You wouldn’t think there's space to fit a winery in the tightly packed cluster of shops in front of Tamachi Station, but Wineman has achieved an unlikely feat in a two-storey building that was once a yakitori restaurant. This wine shop crossed with an Italian restaurant (Antica Baceria Belli'talia) is hidden in a narrow back alley, with its storefront painted in a vivid shade of green. In an annex to the side of the building, you’ll see a small production room filled with enormous stainless steel fermentation vessels for making small batch wine in autumn and apple cider in winter.
If you’re looking to stock up on a few bottles for your home, you’ll find a selection of Wineman’s wines and ciders in the shop upstairs, which also carries a wide variety of imported wines (primarily Italian) from indie winemakers with quirky labels. The second floor also doubles as a casual dining space where you can sit around a long communal table and order a cheese platter and bowl of pasta to pair with a glass of red or white.
The downstairs dining area is a slightly more formal space with an open kitchen for when you want to treat yourself to a full course meal. Seasonal specialities include the firefly squid gnocchi in a herb butter sauce (¥2,800) and white truffle spaghetti carbonara (¥2,000).
While the downstairs kitchen is primarily open for dinner, you can come for lunch on weekends and choose among three set menus. An appetiser and main dish is priced at ¥2,800 (including coffee or tea), while an appetiser with two main dishes (a pasta dish of your choice and the daily special) costs ¥4,300. A third option with an appetiser, pasta dish and charcoal grilled steak (must be ordered by two people) is available for ¥5,600.