Bin228 Panini & Wine Bar

Fantastic cozy atmosphere with easy service and delicious food. The rosemary garlic bread is a must-​order! Both paninis and salads at our table were a ¹⁰⁄₁₀.

It was a cold, dreary and rainy night when hubby and I arrived into town and were looking for a little Hartford love. We stumbled upon this because… well, we love wine and were in the mood for wine and a charcuterie board. This place hit it on the head!
You can’t beat ambiance with good food, great service and reasonable prices! Our server was extremely kind and patient and offered us some of her suggestions. We went with one of her favorites-​a grilled ½ avocado appetizer with fresh pico de gallo, sour cream, surrounded by chips. Smooth, creamy, warm, grilled, melt in your mouth avocado with fresh tomatoes and onions scooped up by white corn tortilla chips! Yum! I’ve never had an avocado grilled before but I definitely would again! Of course, we had to get a meat platter and a cheese platter as well. Not sure of all the names (meat/​cheeses) since we didn’t ask and they weren’t labeled but it definitely was what we’re looking for. We paired it with a wonderful bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape 2012 by Domaine Roger Perrin.
Overall, this place is quaint, small, and serves a limited menu of wine and food but I feel that’s what keeps its uniqueness!

Great things come in small packages! I’ve been coming here for years. Mostly for lunch but, been here for dinner a few times and to a couple of wine dinners. Never had a bad meal. Good place to come for dinner before or after a show. And the wines by the glass list is extensive and great! It small and cozy place and the service is great. Wonderful place to relax and enjoy a glass of wine and a bite with friends.

Bin228 has been bookmarked for a longer period of time then I care to admit, but as luck would have it I was in Hartford today, it was lunchtime and I scored on street parking (which let’s be honest is not always the easiest in downtown).
Having never been inside — I was a bit surprised at how narrow the space was but also how warm and inviting it felt. I can imagine coming here with my husband on a date night, cozying up in the corner with a wonderful glass of wine (their list is extensive), sharable plates and good conversation.
My dining companion was no less pleasant (thank Mom!) and as soon as we settled in the menu scan began. Our waitress was so pleasant and unfortunately had to come over several times before we decided on our meals — not because there was nothing good on the menu, but because everything looked delicious.
Bin228’s menu is well laid out and perfect for someone looking to get something light or shareable. The specials of the day (a seared scallop salad and shrimp pasta with peas) sounded delicious but I was in a salad mood so I ordered the Roasted salmon salad and subbed shrimp. Mom ordered the Grilled chicken, basil pesto and mozzarella panini (hold the roasted peppers).
We chatted and admired the artwork from local artists that adorned the restaurant.
Soon enough — our lunches were brought out and after fresh ground pepper was added and I took my obligatory pictures, we dug in. The salad (with a balsamic vinaigrette) was slightly over dressed for my taste BUT the italian bread that our waitress brought over remedied that situation. I can only imagine that the salmon would taste just as good.
Wonderful service, excellent food, and a cozy space. Great place for lunch or dinner in downtown Hartford.

We have been just once to this place. It’s cozy and has a nice atmosphere. For appetizers we order the lamb meatballs which were just ok. We also got the dates with goat cheese and the carpaccio, both were good. For main dish we had the fig panini and it was good. We also tried the risotto but we didn’t like at all. It was very bland.

The food was great. Not the usual fare; slightly unusual but not at all weird. Service was a tad slow, but friendly. I love Trumble Kitchen up the road but this will now be one of my go-​to places along with Salute.

Such a great spot! Excellent service all with great food and drinks. The espresso martini was the best I’ve ever had. The bread pudding was also amazing. Not a huge menu but a lot of great choices. They have an extensive wine selection, we ended up ordering a bottle. Will definitely be back!

Fabulous experience. Great service and atmosphere. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable of the menu and wine list … I ordered one of the specials and the tuna steak was fantastic.

Food and service were both excellent. We started with the soup of the day
Then got the Brussel sprouts and the tomatoes and moz bruschetta
Both were amazing
Then we split the risotto was cooked perfect with lots of flavor
Desert was pancota and the bread pudding, but rich both very good

I’ll give Bin228 3 stars because of the lack of customer service. I literally came here for the bread pudding which was delicious by the way so I had no expectations. It was a Saturday night around 9pm and to my surprise the restaurant was empty. We got seated and it took the server a good 15mins to take our order and throughout the night the service was slow. On a plus side the drinks were great!

I’m torn about this place… it’s cute and I wanted it to be amazing, but I found myself vaguely unsatisfied after my meal. I came here before going to the theater and shared a salad and a bruschetta. The salad was okay (they split it onto two plates which was nice), but it was kind of boring (spinach, onion, prosciutto). The balsamic vingrette was even more bizarre — it was thick, creamy and seemed to be mixed with pesto (which one of the waiters confirmed). A little weird.
The bruschetta was gorgonzola, hazlenut and pear — it was two thin slices of toast with the toppings. Not really worth the $ 5, but the flavor wasn’t bad.
Overall, I’d come back to try some other bruschetta perhaps, but this isn’t my top restaurant in Hartford.

Amazing eats. The menu is awesome. Care and thought for the food really come across in their dishes. I’m not a huge fan of the décor or atmosphere. it might just be the location. Has a small bar, only about 4 seats.

Exceptional wine. Delightful dishes. They don’t skimp on their portions. I had prosciutto bruschetta and smoked salmon with arugula and horseradish and capers with triangle shaped bread. Paired great with my glass of Sauvignon blanc. Intimate atmosphere. Great ambiance for a date night. Service was exceptional. Will be back!

Bin 228 is of the beaten path in downtown. It is tucked away on the lower part of Pearl Street. It’s a small, intimate wine bar with great food. My boyfriend and I love to go on Monday nights. They offer a 3 course meal for $ 25, what a deal! In addition to half off wine bottles $ 65 and under. And they will cork the bottle for you to take home if you do not finish it. The menu offerings are delicious and have never let me down. A favorite item of mine off the menu is the goat cheese and honey bruschetta. I happened to be sitting at the bar and mentioned how much I loved the goat cheese bruschetta, only to have the bartender bring over a complimentary order. I was pleasantly surprised and very appreciative. It is not everyday that you will find service like that. I felt like I was at home. The staff is always very professional and easy to talk to.
Bin 228 is a great place to take a date. It is very intimate and has a romantic atmosphere. You are able to sit and enjoy your company without fear of noise making it difficult to carry on a conversation.
It is nice to have a place like Bin 228 in downtown. It is one of a kind!

I’ve always had great experiences at bin 228. The wine selection, atmosphere, and ambiance make this cozy and intimate venue a great place to come and relax.
Specializing in Italian wines, there are over 55 fine wines to indecisively choose. With a fairly simple menu, I usually opt for a salad and some apps to share for dinner. The roasted salmon over mixed greens, olives, tomato, fresh mozzarella, balsamic vinaigrette is probably one of my favorites. Light and tasty it leaves you feeling refreshed. The grilled flank steak over baby spinach, roasted red peppers, grilled asparagus, crumbled blue cheese and balsamic reduction is a close second. It offers a hearty meal without being too heavy. The goat cheese crostini mixed greens, slivered almonds, fresh pear and a honey vinaigrette is pretty tasty too. The Pancetta wrapped gorgonzola stuffed dates and beef meatballs are my favorites to share. SO GOOD! Haven’t sampled any of their paninis, but I hear they aren’t bad for the price ($ 10)
When it’s warmer out side, the outdoor seating is a nice treat. Altogether, bin228 is nice for happy hour or half-​off bottles on Monday. For me, it’s great as a escape from the noise that is work and life — ideal quiet/​enjoyable/​romantic date spot.
Mon-​Thurs: 11:30a — 10:00p
Fri: 11:30a — Midnight
Sat: 4:00p — Midnight
Sun: Closed

The headline: Don’t miss this downtown Hartford jewel. Tasty, creative food, a superb selection of affordable wines by the glass, and truly excellent service.
Four of us stopped by for a late lunch and had the place pretty much to ourselves. I’m vegetarian, but my mother, sister, and brother-​in-​law are not. Nevertheless, the server graciously offered to distribute the preparation of one of our appetizers between a veggie-​friendly version and the standard version. When the owner herself brought out the dish and discovered that the «split» wasn’t exactly as intended, she insisted on sending over another order on the house. I «argued» that it was completely unnecessary, but the lovely and delightful owner would have none of it. To boot, our server was not only professional and very knowledgeable about the restaurant’s offerings, but warm and appropriately conversational as well. We were treated like family. Treat yourself to a visit to this genuinely fine establishment.

I only come here when I have no choice since I’m lactose intolerant and it’s a panini place: once for lunch and twice for networking dinners on week nights. The people I go with are always impressed.
I have had the fig compote and prosciutto bruschetta and the white bean purée bruschetta. They are both quite lovely. The touch of sweetness paired with the prosciutto is wonderful.
I really enjoyed the salmon panini, which fortunately has no cheese. The lemon aioli really blends quite nicely with the salmon, which was prepared perfectly. The arugula and tomato are a nice finishing touch. Delicious.
I will say that I tried a few of the wine blends back before I gave up the bottle and wasn’t impressed. One was not great at all. But wine is really so individual and I don’t remember why I disliked the blend so much. After that experience I vowed to only drink one kind of grape at a time.
By the way: this place is a lactose intolerant’s nightmare! 85% of the menu is off limits if you’re dairy free.

I’ve always had great experiences at bin 228. Between the wine selection, the atmosphere, ambiance, service, and food, its definitely one of my favorite little places to relax.
Its a small little place, with a warm inviting atmosphere. You can either sit at a low table with colorful pillows, or their bar area with a few high tops and about a 7 person bar. We love going on Mondays because they have half of bottles of wine under $ 65. The bartender is always super friendly and knowledgable of the wine and food menus. We had the cheese plate and polenta, both were fantastic!
I can’t wait until my next Monday off so I can go back again!

Bin 228 has become my little watering hole downtown and will always be one of my favorite spots in this area.
Tucked away from the nightlife on Pearl St, this is always a go-​to spot when I’m in the mood for comfort food and a quiet, relaxing evening. Exposed brick walls, local art work, floor to ceiling wine racks and antique décor make this place seem like it’s a NYC/​West Village kind of wine bar. Really cozy and warm, yet chic and classy. Perfect for dinner before or after a show.
Their Italian focused menu offers a wide variety of options. The haricot vert salad along with a delicious panini make a perfect sized dinner for 1. If I’m dining with friends we love to share several small plates and get a taste of everything — the cheese plate is always a must order! Add some olives, antipasti, bruschetta, and you’ve got yourself a table full of delicious variety. They also offer special main courses (risotto never disappoints) if you are looking for a bigger meal. Prices are, IMO, affordable — paninis at $ 10, most salads at $ 8, and the larger/​shareable plates ranging around $ 14.
I’m glad that the owner recently expanded the wine menu to include other global options. Not that I have anything against Italian wines, but it makes the menu a bit more approachable and diverse. They offer several by the glass at a good price range. They also offer some great cocktails, and their bourbon selection is pretty fantastic.
Special shout out to the owner Alicia, who I rarely see (sad face!) but truly makes an effort to remember regulars. I have met her several times and on one occasion offered complimentary samples of homemade limoncello (which was delicious but WHOA NELLY it’s potent!)
The only reason I gave this spot 4 stars despite my love for it is due to the inconsistencies with service. Kelly and Heather have been there for many years and are always super friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, but it seems like the rest of the staff can be a crap shoot. I’ve had a waitress who gave me attitude for asking for a wine sample (at a wine bar, really?), others who simply didn’t seem to know the menu when I asked questions, and on a few occasions we’ve felt rushed so a waitress could end her shift. Perhaps its a matter of training or maybe it’s just some bad eggs.
Either way, the inconsistent service has not stopped my continued patronage — the food, wine and overall experience keep me coming back again and again.

Bin 228 is a small, intimate dining spot in downtown Hartford, which I’d recommend for a lunch or dinner date. Nice wine and cocktail selection as well. This is not the place for a large group though. The bar, dining room, and even the open kitchen are tiny. That’s not a bad thing for an intimate dinner though.
I came here first about a year or so ago, and the food & service were definitely better during that first visit. Not that anything my friends and I had was bad, but the drinks, apps, and entrees all arrived at different times for different people at our table. So inevitably, someone was waiting for the rest of the food or drinks to arrive. The salmon salad was fresh and high quality, although the salmon itself was not especially flavorful. Same could be said of the Risotto entrée I had. The chicken in it was bland and tasted like it might have been re-​heated from the day before, then added. Not a whole lot of flavor in those chicken pieces.
I don’t mean to be overly negative here. This really is a nice, intimate dining spot, but since my first visit was probably a 5 star evening, it was a disappointment to see things turn out rather mediocre during this latest trip.
I would be glad to give Bin228 another shot on a future trip to Hartford.