“Friends have been pestering me for years about opening my own wine bar,” says Sarah Halko, a level-two sommelier. “I love wine and I love this industry.”
Come July, Halko will do just that when she opens the doors to Aria Wine Bar (12304 Mayfield Rd.) in Little Italy. The relatively new space in the La Collina building has been home to two wine bars in its brief existence. Halko plans to be a part of the community for much longer, she says.
“I sat on the idea for years because I hadn’t found a space that I felt resonated or had great energy,” she explains. “I wanted to be part of a really nice community and I felt that what Little Italy has is something that I would love to be a part of.”
Halko is giving the space a refresh in anticipation of a mid-July opening. She is working with an importer to assemble a one-of-a-kind selection of wines that is designed to expand one’s appreciation of varietals.
“The menu is really, really stunning, featuring predominantly Italian wines, but also some good global representation as well,” Halko adds. “I’m going to keep it really tight and curated. I want to expose people to the things that you would never buy anywhere else.”
Rather than be a destination for a meal, Halko wants to be that place where people come before and after dinner on the restaurant-rich strip.
“I tell everyone in the neighborhood that I’ll happily be your waiting room,” she says. “Send them to me to grab a drink and I’ll send them right back to you for dinner.”
On offer will be small plates and shareables like meat and cheese boards, peppers in oil (a nod to Halko’s Youngstown roots), and other wine-friendly fare.
The owner also intends to host a full calendar of events such as wine tastings, poetry slams, author readings, art openings and more.
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