Velvet 48 Wine Bar Opens in Burlingame with Retail Bottles and Complimentary Bubbles | Eater SF

"Upon opening this Friday, May 3, a 17-foot-high wall of sparkling wine will greet customers, and a complimentary glass of sparkling wine—created for Velvet 48 with Sonoma’s Rack & Riddle—will be the first taste of this smooth-looking new bar and bottle shop at 310 Lorton Avenue in Burlingame. Owner Jason Cooper, a 20-year wine industry professional, has stocked the space with 5,000 bottles and offers 50-by-the-glass pours at any time, reflecting his experience as a wine buyer, sommelier, and sales manager at places like Cain Vineyard & Winery, The Grateful Palate, and Excelsior Restaurant. Drinkers will find Napa favorites such as Stags Leap Wine Cellars and Schafer Vineyards alongside old-world imports including Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe and Domaine Faiveley; customers may purchase any bottle to drink on premises without a corkage fee, and purchases of more than six bottles receive a 25 percent discount. Designed by Kara Piepmeyer of ROY Hospitality Design, the space seats 49 at banquettes and bar seating and includes a back patio, plus a custom wine room built with Bay Area Wine Cellars that customers can peer into while snacking on local cheese and charcuterie, gougères, warm olives, and As Kneaded bread with butter. For dessert there’s Guittard Chocolate, macarons, and dessert wine, and a custom Meyer Sound system tuned by Cooper’s brother-in-law, Broadway sound designer Brian McDonald, will help set the vibe. Starting May 5 Velvet 48’s hours will be Tuesday–Thursday 3 p.m.–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 12 p.m.–11 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m.–10 p.m." - Caleb Pershan