This central downtown wine bar brands itself with the simple phrase, “A deli walks into a wine bar..” and it’s so totally true. When I first heard of Grand Cru Deli I thought it was just a deli; but the wine bar aspect is very present with their high-quality selections by the glass.

Grand Cru Deli is literally in the heart of it all, close to theatres and bars, nightlife and shopping, yet remains quaint and quiet, and almost feels like you’re in a secret place where all you have to focus on is wine and food.

Walking up to Grand Cru Deli is a treat in itself, you’ll find yourself approaching a bright, purple, welcoming door. The interior is just as nice and the staff there is so friendly, you feel like you could spend hours there.

The wines at Grand Cru Deli are carefully selected to ensure the best quality with a great mix of local and international, sure to impress even the most educated of wine lovers. A fun twist here, thought, is that any of the glasses of wine on the menu you can half the price of it and get half the portion to turn it into a sample.

This turns your dinner date into an impromptu wine tasting (where you may discover a new favourite!) This is perfect if you’re unsure of what your favourite is, or if you just like them all and don’t want to commit to one whole glass.

You will rarely find a wine bar without charcuterie board/plate options and this deli obviously has no excuse to be excluded, so they put together a delicious deli charcuterie plate with grainy mustard that pairs perfectly with any glass.

Their menu is constantly changing with a selection of deli classics and inventive dishes so you can rarely tire of the variety you’ll find at Grand Cru Deli.

You can also stop by and shop their wine market, bringing unique bottles home for a wine tasting date night in.