Buying liquor in Manhattan - Liquor Stores

We will be going to Manhattan at the end of the week, and will be staying in the midtown (east) area. I am wondering what the NY policy is for alcohol. Can you buy beer from regular corner stores? What about wine?

Here in Canada, except for Quebec, we must go to a provincial (or state in the US) liquor store.

I really dont want to pay astronomical sums of money drinking at the hotel bar or in mini-fridge in the room, but sometimes its nice to come back to the room after a long, tiring day and have a beer or some wine as you relax on the bed.

Any suggestions?

Buying liquor in Manhattan - Liquor Stores

Beer is sold in supermarkets and you should also find it in some of the smaller ';delis'; but wine and hard liquor must be bought in a liquor store. In midtown east you should not have a problem finding liquor stores since there are a lot of people living there. It%26#39;s harder to find a liquor store near Times Square since it%26#39;s not a residential neighborhood.

If you map your hotel on mapquest.com you can find liquor stores (and other things) near it by either using their menu for find nearby or typing whatevery you want.

Buying liquor in Manhattan - Liquor Stores

Beer can be bought in corner stores or grocery stores. Places like Whole Foods have amazing selections, especially if you want Belgian beers. We unfortunately dont get Belle Guelle Rousse! (I%26#39;m not a beer drinker but like to sample local ones when I travel - and yours is one of my favorites!)

Liquor stores sell wine and liquor. Most are open long hours Monday-Saturday. Some better ones are also open on Sunday.

I%26#39;m a Champagne drinker and spend a lot of time in airport duty free stores (you dont want to buy Champagne in most developing nations!) - other than Paris, our prices at retail are pretty comparable, so no need to schlep from Canada unless you want a specific ice wine for your room.

I swear the last two times I have been in a corner deli in NYC they have been selling wine. Not alot, but its there.

real wine, or cooking wine?

I%26#39;ve seen more wine at grocery stores, too, lately. It%26#39;s usually some sort of fruit flavored ';wine style drink';, but some actual wine, too.

Liquor and wine stores are still closed on Sundays, I believe.

I still haven%26#39;t tried ';Two Buck Chuck'; from Trader Joe%26#39;s, but it gets decent reviews!

Liquor stores are open at their own choice on Sundays - there are a few in my neighborhood (Murray Hill) open on Sundays.

So you won%26#39;t be making like poor Ray Milland in The Lost Weekend!

';real wine, or cooking wine? ';

Years ago at a cooking demonstration, the presenter mentioned that when cooking with wine use something that you would drink yourself and stay away from %26#39;cooking wines%26#39; as they are overpriced and not as good as what you would serve to guests...don%26#39;t know if that is true, however when I cook with wine I always use something in my %26#39;cellar%26#39; or a white from the refrigerator.....

FYI, if anyone is interested....

Wine and liquor in New York State can only be sold in a store with a retail liquor license. Wine can not be sold in a supermarket. When places like Costco sell wine, they have to sell it in a section with a separate entrance. Liquor stores can now open on Sunday after 12 noon. You still can not get a drink in a restaurant before noon on Sunday.

Depending on where you are in the midtown east section of New York, there is Park Avenue Liquor, strangely located at 39th and Madison, and a few blocks to the south Madison Avenue Liquors....both are open six days a week (not Sunday) Further East and to the North, where it is more residential, there will be some stores open on Sunday

Wow thanks for all the great responses. I am excited to try some of the European imports not available here.

I am not too far from 39th and Park (Tudor hotel - 41st). I will definitely check it out.

So supermarkets carry only beer. Everything else is in liquor stores. But my next question is: Do liquor stores also carry beer?

I am guessing that some of the obscurer imports won%26#39;t be available in your local corner store/supermarket. These will probably be found in a liquor store. In Canada, liquor stores are run by the province, so there is usually standard fare in most liquor stores (except if one is larger, they will carry a few more labels).

I take it that in NY, liquor stores are private (and opertating under a licence)?

cream solution