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The Four Horsemen

  • Bars
  • Williamsburg
  • price 2 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
  1. Liz Clayman
    Liz Clayman

    The Four Horsemen

  2. Liz Clayman
    Liz Clayman

    The Four Horsemen

  3. Janelle Jones
    Janelle Jones

    Pork sausage at The Four Horsemen

  4. Janelle Jones
    Janelle Jones

    Beef tartare at The Four Horsemen

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Time Out says

4 out of 5 stars

Walk into James Murphy’s Scandinavian-fitted watering hole and chuckle about how just a decade ago, the former LCD Soundsystem frontman was tearing up downtown with genre-blurring rock. The reformed bandleader has since sung his final note with the dance-punk darlings, and his 40-seat vino den—a joint endeavor with his wife, Christina Topsøe, partner Randy Moon and wine consultant Justin Chearno—trades that edge for laid-back elegance with minimalist woods and soft smiles. A focused small-plates menu by ex-Franny’s chef Nick Curtola and wine curations by Chearno and general manager Amanda McMillan cater to an easygoing, thick-frames-sporting crowd.

ORDER THIS: Though there are just 13 by-the-glass varieties listed on the menu at any given time, intrepid oenophiles and first-timers alike can explore one of the city’s most comprehensive selections of 250 natural and biodynamic wines. Need-to-taste pours include a subtle cream-hued Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Orthogneiss from Domaine de l’Ecu ($13) and a full-bodied Bois-Rouge cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon blend from Domaine Mosse ($13). Not to be overlooked, beer drinkers can find rare Brooklyn Brewery suds including the Galahad ($26) and a bespoke draft called the Shallows ($6).

GOOD FOR: A wind-down glass of wine and pair-as-you-please snacks. Sneaker-wearing server-somms will rattle off informal tasting notes pointing you in the right direction, but take all the liberties you want with Curtola’s vegetable-heavy offerings, the most memorable of which is summer peas blanketed in shaved ricotta salata and Calabrian chile ($14) that marries nicely with a California-sourced Les Lunes chardonnay and Colombard blend ($14). Move on to fuller-bodied reds as you tuck into meatier plates, like fermented sausage atop crème fraîche ($16) or beef meatballs floating in duck broth ($22).

THE CLINCHER: You’re sipping wine in Murphy’s house, and it certainly feels like home. Cedar ceiling slats and decorative burlap sacks double as acoustics-enhancing sound absorbers for a crowd-pleasing playlist of equal parts Van Morrison and Kate Bush. Warmly personalized touches—cutlery from Murphy and Topsøe’s wedding, eucalyptus-scented bath towels—invite you to stay for another glass. If this is what the apocalypse looks like, sign us up.

Written by
Dan Q Dao

Details

Address:
295 Grand St
Brooklyn
11211
Cross street:
between Havemeyer and Roebling Sts
Transport:
Subway: L to Bedford St, G to Metropolitan Ave; J,M,Z to Marcy St
Price:
Average glass of wine: $11. AmEx, MC, V.
Opening hours:
Daily 5:30–11pm
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