Vintage Wine Bar and Bistro in Farmingdale closing, citing rising costs

After 10 years of serving a wide variety of wines and tapas on Farmingdale’s Main Street, Vintage Wine Bar and Bistro is set to pour its last glass.

Owner Jeff Rumman said the restaurant will close April 7.

"The cost of doing business in New York is getting too high, and I feel that it’s time to move on," Rumman said.

When Vintage Wine Bar and Bistro opened in 2015 at 185 Main St., it offered more than 40 wines sold for less than $10 a glass and less than $35 a bottle, Newsday previously reported.

The menu also featured more than 30 tapas, soups, salads, bruschetta and pizzas, among other items, under $10.

At the time of its announcement, wine glass prices had risen to less than $13 and bottles range from $45 to $57. Tapas run closer from $13 to $15, while pizzas ring in at up to $22.

Rumman said the business first felt a financial pinch almost exactly five years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But rising prices due to inflation over the past five years is the true culprit for its financial issues, he said.

"Everything from insurance to produce, meats; there isn’t one thing that hasn’t risen 40, 50% in the restaurant business," he said.

Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce President Joseph Garcia said that local restaurants are also seeing a softening in sales due to rising costs, as more consumers are hyper aware of their spending.

"When you have less sales and higher costs, it's a recipe for difficult times for small businesses," Garcia said.

"Two people can’t go out to eat for less than $100 bucks anymore," Rumman said. "Ultimately, inflation has caused people to reevaluate their spending habits, and the whole industry is suffering as a result of it."

In addition, most local restaurants who depended on federal loans during the pandemic are now required — and struggling — to pay them back.

"If you're having difficulties paying it back, it unfortunately incentivizes the closure of a business," Garcia said.

Overall, Garcia said Farmingdale still has a thriving downtown, with zero current vacancies on its Main Street and few business closures. 

"We’re lucky," Garcia said.

About 15 to 20 people work at Vintage Wine Bar and Bistro, according to Rumman, who said he hopes to hire as many as he can at his other restaurant, High Tide Taco Bar, at 257 Main St.

"I’m telling my story because it’s important for everyone to be reminded to support local Main Street businesses," Rumman said. "Everyone is going through the same thing."