Close your eyes and imagine you’re sitting at a cozy candlelight wine bar in an intimate European cafe. Now open your eyes and chances are you’re sitting at Saint Urban’s in Mount Pleasant’s charming I’On Square.
Newly opened in the summer of 2023 by owners and partners Warren Johnson and Chad Besenfelder, this neighborhood gem is named after the patron saint of vintners, commonly known as wine merchants. Drawing inspiration from Europe’s most celebrated cafes, this petite wine bar and shop is a masterpiece of small spaces and shaped like a jewel box draped with velvet furnishings and illuminated with a romantic ambiance.
Saint Urban’s spares no expense when it comes to offering its guests the finest handpicked and globally sourced wines, charcuterie, farmhouse cheeses and artisanal chocolates. Their ever-changing menu will keep your palate guessing and craving more of their worldly-curated selection.
“Every cheese and every wine has a story behind it, and we love to tell those stories,” Johnson said.
The wine list is intentionally succinct and changes every two weeks, with each label tasted and selected by Johnson himself. Each bottle feels like a personal recommendation and suggested pairing for the wine bar’s menu of cheeses and charcuterie. With almost all labels available by both the bottle and glass, guests can explore the wine list at their own pace, guided by Johnson himself or his knowledgeable staff.
The menu, which changes weekly based on availability and seasonality, features ingredients for the perfect board including salamis, jamón, mortadella and pâtés. For the sweet tooth, more than 25 different luxury chocolate bars and truffles sourced from around the world provide a one-of-a-kind sampling experience.
“We work with some really great purveyors who travel constantly,” Johnson said. “They come back with some real gems for us … It’s a lot of work, but we have a darn good time doing it.”
Additionally, Saint Urban’s offers custom cheese and charcuterie boards to-go as well as in-home catering for office and holiday parties.
To plan your next date night, visit sainturbans.com.
By Zach Giroux
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