian bites include Manchego cheese, serrano ham, gazpacho, and chorizo. Salads and desserts are also available.
Guests have their choice of picking a bottle from the racks and consuming it there (for a $7.50 cork fee per bottle), or ordering wine and champagne by the glass—making the space a good setting for relaxed, one-on-one business entertaining or small groups. The bar, which only serves wine and beer, can seat 18. The patio, to the west of the building, has its own bar, and can accommodate a DJ or live music.
For added privacy, there is a 250-square-foot private cellar called the Vintage Room, where bottles start at $35 (and the cork fee is $15 per bottle). Equipped with a large flat-screen TV, the cellar can seat 14.
The entire space, both indoor and outdoor, can be rented for private events. Alternatively, the private cellar and patio can be used individually. The venue, which Gloria and Emilio Estefan have leased to Buchbinder and Chapon, has its own parking lot. The rooftop is under construction, and will eventually serve as additional event space.
