Racines NY sat at 94 Chambers Street in Tribeca and took its cue from the Parisian bar a vins. The name means roots in French, and the room was the New York extension of a respected Paris original, brought over with Michelin-pedigree chef Frederic Duca and a serious set of wine partners.
It read as more than a wine bar. The wine list ran 2,800 bottles deep, French-centric but global, and was curated by Pascaline Lepeltier, a Master of French Service and one of the most decorated sommeliers working in the city. NYC Tourism listed it among America's best wine restaurants.
The room balanced a Parisian wine-bar feel with the polish of a destination restaurant. Tribeca Citizen's first-impressions coverage described a space that worked equally for a glass at the bar and a full sit-down meal.
Seating flexed between counter wine drinking and table dining, which suited the format. You could come for a single biodynamic glass or settle in for the small-plates progression.
Wine was the entire argument. The list leaned natural, with organic and biodynamic vinifications and a roster of small estates alongside the big French names. Lepeltier's hand showed in both the depth and the by-the-glass choices.
The kitchen, run by chef Diego Moya, stayed vegetable-forward and built around local, sustainable sourcing. The menu offered about a dozen small plates designed to drink with the wine, with guests encouraged to order for the table.
The crowd was wine-serious, a mix of Tribeca locals, industry people, and sommeliers who came specifically for the list. It drew the kind of guest who reads a wine list cover to cover.
Tasting Table and Tribeca Citizen both framed it as a wine destination rather than a casual drop-in, and the room reflected that.
