The NYC Restaurant With Free Wine In The Elevator

As the old saying goes, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." However, a New York City restaurant might have something even better — especially if you're into fine Italian wine. Located a couple blocks from the Hudson River, Ci Siamo offers an Italian-inspired menu that features seasonal ingredients. "Ci Siamo" translates to "here we are" in Italian, and considering that the meticulously designed restaurant with expansive views of Manhattan treats guests to a free glass of red wine on the elevator ride up, it's no surprise that visitors get a "we've arrived" kind of feeling.

While the elevator wine might be free, the lunch certainly isn't. Ci Siamo is definitely a trendy, upscale kind of spot, and the prices reflect that. Oprah even threw bestie Gayle King a surprise 70th birthday party at the classy joint. The lunch and dinner menus offer simple yet comforting Italian fare like pizza bianca, focaccia, tagliatelle, and a selection of live-fire proteins alongside a robust list of wines perfect for pairing with comforting Italian favorites.

Ci Siamo, the home of celebrated chef Hillary Sterling, is located on the second floor of the Manhattan West building. While the restaurant admits on its website that it can be "be a bit tricky to find," once you've made it to the elevator, you'll be greeted with a tray of stemless wine glasses nestled next to a couple of bottles of Chianti in straw baskets. A framed note that reads, "Cheers! A little something to kick things off — enjoy a glass of wine on the ride up," encourages visitors to get the festivities started before even entering the restaurant.

When it comes to elevator wine etiquette, we have to admit that Ci Siamo seems to be setting the precedent. While a more risk-averse restaurant manager may be concerned with leaving free bottles of wine unattended with guests, it's actually quite an ingenious move. With patrons only heading up to the second floor, aside from sampling some of what the restaurant has to offer and lubricating those taste buds to prepare for an excellent Italian meal, there isn't enough time to do anything particularly nefarious. It's a win-win in our book.