Profile

This mega-chain ventured into Manhattan in 2005, forty years after launching on the West Coast with the promise of high-quality, globally-sourced products self-branded then sold for cheap. This philosophy—along with the goofy in-store advertisements  like "Our Products Rock!" in Hawaiian-style fonts—now extends to a wine and beer annex whose cornerstone is Two Buck Chuck: overstock varietals from California originally priced at $1.99. (Since New York's bottles are shipped from Massachusetts, they're actually closer to $4.) While there are private labels here too, the average price hovers around $7. These are not big wines, but most of what you'll find is highly drinkable. If your purchase disappoints, open three more. It'll feel like a bargain. — Alexandra Vallis

There is also an ecletic selection of small batch and local brews.