Vin Sur Vingt: Taste French Authenticity and Love in Every Bite
France might be the city of love, but you can now find – and taste – that love at the multiple locations of Vin Sur Vingt with each authentic bite of their Parisian plates.
The scrumptious story of these French wine bar owners, Sebastian Auvet and Rakesh started in 2008 when Rakesh found himself impressed with a small French bistro in Midtown called La Vetro Libra. He immediately felt transported by the ambiance and flavors – and credited its success to the man overseeing the space who turned out to be Sebastian.
“I was a patron over time and realized how passionate he was about the place and about getting people to love and appreciate French cuisine and the history behind it all. It was interesting to see how he brought this authenticity to New York. I became fascinated from a cultural perspective.”
Though he came from a finance background and had never imagined himself owning a restaurant, the idea became a reality after developing a friendship with Sebastian.
The duo got their concept for a French wine bar with a rotating wine list off the ground the old-fashioned way. They wrote a business plan and convinced a bank to help them fund their American dream. That opportunity came to life in 2011 when their first Vin Sur Vingt location came to life.
“This was really the brainchild of Seb to bring that same feeling as if you were walking into a traditional wine bar in Paris. You have the same elements that hit you which include the music, the lighting, and the ambiance that makes you feel like you’re right there. There’s creativity from the wine list to the food menus which come from Seb’s grandmother’s kitchen that we recreated in the original 425 square-foot space in the West Village.”
The restaurant climate might be competitive in New York, but their mouthwatering menu – and a short blurb from a very impressed editor from Wine and Spectator magazine – put them on the map just two weeks after they first opened. This coverage was followed by more unsolicited press and outreach for the less than $60,000 newly opened space that made you feel like you just walked into Paris, and which quickly became the go-to wine bar in the West Village.
The small space has since grown to include eight locations of wine bars and bistros between Manhattan, Sag Harbor, and Washington, D.C., all under the same name. The latest evolution of the
brand is a soon-to-be-launched wine club in collaboration with their wine bars called Le French Wine. There will also be an expanded e-commerce site so that their guests will have the opportunity to purchase their favorite bottles from the wine bars and get them shipped to them directly through their subscription service. They are hoping to include loyalty benefits such as invitations to private tastings and access to exclusive experiences by being a part of the club. During the pandemic, the pair ventured into cornering the coffee market when they took over a 20-year-old coffee brand called Jack’s Coffee which had also been the first organic coffee shop in New York. They relaunched all six outposts including those in Brooklyn as well as the Hamptons.
Known for partnering with high-end fashion brands and branching into the lifestyle space, they hope to reimagine those collaborations and also offer a more experiential visit for their customers.
Their third concept includes an upscale but casual restaurant in the Nomad District called Il Fiorista that focuses on incorporating florals into traditional Italian dishes. They also host classes including flower decorating and pasta-making classes, in addition to having a wholesale line of sauces and bruschetta.
With almost 20 locations and brands, their focus is the same as when they started – to educate their guests in an approachable and unintimidating way.
“Wine is very intimidating, especially when you walk into a restaurant and there is a strong program centered around the wine. Our hope is to break down that barrier from the start. We take guests through the menus ourselves and explain everything about the grapes and the region. We make a concerted effort to head to France multiple times a year and also attend a lot of wine conferences and events that give us an introduction to lesser-known producers who don’t get the same exposure as other wine brands.”
These hardworking restauranteurs also pride themselves on working with as many small and boutique producers as they can for their charcuterie boards. They also showcase wines from a local winemaker who runs a family business and creates specialty organic varieties for them.
While their wine bars are more French tapas style, the bistros offer classic French cuisine. His favorites include the croque monsieur, something he used to watch Sebastian make when they were originally putting the concept of the brand together. “I saw him making the bechamel, one of the key ingredients – it’s crucial for that element to be right. It’s also one of the first authentic French ingredients I learned how to make. It really inspired everything and how we put the brand together.”
And yes, their cheeses today all taste authentic because they are – every type is flown in from France.
Their unique concept has resonated with both Francophiles and those just learning about Parisian cuisine and wine.
The growth model of this constantly evolving and expanding empire involves reinvesting money into new locations. Even twelve years later they still function like a boutique group. At the center of that group is their tight-knit team.
“We have people who started with us when we first opened. Especially when something happens you realize how important it is to have the right people in your organization. We prioritize people more than anything. Especially during the pandemic, you have to figure out how to keep this thing together and figure out what pieces are working and what you have to leave behind.”
They also happened to be in the right business – wine and coffee drinkers only drank more of each. Seb started a wine delivery business and they themselves were sometimes the ones to make deliveries on a bike. They also put up an e-commerce site within 24 hours.
As they continue to focus on their brands and online platforms, there is only more deliciousness on the horizon.
