Eliza Dumais
Verified- Writer and Editor, Freelance
- Senior Editor, Forbes
- None, Freelance (Financial Times, Caper, PUNCH)
- None, Forbes, Freelance
New York
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Articles by Eliza Dumais
How Social Media Propelled the ‘Cult’ Wine World Into Absurdity Original
The “cult wine” of yore still prevails. Priced in quadruple digits (or higher), released in scarce quantities, and scooped up by collectors who identify as Sotheby’s regulars, these bottles are often elusive and unattainable to all but a select few. Think: crates of Screaming Eagle, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, or Château Lafite — estates with centuries of pedigree bolstering their prestige (and their price tags).
What the Sysco News Means For Bars, Restaurants and Diners
This is an excerpt from Pre Shift, our newsletter for bartenders, chefs and hospitality workers. Subscribe for more stories like this. This is a deep dive into what my Eater colleagues have dubbed The Syscourse—the ongoing discourse that has surrounded the broadline food distributor Sysco over the past few weeks. Whether you’re deep in those conversations yourself or you want a primer on what’s been going on, we’ve got you covered.
New York’s Buzziest New Restaurant Is a Pub Original
Dining Out Behind the scenes at Dean’s. May 11, 2026, 2:00 PM UTC Matt Russell This excerpt was originally published in Pre Shift, our newsletter for the hospitality industry. Subscribe for more first-person accounts, advice, and interviews. Now Open is a yearlong series celebrating some of 2026’s most exciting new restaurants. Throughout the year, we’ll check in with teams in Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. to hear what it’s really like behind the scenes of a buzzy opening.
What ‘Chicken-Gate 2026’ Tells Us About Modern Restaurant Economics and the Affordability Crisis in NYC
You’re already suffering from half-chicken fatigue. The phrase “$40 half-chicken” has been evoked with such great repetition, it’s lost all meaning. But the truth is, we’re not really talking about a half-bird anymore. Well, we are — but we’re also talking about the sustainability of restaurant economics, and the bleak, ever-worsening affordability crisis that’s changing both how we eat, and how our local venues operate.
A place to drink wine in New York for every occasion
This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to New York City In New York, if you throw a stone, you’ll hit a wine bar.
The Private Dining Room Boom
Kabawa’s private dining room. I n New York, privacy is a novel thing. We’re a people primed for exhaustive togetherness, perennial public exposure. We share walls, floors, bedrooms. We co-mingle in subway cars and office suites. So why, at this particular juncture, does the “private dining room” seem so central to the city’s hospitality scene? Surely you’ve heard of the ever-ubiquitous PDR—likely you’ve visited one or two (or three or four).
The Ultimate Guide to Wine Glasses
First things first, let it be known: Drinking from ill-suited glassware is not a sin. Should you find yourself at a table, surrounded by people you actually like, drinking good—or even totally middling—wine, the sanctity of your experience will not be ruptured by the selection of a Bordeaux glass over a Burgundy model. In fact, great wine, enjoyed from a ceramic teacup, is still great wine. Nonetheless, there’s some value to understanding the schools of thought behind varietal-specific glassware.
The Ultimate Guide to Wine Glasses
11 hours ago There’s a reason why it’s racked up over 7,700 five-star ratings. The kitchen is the hub of every home. We cook dinner, meal prep, bake desserts, and grab snacks to munch on during family movie night. Then comes the pileup of dishes and glassware on the counter and in the kitchen sink that needs to …
Here’s where New York’s top chefs eat after service
This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to New York City There is a whole constellation of New York restaurants that thrives...
10 A-List Drinks Pairings for Oscar-Nominated Films
While Hollywood is busy thanking the Academy—and we’re on our couches in non-gala attire—it seems only right that we introduce an element of glamour to our at-home Oscars viewings. For those not feeling compelled to rent a tux, there’s a lower-stakes solution worth considering: wine pairings for each of this year’s biggest films. You see, great movies, like great wines, should evoke something: tears, laughter, rage, fear, lust, nostalgia.
Is the Death of Happy Hour Upon Us?
Since time immemorial, 5 p.m. has reigned as America’s thirstiest hour. It’s the socially contracted juncture when one can shamelessly commence drinking—it’s 5 o’clock somewhere—and, in turn, our designated window for low-cost margaritas and fried appetizers. But in many cities, all that is changing along with our shifting office culture, drinking habits, and restaurant-business landscape. Even for all its time-honored lore, it would seem that happy hour as we know it is in peril.
The Best Red Wine For Thanksgiving, Christmas and More
Whether the intention is pure hedonism, culinary prestige, avoidance, social lubrication, social buffering or all of the above, it’s very likely that you’ll find a bottle of wine amidst your holiday spread this season (non alc or otherwise). That said, there are certain stipulations to heed when it comes to bottle selection.
Pitcher Perfect
Bestseller Bailey’s sparkling fourth Big Shots romance (after Dream Girl Drama) pairs a playboy hockey player with a prickly softball pitcher. Boston Bearcats rookie Robbie Corrigan is smitten from the moment he meets college senior and Division 1 softball star Skylar Page. Unfortunately for him, she just overheard Robbie boasting about his sexual exploits and writes him off as a pig.
Tourist Season
Brynne Weaver. Slowburn, $28.95 (368p) ISBN 978-1-63893-210-9 Just as gleefully ghoulish as fans will expect, this series-launching black comedy from bestseller Weaver (Butcher and Blackbird) pairs two serial killers in a quirky coastal town. After running from a traumatic past, Harper Starling landed in Cape Carnage, where she was taken under the wing of aging serial murderer Arthur Lancaster, who trained her to “protect the town” by dispatching obnoxious tourists.
Spellcaster
Jaymin Eve. Mira, $18.99 trade paper (336p) ISBN 978-1-3354-7200-7 Eve (Supernatural Academy) draws readers into a steamy if somewhat formulaic new adult romantasy set at an elite magic school. A witch’s magic blooms at 22 and only the most powerful are granted admission to Weatherstone College.
As I was starting to concept the second print volume of Love & Other Rugs, I asked journalist Eliza Dumais (also, my editor and best friend) to write an essay about falling in love in New York. We both happen to have an affinity for making out with boys under the dim light of a local wine bar. Her the wine writer, me the wine drinker, have also found ourselves with standing appointments, glass of something sparkling in hand, to recount said rendezvous.
The SWURL Guide to Commonly Used Wine Terms
Featuring over 60 essential wine terms, the SWURL Guide offers clear, approachable definitions that demystify the language of wine. Whether you’re just starting out or building on what you know, this illustrated guide helps you navigate the world of wine without the fuss. For European customers, please visit Rerenga Wines to purchase the guide.
The Problem of the Cocktail Garnish
On a scale from one to wild, the contemporary cocktail garnish is hard to place. At present, your drink—regardless of what, exactly, you’ve ordered—seems just as likely to arrive topped with a tidy curl of orange peel as, say, a proper octopus tentacle, or perhaps an entire quail. Therein lies the problem of the garnish: Nontraditional innovation is certainly a positive, but when does innovation cross the absurdity threshold? How much caviar do we really need on any given table?
For Wine Writer Alice Feiring, Natural Wine Is Not Just a Trend
Alice Feiring has been writing about natural wine since long before “chilled red” and “skin contact” emerged as standard subheadings on wine lists. In fact, her work predates popular use of the moniker “natural wine” itself. “My first big wine story came out in 2001—after which, I was immediately branded as a natural wine writer,” she says.
Coravin Timeless Three+ Review
By Ian Garrity, as told to Eliza Dumais As a sommelier, I want to usher in a new generation of drinkers-and make wine feel more democratic on the whole—but that's not always easy. For casual and novice drinkers, it's tough to experiment or try new things when desirable bottles can be extremely pricey, and are limited. Even for seasoned drinkers, the cost prohibits plenty of folks from tasting bottles from sought after producers or regions.
The Destination Bachelorette Burnout Is Real-Plan a Local One Instead
The bachelorette party—nearly Shakespearean in its implied drama and delight—has grown so profoundly popular as to seem a mandated prerequisite to marriage itself (did you even wed if you didn’t fly to Miami beforehand to inhale espresso martinis with your nearest and dearest?!).
The Destination Bachelorette Burnout Is Real-Plan a Local One Instead
Olga Pankova/Getty The bachelorette party—nearly Shakespearean in its implied drama and delight—has grown so profoundly popular as to seem a mandated prerequisite to marriage itself (did you even wed if you didn’t fly to Miami beforehand to inhale espresso martinis with your nearest and dearest?!).
Five Restaurants Share Their VIP “Splash” Policies
This is an excerpt from our newsletter for industry pros, Pre Shift. Subscribe for more stories like this. In industry lexicon, there are no VIPs—there are PXs. An abbreviation for the French “personne extraordinaire,” the restaurant-ism is a unique delineation for diners of, well, distinction.
So Long, Chilled Reds. The “Big Red” Renaissance Is Upon Us.
You’re familiar with the Big Reds guy. You can picture him now: monocled, aging, really into discussing credit card points. Nothing like the stick-and-poked pét-nat evangelist at your local wine bar. Then again, historically speaking, all trends obey the laws of circularity... and if low-rise jeans can return to favor, so, too, can Bordeaux. It goes without saying that the “chilled red” movement has gone rogue.
Is Sex Good For Your Skin? The Orgasm Glow, Explained
Maybe they're born with it, maybe it’s orgasm. All great Internet Soliloquies begin with the same, storied opening line: “So, a lot of you have been asking me about my skincare routine”––after which, you’ll likely hear a Youtube heiress wax poetic about toning, exfoliation, night masks, cardio, and maybe the thrice daily consumption of a rare variety of Japanese sweet potato.
Why You Have a Low Sex Drive In the Winter
Baby, it’s cold outside. Evolutionarily, it makes sense that we'd be less likely to take our clothes off when the weather drops below freezing. But beyond matters of warmth-related self-preservation, it would seem that the winter season impacts libido in the larger sense, too. Sure, “cuffing season” is in full swing––but that’s certainly no indicator that sex drives are at an all-time high.
This Is the Best Magnum of Wine for the Holidays in 2024
’Tis the season for hedonism (among other things... allegedly). The next two months are not merely about good wine—but also, a lot of wine. And arriving at your next holiday function with a magnum is not only glamorous, but practical. Then again, a double bottle is a commitment: 1,500 milliliters, of what?
A beginner’s guide to candle play.
How to play with fire. In the realm of gateway kink, there are few finer soft-core entry points than candle play. Whether you’re going soft-lit for ambiance, leaning into a particularly stimulative, erotic scent, or exploring the allure of dripping oil, candles are among the more versatile and attainable tools available to you in the bedroom. And they’re just as effective in the realm of decor as they are orgasm aids.
Just Popping By a BYO Party With 200 of NYC’s Top Wine Pros
To open your 2002 DRC or not to open your 2002 DRC? While perhaps not the question—it is, indeed, a question. The compulsion to squirrel away precious bottles is a familiar one for most wine enthusiasts. So, too, is the deliberation over when to drink them, and with whom. Earlier this month, Chase Sinzer—a man with a hospitality résumé that includes wine director roles at Union Square Hospitality Group and Momofuku Ko—provided an actionable solution for New York’s premier wine pros: Come to Claud.
All the Questions You’re Too Afraid to Ask at the Wine Bar, Answered
By Emily Post’s standards, modern dining is positively lawless. The very conventions of table etiquette have been cast off: People are eating salads with their hands, drinking wine from stemless glasses, forgoing the soup spoon (whichever one that is). Whatever merit all those quintessential fine dining dictums may have, the problem—beyond the dated bourgeois framework—is that they have little to do with the ways our hospitality venues function right now.
The Timeless Allure Of The Transit Crush.
On metro-based meet-cutes. For those unfamiliar with the urban lore of the transit crush, one can merely take a cursory glance at the Craigslist Missed Connections archives for reference. The pages are rife with testimonials of love both found and lost in the canals of the subway, the belly of an airplane, perhaps even the backseat of a rideshare.
the everything shower.
turn routine bathing into an indulgent ritual of self-care and body appreciation. From the TikTok creators who brought you “girl dinner,” we now present the “everything shower” — a concept that requires limited introduction. In short, it refers to the rare bathing experience whereby the central focus is leisure, rather than efficiency. You’re not hosing down in the hopes of rushing to work on time without raising hygiene concerns…you’re luxuriating. Maybe you wash and condition your hair.
Who’s Drinking What at New York’s Sceney Natural Wine Bars?
It’s 6 o’clock in Dimes Square and everyone is Dressed with a capital D. The temperature is New York-in-July, so the heat comes from everywhere: the sidewalk vents, the cars, the sun overhead. It’s a Tuesday, but by midsummer, everyone knows that days of the week are irrelevant—Tuesday is to Sunday is to Monday afternoon. Which is to say, people are out. And they are drinking.
Who’s Drinking What at New York’s Sceney Natural Wine Bars?
Maya Jama 1 day ago Maya Jama's minimalistic swimwear wardrobe is seriously unmatched hellomagazine.com - Lauren Ramsay • 1d The presenter is spending post-Love Island life abroad with sun, wine and a stellar summer wardrobe Though Love Island is a reality show for … Frank Sinatra 18 hours ago Frank Sinatra's Go-To Steakhouse In Vegas Plus His Regular Orders chowhound.com - Tony Cooper • 18h By Aug.
Wines We Loved in July, at Thirst Wine Merchants
Domaine Des Marnes Blanches, Coup de Jus Jura, France “Natives of the Jura, but from farming rather than winemaking backgrounds, Géraud and Pauline Fromont began this Domaine when they were in their mid-20s, and are ambitious, talented young winemakers. They share all vineyard, cellar, and sales duties, and are rising stars in the region. The Marnes Blanches vineyards are divided between three towns: Cesancey, Vincelles, and Ste-Agnès.
The SWURL Guide to Commonly Used Wine Terms
Announcing: “The SWURL Guide to Commonly Used Wine Terms” — our very first print manual, set to be released September 28th. The guide is a 96-page illustrated glossary with fun and digestible definitions for over 60 essential wine-related terms, written by Eliza Dumais, with artwork by the incredibly talented Cerise Zelenetz.
We Asked Sommeliers: “How Do You Price Your Wine List?”
A newsletter for the industry pro (or aspiring pro). A newsletter for the industry pro (or aspiring pro) looking for behind-the-scenes insights into bar and restaurant culture. Close Thank you for subscribing! Email Earlier this week, our newsletter for industry pros, Pre Shift, spoke to the city’s top wine buyers. Subscribe for more stories like this. It’s hardly a stretch to suggest that rising wine prices are changing the way restaurants operate financially, and in turn, the way guests drink.
These Are the Only Pairs of Shorts You Need This Summer Original
Photo: InStyle / Brian Kopinski It’s time: At long last, we’ve arrived at exposed-knee weather. Open-toed shoes are once again functional, jackets are a mere afterthought, and your summer wardrobe needs some fresh consideration. Namely: Shorts. Despite their seasonality, shorts are a truly versatile garment. There’s a short for every occasion: You’ve got your old school frayed-hem denim shorts (jorts, if you will), your board shorts, and your spandex bike shorts.
The SWURL Guide To July 4th Wines
July 4th does, allegedly, hold some historic relevance — but in practice, it can be more aptly described as an homage to hot dogs, copious alcohol consumption, and explosives (the holy trinity). Celebration = consumption. In turn, when it comes to selecting your festive beverages of choice, it pays to do so with intention. With that in mind, we’ve culled together a roster of wines that pair brilliantly with encased meat and firework displays. Here’s a look at the wine we’re drinking this weekend.
The 10 Best Natural Wine Bars to Visit in Paris, France
Like with most things (bread, grammar, snails), “wine bar” takes on a different flavor in France. In fact, wine arguably usurps water in its prevalence—and you’d be hard pressed to find a Parisian establishment that won’t serve you a glass. Among the more dedicated venues, there are a variety of genres. Caves (pronounced like “cavs”) are retail shops where folks can purchase bottles of wine off of the shelves, and drink them right then and there.
Wear These 20 Sneakers to Work All Day, Every Day Original
Photo: InStyle / David Hattan The “beauty is pain” adage loses traction when you work on your feet. Jobs structured around walking and standing—think: stylists, photographers, teachers, nurses, anyone who works in hospitality—take a serious toll on the body. Fortunately, however, we live in a golden era for sneakers. The options are manifold and completely work-appropriate.
The Best Kitchen Gadgets, According to Our Many Years of Reviewing Equipment
Few spaces illustrate the whole "work smarter, not harder" principle quite like the kitchen. Even the most casual culinary endeavors take time. Meals of all varieties require lots of prep-garlic peeled, lemons juiced, fish fileted, chicken brined-before you've even preheated the oven. Not to mention the grocery shopping, the constant stirring and simmering, the clean-up. Fortunately, however, there is time (and fury) to be salvaged using a good gadget.
The 20 Best Work Sneakers for Comfortable All-Day Wear
Health 10 hours ago Podiatrists Are Sharing The Things They'd Never, Ever Do And We Should All Take Note BuzzFeed - Caroline Bologna • 10h A few lifestyle habits can make or break your feet. Foot issues can be particularly debilitating. Think about how often most of us need to use our feet throughout the day as we move from point A to point B.
These 19 Baseball Caps Are the Perfect Mix of Fashion and Function Original
Photo: InStyle / Kristin Kempa Few garments are more essential than your standard baseball cap when achieving the ever-coveted “off-duty celeb” aesthetic. It reads low maintenance and serves plenty of practical purposes, too. It’ll shield you from rain, protect you from sun, and best of all, absolve you of the need to wrestle with your bedhead. Baseball cap options are manifold.
Even the Cheapest Wines on a List Now Feel Like Luxury Items
A newsletter for the industry pro (or aspiring pro). A newsletter for the industry pro (or aspiring pro) looking for behind-the-scenes insights into bar and restaurant culture. Close Thank you for subscribing! Email When in doubt, wine list holy law states that thou shalt pick the second-cheapest wine. Since the days of yore, the “second-cheapest wine” doctrine has provided many an overwhelmed patron with great solace.
Dynaco
The food menu at Dynaco makes short work for the indecisive. The list is monosyllabic in its entirety: Cake. Flavors rotate by the day—sometimes double chocolate, occasionally carrot, possibly devil’s food—but in number, there’s always just the one. Cake. You haven’t come for the food, though. Nor for the venue’s proximity to the Bedford-Nostrand G train. Instead, you’re here for the music, which peals out from an old iPod Classic. Or perhaps you’re here for the strobe of the fireplace, come winter.
How To Uncouple Your Finances After A Separation (With Minimal Drama)
Story from Dedicated Feature “Uncoupling” in any format is a messy business. Be it a matter of separation, divorce, even the demise of a friendship, the process of untangling one life from another is hardly simple. And amidst the emotional trials (of which there are many), there are pragmatic ones, too — who keeps the cat? The apartment? What about your mutual friends?! And arguably most daunting of all: How do you confront shared finances?
Is Adding Ice To Your Wine Still The Ultimate Faux Pas?
Think of it like grammar: You’d better know the rules before you break them. Wine works that way, too. You’re entitled to commit the occasional faux pas, so long as you do so with intention. You make choices not errors. Think: Drinking from the bottle, summer spritzers, perhaps most notably, the addition of ice to a lukewarm glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Needless to say, Wine On The Rocks has been maligned as uniquely gauche since the days of yore.
A Brief History Of The “Third-Date Rule”
Does sex hit different on date #3? The number three takes up significant real estate in the world of idioms: Third time’s the charm, rule of thirds, three’s a crowd, the list goes on. And in the romantic world, too, the numeral has a notable place: Namely, in the context of the “third date” rule. As a law so oft-cited, hardly anyone knows where, exactly, it comes from, the third date rule states that one must withhold sex until the third date when fraternizing with a new suitor.
Meet the “Super Vino Bros,” the New Jersey Twins Who’ve Become Natural Wine’s Most Unlikely Stars
Humility is hardly the prevailing quality of the wine world. The industry’s cool factor is contingent on a certain brand of gatekeeping. And for those inside the scene, like Ian Garrity, sommelier at buzzy, lauded New York restaurants Cosmé and elNico, some of that exclusivity is warranted. “It’s part of any creative process, no?” For those on the outside, however, the whole scene can feel rather uninviting. Impenetrable, even.
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