Twin-Run Wine Cellar Pouring Wine, Raki and Grappa
Kantina Binjaket takes its name from the two brothers who own it: binjaket is Albanian for the twins. They run the room themselves, which in a cellar of this si…Kantina Binjaket takes its name from the two brothers who own it: binjaket is Albanian for the twins. They run the room themselves, which in a cellar of this size means the person pouring is the person who chose the bottle.
Features
Type
Wine bar
Price
$$ Mid-range
Schedule
Daily exc. Sun
FAQ
What does the name Kantina Binjaket mean?
Binjaket is Albanian for the twins, and the cellar is named for the two brothers who own and run it. On a room this size that is not decoration: the pair behind the counter are the ones who chose what is on the shelves.
What is poured at Kantina Binjaket besides wine?
Raki and grappa alongside the Albanian wine. Raki in particular is the domestic spirit, distilled from grape, plum or mulberry, and a cellar is a more natural place to try it than a cocktail bar in Blloku.
Where do the tastings take place?
In the cellar itself, among the stored bottles, rather than in a tasting room arranged separately for visitors. It is a less polished setting than the newer wine bars and it is a fair part of the appeal.
How does this differ from a Blloku wine bar?
In setting and in feel. The newer Blloku rooms follow an international wine-bar model with a curated list and a kitchen. A kantina is closer to how Albanians have always drunk: a cellar, a counter and whatever the owners are pouring.
Is Kantina Binjaket a good first stop or a later one?
A later one. It reads best as a counterpoint once you have seen the newer wine rooms, because the contrast between the two formats is the interesting part rather than the cellar taken on its own.
