Wine-N-Diner no longer
No more Southern Belles.
Word started getting around this afternoon that the Wine-N-Diner in Albany had closed.We were hoping it wasn't true -- AOA has many of its Friday meetings there, and it's just generally a fun, affordable place to eat.
But it is true. We tracked down the owner, Dimitrios Menagias, this afternoon to find out what's up.
So here's the story we got from Menagias: the restaurant's 544 Delaware building is owned by the estate of Uri Saati -- the former Bagel Bite owner -- and the estate has been trying to sell the building. He says the ownership situation recently came into question, his lease had been canceled, and his attorney advised him to get his stuff out of the building.
And that's what Menagias was doing Tuesday afternoon. After word got around the Albany restaurant community, people started showing up to buy equipment.
We emailed with the agent who's repping the building this afternoon. Giacomo Sinisgalli says there have been several offers made on the building below the listing price (originally $316,000, now $299,000), but all of them were too low to accept -- and the building is still for sale. (Notes the listing: "Possible short sale approval may be required.")
Menagias says he had tried to buy the building, but couldn't come up with the right financing to make it work.
So, what now? Menagias says he'll be consulting for the newly-opened City Beer Hall in downtown Albany for the next few months. He says he wants to re-open the Wine-N-Diner, but he figures it will take him about a year to get set up in a new spot.
This whole situation is unfortunate. When the Wine-N-Diner opened about a year ago, it filled a niche in the Albany restaurant scene -- casual, affordable, and a little different. We'll miss it.
Yep, the Wine-N-Diner has advertised on AOA.
Find It
No longer the Wine-N-Diner
544 Delaware Ave
Albany, NY 12209
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Comments
Hey, it's no problem. Another Chipotle just opened up on Wolf Rd...right across from a Hooters!!!! WOO WOO!!! WHERE THE APPLEBEES AT?
No, but seriously Capital Region, get your restaurant shizz together soon, OK?
... said Tim on Jun 14, 2011 at 8:15 PM | link
I hadn't made it to the Wine-N-Diner yet. Now I'm really sad.
Maybe what I need to comfort me is some wine. And Frito pie.
... said LB on Jun 14, 2011 at 8:21 PM | link
I'm heartbroken!! Definitely one of my favorite local spots discovered in the last year...
... said D on Jun 14, 2011 at 8:31 PM | link
I ate there once and thought the food sucked.
... said xina on Jun 14, 2011 at 8:33 PM | link
This is really sad. We just took some out of town friends there on Saturday night and they were so impressed with this place having an overall grim impression of Albany. I felt proud of our little gem. Definitely will be missed.
... said Dawn on Jun 14, 2011 at 9:34 PM | link
Also, as commented on in a previous post...Why not Burger Centric?
... said Dawn on Jun 14, 2011 at 9:41 PM | link
Nooooooooooooo!
Oh man, that sucks. Good luck to all the friendly W'n'D people.
... said Elizabeth on Jun 14, 2011 at 9:43 PM | link
This is terrible! This was my favorite, unpretentious place to get great food in the area! I am so sad.
... said Jen on Jun 14, 2011 at 10:20 PM | link
WOW. What a shame. This was my favorite newer restaurant in Albany. the worst part of the whole situation, is not the loss of a great eatery, but the loss of 10-15 jobs that went with it. Well, at least I can go to one of Albany's 54,832 bars....
... said Danny on Jun 14, 2011 at 10:33 PM | link
Well I'm glad I finally know, went there the other day and didn't know what was happening. I am dismayed. I want a southern belle. :(
... said Lint on Jun 14, 2011 at 11:16 PM | link
What What What??!?! We just had lunch there the other day and frequent(ed) the WND often. This is seriously sad. I thought Demetrius would have been able to secure financing and this would be a success story. What a crying shame. Our family loved the food, the service, and the close proximity to our home of a funky, lively, affordable restaurant with excellent offerings, with an owner who cared about his patrons and his food. We wish Demetrius the absolute best of luck and our condolences.
... said Britin Foster on Jun 14, 2011 at 11:48 PM | link
Hey xina -- way to kick someone when they're down. I mean, I know it's a free country and all with the whole speech thing - but didn't your mom ever tell you if you have 'nothing nice to say...' Most of the people on this comment list are really bummed this place is closing for both the food and the atmosphere and for what the owner has attempted to do for the local arts scene. I'm sorry you had a bad meal, but way to be a tool...
... said Kevin on Jun 15, 2011 at 8:18 AM | link
It is disappointing to hear that the Wine-N-Diner is closing after such a short time. Will miss the brisket chili and the cornbeef hash.
... said Cathy on Jun 15, 2011 at 9:22 AM | link
aw man. First Avenue A, now Wine n' Diner. that location is cursed.
... said Cori on Jun 15, 2011 at 9:32 AM | link
I loved that place, and I'm really sad about this. Hopefully they'll be up and running again soon. Who knows, maybe his next installment will be even better.
... said Summer on Jun 15, 2011 at 9:51 AM | link
hey i'm entitled to my opinion, as are you, and i don't think that makes me a tool.
... said xina on Jun 15, 2011 at 9:53 AM | link
I enjoyed that place. Damn, I just bought two friends gift certificates for dinner there.
... said Caroline on Jun 15, 2011 at 10:01 AM | link
Heard the food there was less than good. Not be be a hater, but it's the reality..
... said The shizzle on Jun 15, 2011 at 10:04 AM | link
I remember visiting shortly after it opened and getting very attentive, personal service -- obviously trying to make a good impression. Well, it worked, I loved the place, and the menu was one of the most creative in the area. It was great to have in the Delaware neighborhood and I hope Menagias can reopen not too far away. Also wishing luck to the now out of work staff.
... said B on Jun 15, 2011 at 10:16 AM | link
Really super bummed about this. The "Hello Dhal" was my favorite dish, and their hummus/black bean pita appetizer was amazing. It was a great place to go with friends for a last-minute get together. Even my 5-year old niece liked it.
But I guess that explains why I saw Menagias slingin' pizzas at City Beer Hall this weekend. I was all, "How can he run his own place AND work at CBH?" I'm sad to learn why.
RIP, WnD.
... said Kiera on Jun 15, 2011 at 10:43 AM | link
It's unfortunate to hear about any business closing, especially a place that was so loved by many. Although I loved the concept and thought the creativity and personality were unique and special, the execution fell short on the few occasions that I visited.
To echo B's sentiment, I hope that the reincarnation they speak of leads to a stonger place with the same personality and hope the members of the staff bounce back from this.
... said derryX on Jun 15, 2011 at 10:52 AM | link
I agree with Xina, I was very disappointed in the food there. (and Kevin, you're a jerk for berating someone for sharing their opinion) I loved the concept of the place, and felt it reminded me of some places I used to frequent while living in Portland, OR...at least in theory. I felt the food was undewhelming and the portion (at least the veggie napoleon) undersized, and the waitstaff gave off a hipper-than-thou attitude. And $6 for a bottled beer is outlandish.
They were definitely on the right track, but IMHO had a lot of room to improve. I will certainly give them another try wherever they land. I do hope they find a new location and do what they were attempting to do, only better.
let the flaming commence
... said jZip on Jun 15, 2011 at 12:29 PM | link
NOOOO! I had heard such fantastic things about this place, so sad.
... said ashallann on Jun 15, 2011 at 12:36 PM | link
While I'm always sorry to see an obviously much-beloved local business go under, I wasn't a fan. Then again, I don't do brunch so maybe I was missing out... Everything was $2-4 too expensive (for what it was) and the service was meh. I missed Avenue A a lot more than I'll miss WnD.
... said -R. on Jun 15, 2011 at 1:00 PM | link
@jZip, surely you must be able to see the difference between your comment and @Xina's. Yours was a collection of thoughts and a description based on your experiences: portion size, price, concept, service.
@Xina's comment was "I ate there once and thought the food sucked."
Does that comment really deserve for you to defend it?
... said Kerosena on Jun 15, 2011 at 2:05 PM | link
That's really a shame. I had occasional complaints about the service/food, but overall it was a fun and interesting place to eat. I assumed the kinks would be worked out over time.The menu was creative and I loved the use of local artists' work on the walls.
I was extremely disappointed when the Bagel Bite closed, and I dislike its new incarnation. It seems like the building's owner doesn't care about much more than the bottom line.
... said Michelle on Jun 15, 2011 at 3:09 PM | link
We've frequented WND about once a week since it opened. We consider ourselves foodies and overall, say 98% of the time, loved the food there. We tend to give new restaurants more than one opportunity to impress us since we understand that sometimes a restaurant needs to work out kinks (be a little understanding people...it's not easy to be perfect all the time...you try it!). I don't think it's right to publicly condemn a place after trying it once. When a solid, positive place like WND comes along, we need to support it. We loved WND's food, concept and owner for bringing his vision to Albany and are very sad that the estate pulled the rug out from under him. I hope he can reopen...and soon!
... said Wine N Diner Fan on Jun 15, 2011 at 3:21 PM | link
@jZip - welcome to NY, where a $6 bottled beer is not crazily overpriced, esp. when its a local brew. You obviously did not have one of the $3.00 16 oz PBR's at Wine n Diner if you're complaining about that. I'm also willing to bet you don't know much about good food since you ordered a veggie napoleon. i also like your criticism of the waitstaff as' hipper than thou' when your entire comment sounds like the opinion of a wannabe pretentious foodie. good luck with that. wine n diner was awesome, and i will miss it.
... said dude on Jun 15, 2011 at 3:24 PM | link
I'm really sad about this!! I was pleased to have this locally-owned gem in my neighborhood and wish I could have eaten there more often. Gotta love a restaurant that has "Chicken Bosoms" on the menu.
I'm sad when independent businesses go under and monster chain joints pop up like mushrooms after the rain...
... said Lisa on Jun 16, 2011 at 6:54 AM | link
Liked the food but the service was always bad.
... said Ann on Jun 16, 2011 at 11:20 AM | link
I ate there a bunch of times and thought the service sucked. Food was OK. Big woop.
... said The Troof on Jun 16, 2011 at 1:53 PM | link
@dude, thanks. i would have been entirely dissappointed if someone hadn't responded to my well thought out post with a vitriole laden character assasination.
you are entitled to your opinion and me mine, whether you agree with me or not.
but in response:
i'm sorry if my ordering the veggie napoleon in your eyes means i don't know what good food is. i do happen to be vegetarian, and have been for nearly 2 decades, so my options are frequently limited. on paper, the dish sounded good, in execution it was not. and thank you for supporting my argument by suggesting that that was not good food. apparently it was my fault for ordering it, not the restaurant's for their failure in execution.
$6 bottled beer at a restaurant IS crazy overpriced. it. just. is.
and regarding your claim that i sound like "a wannabe pretentious foodie" you sir couldn't be further from the truth. i'm a simple guy who has certain expectations from a restaurant. i work hard for my $ and hope that when i go out to eat i have a good experience all the way around, from the food, to the atmosphere, to the service, and yes, even expect not to get raped for a bottle of beer.
but go ahead and flex your keyboard muscles some more, and attack anyone who dares have an opinion that differs from yours. you're just another internet troll who is only bold enough to make such statements from the comfort of their parent's basement.
... said jZip on Jun 16, 2011 at 2:06 PM | link
Dave at Burger Centric on Delaware will make you the most delicious burger you have ever had beside the one my Mother made from grinding her own steak - but get it TO GO.
... said Uncle Laurie on Jun 17, 2011 at 10:37 AM | link