The Pet Shop

The upstairs space at Pet Shop, a two-floor bar on Newark Avenue, offers $8 shot-and-beer combos and good Happy Hour deals, but besides an entirely vegetarian menu of bar snacks, it’s generally just another casual place to drink downtown. The downstairs bar, though, feels like a wine cellar that’s been converted into a living room, and serves an interesting selection of natural wines. It’s a great spot for a casual date, and if there’s a lull in conversation, you can bring up one of the quotes on the wine list, like an Italian white wine described as, “Tropicana sun tan lotion dripping off your hand into the sand but in your mouth.”