Young & Hungry Dining Guide by the Day: Cork Wine Bar
One by one, we’re running through the 50 restaurants that made the cut on this year’s Young & Hungry Dining Guide. If you have visited the day’s featured restaurant, let us know what you think. If you’re planning to visit for the first time, tell us about your meal when you return.
If I had to select a wine bar based strictly on options by the glass, I’d pick Veritas near Dupont Circle over this 14th Street NW hotspot, if only because the former includes some fine American wineries among its well-composed list. But, strange as it sounds, wine alone does not make a wine bar, and chef Ron Tanaka keeps me coming back to Cork for his simple but well-executed small plates. His duck confit and calamari are among my favorites in town, but what delights me most about Tanaka’s menu is how well vegetarians can eat here. Oil-cured Roma tomatoes, house-marinated olives, duxelles with caramelized onions on grilled bread, and, my personal favorite, the bland-sounding plate called “Avocado.” It’s thin slivers of fresh avocado layered on grilled bread, then dusted with ground pistachios and sea salt and drizzled with pistachio oil. Trust me, it’s a dish anyone could love—even a hardcore meat eater.
Addendum: Read restaurant designer Walter Gagliano’s take on Cork Wine Bar.
Cork Wine Bar, 1720 14th St. NW, (202) 265-2675
Photo courtesy of Cork Wine Bar
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9:15 am
I love Cork. It’s got the feel of a neighbourhood bar. The downside is that the very coziness that gives it that feel makes it virtually impossible to get a table or spot at the bar most nights. And while the food is fine, I still prefer the eats at Bar Pilar. Still…not a bad place to hangout before a show at the Black Cat. With Adam gone from BP, we might hit Cork more often.
9:37 am
Cork is horrible. Over priced, lacking in service, and bad attitude in general. Rather than being the educators they should be at a “wine bar”, the servers stand around looking bored, they hate thier jobs, and you have to flag them down to get thier attention, and even then, they do nothing to tell you about the wines they pour. I’ll never go back after the 2 times i tried to give it a chance!
9:50 am
Bizarro. I’ve had the exact opposite experience of Ha Ha’s the 10+ times I’ve been to Cork. I love that the servers are down to earth, have non-arrogant street-smarts about (and personal experience tasting) the wine they suggest and that since I started going there in early 2008, the same staff greets me.
“Ha ha” aside, Tom the bartender keeps a stellar beer menu (ask him), the avocado w pistachios rocks my world, the loft one of my fave romantic spots to eat.
10:38 am
Cork is great. I went there to celebrate an anniversary and left happy, tipsy and sated. We spent just a tad over $100 ($120 with tip) and had…
-Two wine flights (rose and erbaluce)
-Two glasses of prosecco
-Three cheeses (all out of this world)
-Roasted leeks with bacon, almond, and buratta (delish!)
-The famed avocado toast (most underwhelming item we had all night)
-Roasted bronzino with french lentils (pretty solid)
-Brioche + prosciutto sandwich with a fried egg (YUM)
-Cookie + chocolate plate
-Cappuccino
…I think it was a fantastic deal, the service was great & they recommended some great wines since we don’t know a damn thing about wine. I’d definitely go back — especially for the cheese, which was divine.
1:35 pm
Cork is my neighborhood hangout. i can come by any time of any evening (except Mondays…gotta dry out sometime, right?) and have a glass of wine with a snack at the bar on my own or a bottle with dinner and friends at a table. i love the staff, the food and the vino! i’m a real new world wine person, so Cork’s old world wine list stretches my comfort zone and exposes me to wines i never would have asked for otherwise. the staff are really helpful and i havent been disappointed once! i bring friends and out of town vistors here all the time and everyone walks out with big smiles and satifsied appetitites. so glad Cork is here!!!
2:42 pm
This is by far one of my favorite hangouts in town. I completely disagree with Ha ha. I love the fact that I can just tell Tom what I’m in the mood to have wine-wise, and he always pours me the perfect glass. Cork has exposed me to different wines I never knew about. And the food is amazing. While the avocado definitely deserves all the rave it is getting, let’s not forget about the best french fries I’ve ever had. And the chicken dish is to die for. And while getting a seat at either the bar or a table is tough, all it takes is a little patience. Don’t go here if you’re in a rush. Cork is about enjoying what’s in your glass and in your plate and savoring every minute – because it is completely worth it.
6:19 pm
I have to totally agree with Fencey. Cork is at the top of the Favorite Hangout list, for sure. Tom is an exceptional bartender. He matches wines to your mood and rarely gets it wrong. And he is also budget-conscious, so he won’t stick you with a $17 glass when all you want is a $7 one. The food is consistently superb. My ONLY complaint is that I wish the menu changed more often. But let’s face it — that’s because I go to Cork so often, so it’s kind of my fault! Like Fencey said, a little patience is usually all it takes to belly up to the bar and enjoy a fabulous night.
11:34 am
Great point, re: good place for vegetarians. Most of the stuff we usually order is veggie-proof. Love the duxelles and the fries. (Or course, we usually get the duck confit too, but…)