List Summary

It is hard not to feel like you’ve arrived looking out over Central Park from this pedigreed perch, filled with 20-ft-tall flower arrangements (or so it seems) and about three back handsprings of space (unfortunately we were unable to test our estimated measurement) between each table. And, by God you have. The sister restaurant to the French Laundry, which is considered the greatest restaurant in America, Per Se has proven that it is every bit as perfect.

As you may have been able to guess, there are plenty of highfalutin things happening here—from the execution of the food, to the presentation, to the décor. This is not a criticism, and in fact if Per Se didn’t maintain a consistent level of pomp, the food wouldn’t make sense. It deserves the ceremony. In fact, it needs the ceremony. And with a wine list that is just as well executed as the food, so deserves the wine.

The somms serve every wine not only with detail, proper stemware, and a seemingly encyclopedic knowledge, but also in a much more engaging and enjoyable way than you’d expect from a group dressed in suits that’d put Patrick Bateman to shame.

While the wine list offers everything you could ask for, all in a seamless and un-cluttered format, we have to be frank. The real dining experience at this $275 per head Prix Fixe restaurant lies in having your wines paired with the courses. If you’re going to drop $500+ per couple on food alone, you might as well go all the way.

However, if you decide to go a la carte on wine, or if you are looking for something atmospheric, there are meticulous folds that you can tuck into with confidence. The list is chosen with such care that it is hard to go wrong anywhere. Of course, markups are rock hard, but let’s face it, no one comes to Per Se for a bargain. Most come here to bump glasses of Leflaive and casually crack half bottles of Mouton without looking at the price.

But, for those who do arrive on a budget, there’s the option of going entirely by the glass, which is anything but a disappointing route. With 47 selections ranging in price from $10 - $250, you could make a month of it.

While this isn’t exactly a list that offers something for everyone, per se (no pun intended), it does offer something for those who actually dine at a restaurant like this, and it does it with true depth, class, and attention to detail. Not surprisingly, this list is one of the city’s best for the non-budgeted.