Park Slope gets a glorious celebration of Spanish wines (and tapas!) with Bar Vinazo  

By Scott Lynch

Joe Campanale and Ilyssa Satter, Brooklyn restaurateurs and wine enthusiasts, are huge fans of Park Slope.

“We love this neighborhood,” Satter tells Brooklyn Magazine. “We moved here 10 years ago and we’ve always really enjoyed being part of this community. And from the very beginning we knew we wanted to do more here.”

And so, after Campanale opened local favorites Fausto on Flatbush in 2017, and LaLou over on Vanderbilt in 2019, the couple have now given us what might be their best neighborhood hangout yet, the new Spanish wine and tapas spot Bar Vinazo.

“As long as Ilyssa and I have known each other I’ve talked about opening a Spanish wine bar,” said Campanale. “My love of Spain came from living in Madrid, a summer abroad during college that was one of the most fun times I’ve had in my life. It was also the first time I really drank wine with meals, and saw how it could make food taste better, and make conversations more fun.”

At Bar Vinazo, Campanale transports that tasty, tipsy vibe to Park Slope, creating an oasis of chill times and great wines amid the bustle of Seventh Avenue. Having an expansive, nicely terraced back patio certainly helps in that regard, but there’s also a relaxed, welcoming pace to the place that adds to the neighborly feel.

The patio won’t be this empty for long (Scot Lynch)

The wine list here is really more of a wine book, with selections from nearly 100 different vineyards representing 16 different regions of Spain. A glass of something will cost you about $13, and the majority of bottles are priced under $75.

These relatively low prices are another reason Campanale is so stoked to open Bar Vinazo. “The quality of Spanish wines for the price is way better than those from either France or Italy,” he says. “And that’s true at every price point, from the most entry-level wines to the $100 bottles.”

There’s a full cocktail program here, too, and a few beers and ciders if you want to mix things up a bit, booze-wise.

Silvia Garcia-Nevado is in charge of Bar Vinazo’s food menu, and the Barcelona-born, Brooklyn-bred chef offers up an ambitious array of traditional tapas and conservas as well as composed plates using recipes from her family’s kitchen.

My party of three feasted on about half the menu (you don’t need to eat that much to feel happy and satisfied; three or even two plates per person is plenty). My favorites included a vibrant salt cod, fennel, and citrus dish called esqueixada; and the remarkably tender Galician style octopus, dusted with paprika and laid out over thinly sliced potatoes.

Esqueixada, salted cod fish with fennel and orange, $18 (Scott Lynch)

The tinned chipirones, which are the most meltingly soft squid I’ve ever eaten.

Chipirones, $25, and bonito del norte, $18 (Scott Lynch)

The boquerones, or marinated anchovies, are also superb, laid out on a bed oil all briny and bright.

Boquerones, $15, and a bowl of quicos, $4 (Scott Lynch)

The cheesy spinach canelones are wonderfully rich and gooey.

Spinach and bechamel canelones, $24 (Scott Lynch)

The potato and manchego croquetas are deliciously creamy and studded with funky Iberico, which is touted by just about everyone as the finest ham in the world.

Croquetas de jamon y queso, $16 (Scott Lynch)

And if you just want something to nibble on, the quicos, or well-spiced corn nuts, will totally do the trick. Oh and get some of the sourdough bread, too. It’s from Winner, and hits the table warm.

“There’s been so much enthusiasm from the community, it’s been great,” says Satter. “We have a small child at home and rarely get the opportunity to dine out ourselves anymore, so, selfishly, we were also really excited to have a place like this in our own neighborhood.”

Bar Vinazo is located at 158 Seventh Avenue, right near Garfield Place, and is currently open on Tuesday through Sunday from 5 to 11 p.m.