Cello 9/10

Find yourself in the East 50’s because you’ve just spent the afternoon at MoMA and you’re wanting a cocktail to pair with the intellectual experience you’ve just curated for yourself on this fine Saturday afternoon? Look no further than Cello on 53rd street.

Cello is a dimly lit, sophisticated wine and cocktail bar serving happy hour until 7 and boards of Murray’s cheese. Opening the door sort of feels like entering a fancy friend’s apartment, as the main door is positioned sort of up a few steps and in the entryway to the building, giving it a residential feeling. There’s a few high tops and some bar seating, and a room with seated tables in the back. There’s often a seat or two available at happy hour, it always seems to get just the right amount of full - a lively jovial ambience of background from other patrons without being too crowded or loud. If you’re seated at part of the bar you might have a front row view to the specialty flatbreads being made in the pizza oven and toppings being assembled by hand. We even had a front row view for the toasting of the fresh baguette that accompanied our cheese board, toasted expertly in the oven as well.

The wine list at this wine bar is appropriate, hitting the standard choices from Italy, France, Argentina, and California, among others including one natural wine option in red and one in white. Glass and bottle prices are on the inexpensive end but fairly standard. However happy hour includes $9 wines and drinks, and with the savings you’re making on the wine you’ll want to add an appetizer or flatbread onto the table as well. Boards of Murray’s cheese range from $26-36 depending on add-ons, and come with toasted baguettes, olives, fig jam & honey. We opted for the gin Fizz ($16) Fig & peach martini ($17). I have to have the fig martini every time I stop in. It’s delectable and balanced, and complements well with the cheese spread.

Cello works for a first date with a guy who works midtown and asks you to meet him “around there”, as it happens, it works for a cocktail with your mom before a museum girl’s day, it works for a girl’s night catch-up over wine and cheese. It’s malleable, it’s moody, it’s small and cozy enough, and it’s private and sexy enough.

I’ll be back at Cello soon!