Wedged between a Subway, Goodwill, a tire shop and something called “Just Handle It” (?!?) off of U.S. Route 33 is probably not where you’d expect to find a carryout with the greatest of booze selections. But Carnardo Wine & Cheese offers a vintage variety sure to please even the most devoted wino.
This quaint carryout offers a selection of wines too high to count – owner Bob Bernardo himself has no idea how many wines are available in the shop, but makes a point to pack every available corner in the 1,600 square-foot space with a diverse selection. One of the patrons at the bar suggests there are close to 2,000. Bernardo shrugs. Looking around, I can’t imagine the estimate is far off, with wines ranging from under $10 to upwards of $250 and comprised of every wine style you can think of.
Carnardo also stocks an acceptable beer selection – two coolers dedicated to craft brews, locals like CBC and Elevator and national favorites from Bells’s, Dogfish Head and Rogue among them, and another cooler half-stocked with import bottles. Next to these you’ll find the cheeses promised in the name – certainly not a selection to rival specialty cheese shops, but roughly two dozen artisan cheeses perfect for pairing with a pour of grapey goodness.
There’s a small bar upfront that can seat a half dozen patrons, as well as two tables out front on a small patio. There’s a handful of regulars planted firmly on the barstools every day, and they all seem to know each other, whether or not they actually do. On the weekends, Bernardo says, some of the customers bring in appetizers to share. They like to share their wine, too – I was offered a glass of wine from a stranger’s bottle when I popped in to snap a few photos.
And why not? Carnardo does not charge a corkage fee for bottles opened in the store, and offers re-corking also at no cost to preserve your vino. They also have a monthly rotating selection of eight wines you can order by the glass.
Carnardo is located at 3567 Riverside Drive in Upper Arlington. The shop is open six days a week and closed Sundays. For more information, call (614) 326-0960.
