4. There are vintage spirits old enough to belong in a museum.
The wine program at Oriana reads like the cellar notes of an obsessive collector. The list leans European, with grower Champagne, Saint-Joseph Syrah, Alpine Schiava, volcanic Fiano from Avellino, and mature Sauternes, including a 1999 Château d’Yquem. Even the domestic picks skew more toward the thoughtful over the obvious, with the list favoring acidity and balance rather than trophy labels. Not including sweet wines, the list has more than 1,700 labels, 152 of which are priced at $95 and under.
But it’s the restaurant’s expansive list of archival spirits that stands out. The Chartreuse selection alone — spanning rare Verte and Jaune Voiron from the 1950s onward — would stop serious bartenders in their tracks. Agave, too, is treated with equal seriousness, with bottles like Fortaleza and El Jolgorio alongside a deep bench of amari, Calvados, eau de vie, Japanese whisky, and non-alcoholic aperitifs. Signature cocktails include the Giving Tree, a low-ABV, savory drink made with mastiha, a Greek liquor made with mastic tree resin, yogurt, and dill. For something more classic, opt for the Figarello, made with smoky bourbon, Scotch, fig, and black sea salt.
A growing number of restaurants are offering inventive martinis, and Oriana is no exception. Here, you can order a pickled pea Gibson made with gin and vermouth, a gin martini with Fino sherry, or a vodka martini. Further, you can order Oriana’s martini service for the whole table — priced between $146 for four full martinis and $296 for eight full martinis. It’s made with your choice of spirit, poured from an antique silver chalice, and presented with a Meyer lemon twist and smoked mozzarella stuffed Gordal olives.
