M WINEHOUSE

Where Ironside thunders with a full kitchen and Born & Raised performs tableside theater, M Winehouse does something none of its neighbors bother with: it asks you to put down your phone, pour a second glass, and play a board game upstairs. That's not a quirk — that's the identity. The bi-level cottage, with its tin ceiling and wine-saying-plastered walls, operates more like someone's very well-stocked living room than a conventional bar, and that distinction matters on a street that otherwise skews toward big rooms and bigger checks.

The building itself earns its historical landmark status — this is one of the older structures on India Street, a genuine 1800s cottage that survived the neighborhood's many reinventions. The passeggiata crowd tends to stumble in by accident and stay for two hours. That's the M Winehouse arc.

The staff knows the list, which skews interesting and global rather than obvious. Ask about Sangiovese or whatever's pouring well that night — the team can walk you through it when they're engaged, though busier evenings lean toward QR code self-service, which is the honest downside here. If you want a guided experience, come on a slower weeknight and say so upfront.

Head upstairs. The lower level has its charms, but the second floor is where the board games live and where the cottage vibe fully delivers — quieter, more intimate, a world away from the Piazza della Famiglia foot traffic just outside. Outdoor seating is available for the pet-friendly set who'd rather watch India Street move than retreat from it.

At the very expensive price point, you're paying for the space as much as the wine — this is date-night or small-group territory, not a quick glass before a reservation across the street. The sangria draws consistent praise if wine-by-the-glass feels too considered for the mood.