Wine and Dine at The Terminal’s Newest Winery

By Layla Joseph

City Winery Pittsburgh opened their doors in the Strip District May 30, operating five days a week, and encouraging patrons to indulge in fine wine and upscale dining.

The national chain’s newest endeavor occupies space in The Terminal and is located on Smallman Street. Although this is Pittsburgh’s first chain, City Works has other locations on the map in cities like Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago, St. Louis and New York.

Corwin Kilvert is the general manager of Pittsburgh City Winery, joining the team just a month before the grand opening of the Pittsburgh location.

The first City Winery, established in 2008, called New York City home. The restaurants’ founder Michael Dorf has a passion for music and dignified wine that he continues to share through his restaurants in large cities nationwide. The Terminal is the chain’s 14th location.

Kilvert said that The Terminal, given its history, served effectively for the space.

“It’s vibrant, it’s dynamic,” Kilvert said. “It’s a historical location that is now finding new use and new purpose. I think Pittsburgh in general is a really dynamic place.”

Each item on their menu enhances the taste of their carefully crafted award-winning wines. City Winery sources their grapes from world-class vineyards around the United States, Argentina and Chile.

While the City Winery is getting established in Pittsburgh, their main focus in regard to their menu is product continuity. Currently they are using large-corporate suppliers to ensure consistency in their dishes, but Kilvert said their intention is to build relationships and start integrating local vendors.

“I went to Sewickley because I heard they had a great farmers market,” he said. “I brought my family, and when they were looking at flowers and food to buy for home, I was meeting vendors.”

“Within the first month of opening, we are really looking at (sourcing locally), but we have to make sure our customers know what they’re getting when they come in. You can’t roll the dice on that,” he continued.

David Lecomte, City Winery’s head winemaker, trained in France, utilizes methodology from old country winemakers and modern day technology to curate quality wine from grape to glass.

City Winery’s Barrel Room Restaurant and Wine Bar features a fully-operational winery that includes wine on tap and an extensive menu that is available for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is housed in the same location and run by City Winery.

Kilvert explained that the reason the establishment is so versatile is because City Winery strives to create distinct spaces to serve whatever their patrons are looking for.

With indoor and outdoor seating, there is plenty of room for customers to indulge in creations that are inspired from dishes all over the world.

In addition to their dining area, the restaurant offers a customizable venue that can hold anywhere from 12 to 350 guests, making it a great place for intimate wedding receptions or large corporate parties.

“If you don’t buy show tickets, which are in our venue space, you can come in for dinner, or go to the bar and have a glass of wine,” he said. “We have a space for you, and it is a full-fledged restaurant.”

When the built in stage and event venue is not being utilized for private events, it is open to Pittsburghers for comedy acts, musical performances and events like their upcoming Taylor Swift Pre-Concert Dance Party and set by SNL’s Aristotle Athari.

When customers purchase a ticket to events hosted by City Winery, they also receive a reservation so they can dine before and during the show.

The establishment has only been open since May 30 but is already a popular hub for residents in the Strip District.

“We have had immediate regulars and are already on a first name basis,” Kilvert said. “I think that’s the thing that will set us apart in the Pittsburgh landscape is our hospitality. I am already on a first name basis with at least 50 people who live in the immediate area and we have only been open a week and a half.”

Kilvert said that the feedback has been positive due to their newly developed menu and the new concepts they have brought to The Terminal.

“Our very first night we would inform our guests that it was our first night, and they were in disbelief,” he said. “Nobody believed that it was our first night and that was the nicest compliment I could have received.”