INTEL: Tony! Toni! Toné! TONI’S WINE BAR IS OPEN
New wines on the block:
Toni’s Wine Bar opens giving Schenectady its first natural wine bar
With a love of natural wines inspired by the Lucas Confectionery in Troy, and 20 years working in the industry, owner Toni Riggi set her sights on opening a natural wine bar in Schenectady. Having sourced vintage decor and the perfect location, the doors opened on Nov. 19 + we caught up with Toni for the early scoop.
— SDP
Hi, Toni. Thanks for talking with The Dishing. What’s your backstory in hospitality or natural wine?
I have a degree from The University of Delaware in Hotel and Restaurant Management and in the last twenty years have hit nearly every segment of the hospitality industry. I’ve worked in dive bars, fine dining, catering, institutional dining, and a brewery — (with roles at Aperitivo, Milano’s and Frog Alley Brewing) — but my love of natural wine began when the Lucas Confectionery opened in Troy 12 years ago. We are very conscientious of what we put in our bodies in terms of food, so to me it’s only logical to hold that same mindset when it comes to what we drink. I would pick the brains of Jes Rich who owns Sage Wine & Spirits in Ballston Spa. Since there aren’t a ton of options locally, I often ended up traveling to purchase wine and I made many day trips to small towns in the Catskills and Hudson Valley buying a case of wine at a time. Rather than making selections based on varietal or region, I’d choose wines based on the importer so I could get an understanding of which import companies aligned with my preferences. I also go to the city for tastings, including the Raw Wine Fair.
2. Are you from Schenectady and how did you find this space? What was there before?
My parents went to Draper High School which was in Rotterdam and is now part of Mohonasen. Their roots are deeply Schenectady, with GE alums on both sides. They raised my brother and I an hour north in the town of Moreau, and by happenstance, we both found our way to Schenectady. He works behind the bar with me and threatens to quit every weekend, but keeps coming back! My affinity for Schenectady began in 2007 when I started working for Mazzone Hospitality. I was drawn by the resurgence of downtown which (in my opinion) had quite a bit to do with Aperitivo Bistro where I worked from 2008 to 2012. When we opened, we were the only game in town so everyone in Schenectady was there. It was an exciting time and I learned a lot not only about the industry but also the economic pulse of a small city in a revitalization phase.
As soon as I saw the Lucas Confectionery for the first time, I knew I wanted to do something similar someday and Schenectady was the obvious choice. I looked at six other locations before finally landing on this space on Barrett Street. It was formerly a hair salon and I couldn’t be happier with its size and location.
3. Are you planning to offer food?
We did a couple soft launches to get comfortable with the flow of service and wine offerings. Next weekend we will expand to bite-sized desserts and artisanal cheese boards. All the desserts will be made by my good friend Bri Wells who is opening her own café and bakery in Rotterdam called Oh, Honey. She has also been advising with the opening process. (She is an angel sent from Heaven!) Once we get comfortable with food, we will start using the space for private parties and she’ll be one of our exclusive caterers. There are also plans to open on Mondays, hosting pop-up chefs. Not a lot is open in Schenectady on Mondays so I want to really beef up the food offerings that day and it’s a great opportunity to showcase the talents of local chefs who may not have a brick-and-mortar location.
4. I know you sourced a lot of your vintage furnishings. What was the overall inspiration for the bar?
I started collecting furniture at the beginning of 2023 (long before we had the space we’re in now). Similar to my wine adventures, I would take day trips to antique stores, flea markets, and estate sales. I am also a big fan of the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Schenectady. It was a somewhat arduous process because I had to find places to store all this furniture which mainly ended up in my parents’ basement until they made me get a storage unit. My best friend had a beautiful set of barrel chairs from her grandfather that she had reupholstered for me as an opening gift. I studied wine bars in New York and Boston not just for décor and atmosphere, but for operational flow as well. I fell in love with Sauced in the Lower East Side and Haley Henry in Boston. I also enjoyed the warmth and energy of The Maker Lounge in Hudson.
Ed. note: The menu includes pours by the glass and a small selection of beer, liquor, and non-alcoholic spirits
5. How many can you seat?
There are eleven seats at the bar and about thirty seats throughout the space. It’s a pretty cozy space with some lounge-style seating, a couple of two tops for dates, and some high top tables as well. During one of the soft launches, two of my friends tried out every seat in the bar because they’re all so different from each other!
Toni’s Wine Bar 158 Barratt Street, Schenectady. | IG: @toniswinebar | toniswinebar.com | Open Weds to Sat.
Photos provided. 11/25/25