Nils Bernstein
Verified
As seen in:
Wine Enthusiast Magazine,
MSN,
MSN Singapore,
Yahoo Life,
Yahoo Canada,
Yahoo News Malaysia,
Yahoo News New Zealand,
Aol,
Variety,
Atlas Obscura,
Flipboard
and
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Nils Bernstein
Where to Drink Wine in Mexico City
By Nils Bernstein · August 17, 2026 Nils Bernstein is New York-based food writer and editor. He is often traveling in search of unsung chefs and restaurants as well as innovative wine and food pairings. For a country known for its gastronomic pleasures, Mexico drinks surprisingly little wine—roughly six glasses per person each year, about one-tenth the average in the United States.
Why Washington’s ‘Underdog’ Region Is Getting Winemakers Excited
Award-winning cool-climate Pinot Noir and Siegerrebe that sings of white flowers and tropical fruits?
How to Pair Wine with Fiery Sichuan Dishes
When you buy something through our link, we may earn a small commission from our affiliate partners. Wine Enthusiast maintains complete editorial independence and all wines are blind tasted. Read more about our policy. There’s a persistent idea that the best wine to pair with “Asian food”—as if it’s a monolith—is a crisp and lightly sweet white wine. To be fair, this is a fabulous option for simultaneously spicy, pungent, and umamirich flavors.
North America’s ‘Best Sommelier’ Proves That Accessibility Is the Future of Wine
One of the most enthusiastic receptions for any winner at the North America’s 50 Best Restaurants ceremony in Chicago on May 28 was for Aldo Sohm—North America’s Best Sommelier 2026. As the wine director at New York City’s three-Michelin-starred Le Bernardin, and the owner of its Midtown neighbor Aldo Sohm Wine Bar, he balances expertise and technical knowledge with joy and accessibility (his two books, after all, are titled Wine Simple and Wine Simple: Perfect Pairings).
The Best Winery Restaurants in the World
We never say no to a cheeseboard. But when you want to pair your tasting-room visit with a memorable meal, book a table at one of these 57 destination restaurants. By Nils Bernstein At their best, winery restaurants do more than just feed tasting-room guests. They mirror the winery itself: obsessive about place, and determined to say something distinct.
LA’s Best Wine Bars Are Hidden in Plain Sight
Invisible from the street, Baby Bistro is tucked into a nondescript residential lot at the edge of Los Angeles’ Chinatown, where the 101 crosses the 110, in a 1890s Folk Victorian cottage shaded by 15-foot banana plants. With just 35 seats, it’s one of the city’s most in-demand tables, with all the ambition but none of the pretense of a typical destination restaurant. The menu is so short that most tables order every dish.
Ace Father’s Day Dinner with These Somm-Approved Steak and Wine Pairings
When you buy something through our link, we may earn a small commission from our affiliate partners. Wine Enthusiast maintains complete editorial independence and all wines are blind tasted. Read more about our policy. Whether you’ve tossed old-fashioned wine-pairing dogma out the window, or you like to follow old-school rules about what you pour with your dinner, there is always a way to strike a balance between drinking what you like and finding the perfect pairing.
Mexican Winemaking Is Reaching New Heights in These High-Altitude Regions
The oldest winery in the Americas is Casa Madero in Mexico’s Coahuila state. It sits at 5,000 feet in elevation, at a latitude similar to the hottest parts of the Sahara Desert, on soil dotted with dinosaur bones. When Spanish colonizers arrived, they found an abundance of wild grapes, natural springs, and a semi-arid mountain valley with a continental climate that can feel Mediterranean thanks to mild winters and a long growing season.
Why Frozen Shrimp Is the Smartest Buy at the Seafood Counter — and How to Cook It Original
Credit: Food & Wine / Getty Images Unless you purchase them right off the boat, frozen shrimp are often better than fresh. Just as peas lose sweetness within hours of picking, shrimp degrade quickly, much more so than other fish and shellfish. Most frozen shrimp are flash-frozen at the time of harvest to preserve their flavor and texture, and to help ensure food safety.
Chicken Soup (and Wine Pairings) for the Soul
What makes a good and comforting chicken soup isn’t a canned response—with all due respect to Campbell’s. Almost every culture enjoys the emotional and physical benefits of a well-balanced bird broth. If you’re not nursing a cold (or maybe even if you are), pair it with wine for an even better experience. Here are four standout traditional chicken soups, with suggested bottles to match.
How to Choose the Best Holiday Ham, According to Experts Original
Credit: GMVozd / Getty Images Few hunks of meat scream “holiday” like a burnished ham that glistens with a flavorful glaze. It’s no wonder why it’s the centerpiece of so many tables for Christmas and other celebrations. Most people love ham, and it’s hard to mess up. Since most hams are pre-cooked, you don’t have to worry about precise cooking times or dried-out meat. In fact, the most complicated part about making ham may be how to select one at the grocery store or butcher.
A Budget-to-Bougie Guide to Pairing Wine and Caviar
With apologies to everyone who has posted potato-chip caviar bites on Instagram, caviar is a delicacy best enjoyed in private moments, much like contemplating a masterpiece in a crowded museum. Every small dollop of caviar is a landscape of tiny pearls, each one carrying a burst of butter and brine, with as many secondary and tertiary notes as the finest wine.
Sommelier of the Year Mia Van de Water Is Upending the Traditional Somm Role
Mia Van de Water exemplifies the expanding role of beverage professionals in all aspects of hospitality. As both wine director and partner, she has helped bring the Michelin-starred New York steakhouse Cote to Miami, Singapore, and Las Vegas. She oversees one of the world’s most extensive sparkling wine lists at New York’s Coqodaq, a Korean fried chicken spot.
Wait, Are There Wasps in My Figs? Original
Credit: alicjane / Getty Images Fresh figs are irresistible from late summer through early fall, when trees droop from the weight of these luscious, caramelly fruits. Nothing stands between fig lovers and this bounty, except … wasps? Yes, some seeded types of figs contain fragments of dead wasps that pollinated the flowers inside. But that’s not the whole story — and if you eat figs in the U.S., it’s unlikely that they include even a trace of wasp.
These 5 Protein-Packed Fish Are Healthier and Cheaper Than Salmon Original
Opt for one of these instead to get rich flavor and lean, omega-3-rich protein at a fraction of the cost. Men’s Fitness aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Yes, You Can Pair Red Wine with Fish
When you buy something through our link, we may earn a small commission from our affiliate partners. Wine Enthusiast maintains complete editorial independence and all wines are blind tasted. Read more about our policy. Sure, the pairing dogma of “white wine with fish, red with meat” seems logical. But as restaurateur and retired master sommelier Alpana Singh points out in season four of Hulu drama The Bear, logic also leads to matching red wine with fish..
3 Easy Ways to Cook Fish for Gains
3 Easy Ways to Cook Fish for Gains originally appeared on Men's Fitness. Men’s Fitness aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. Want to hit your protein goals—and increase your intake of vital nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and vitamin D? If so, your best bet is to start eating more fish. The problem, however, is making said fish. If you've never made it before, raw fish can be intimidating.
3 Easy Ways to Cook Fish for Gains
Men's Fitness aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. Want to hit your protein goals-and increase your intake of vital nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and vitamin D? If so, your best bet is to start eating more fish. The problem, however, is making said fish. If you've never made it before, raw fish can be intimidating. That's what we're here to help with, though.
The Best Wine Restaurants in America for 2025
The wine-focused spots we’re most excited about right now, from coast to coast. By Nils Bernstein For wine and food fans, there’s nothing quite as exciting as an ambitious new restaurant opening. At their best, new restaurants promote discovery, camaraderie, aspiration and romance, while supporting their communities in meaningful ways.
10 Bucket-List Chef’s Tables for Wine Lovers
Chef’s tables are having a moment, but not in the stodgy sense of giving people a view of the action while keeping them conspicuously removed from the chefs and the inner workings of the kitchen. Perhaps inspired by the omakase boom, the best chef’s tables today give us a glimpse into the what, who and why behind the meal, with a hefty dose of theater for good measure. 1.
A Complete Guide to Burger Doneness, From Medium-Rare to Well-Done Original
Credit: Food & Wine / Getty Images If you cook burgers often enough for weeknight dinners or cookouts, you’ll eventually be able to gauge doneness by look and feel. But before you become a burger master, break out your instant-read meat thermometer. It’s the key to testing burger doneness, whether you and your guests prefer them slightly pink or completely cooked. Whatever temperature you pull your patty at, here’s a guide to cooking the perfect burger, four ways.
How Many Burgers, Hot Dogs, and Ribs to Buy Per Person
Continue reading More for You
How to Calculate the Right Amount of Meat for Your Cookout
Credit: Alexey_Arz / Getty Images If you’re firing up for the grill for Memorial Day, Juneteenth, the Fourth of July, or another summer occasion, you might be wondering just how many burgers, hot dogs, and brats to stock up on per person. When buying meat for a cookout, think in terms of weight. Buy a total of 1/2 pound (8 ounces) of boneless meat per person, or 3/4 pound (12 ounces) of bone-in meat.
Cookout Math: How Many Burgers, Hot Dogs, and Ribs to Buy Per Person
If you’re firing up for the grill for Memorial Day, Juneteenth, the Fourth of July, or another summer occasion, you might be wondering just how many burgers, hot dogs, and brats to stock up on per person. When buying meat for a cookout, think in terms of weight. Buy a total of 1/2 pound (8 ounces) of boneless meat per person, or 3/4 pound (12 ounces) of bone-in meat.
Borderline Tipsy: Dive Into Tijuana's World-Class Bar Scene
A 30-minute drive from San Diego International Airport—and just 90 minutes from Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico’s premier wine region—Tijuana warrants a longer stay than just a day trip from Southern California. With a population of just over two million, it’s Mexico’s second-largest city, boasting a unique cultural identity shaped in part by its location on the border.
How to Pick a Ripe Mango, According to a Chef
Continue reading More for You Continue reading More for You
The Ripeness Test Every Mango Lover Should Know Original
Credit: Food & Wine / Getty Images With respect to the papaya, pineapple, and coconut, there is perhaps no other fruit that can as effectively transport you to a palm-lined tropical island as the mango.
Strawberry Season Is Short — Here’s How to Pick the Best Ones, According to a Scientist
Continue reading More for You
This Is the Best Way to Tell If a Strawberry Is Ripe, According to a Scientist Original
Credit: StephenBridger / Getty Images Strawberries’ arrival not only marks the beginning of berry season, but the first of the summer fruits. That wafting floral scent at the farmers market or grocery store heralds the abundance to come. But there’s a catch. Because these fruits don’t ripen once picked and can be easily damaged, most strawberries sold in grocery stores are either underripe or beginning to decay. How to find the best ones?
Dense and Protein Packed, This Chopped Salad Is a Hollywood Classic
The chopped salad from the iconic Italian restaurant La Scala in Beverly Hills went viral before “viral” was a thing. First conjured in the late 1950s, it was designed for Hollywood starlets who asked for the house “gourmet salad” in an easy-eating format so as to avoid soiling their gowns. What started as an off-menu special eventually grew so popular with power-lunchers that it became an on-menu staple.
What’s the Best Way to Store Cheese? Here’s What Cheesemongers Say
Continue reading More for You Continue reading More for You
Don’t Have Cheese Paper? There’s an Easier Way to Keep Your Cheese Fresh Original
Photo: Food & Wine / Getty Images If you’re investing in top-quality cheese, you’ll want to keep it fresh for as long as possible. But what exactly does that mean? “My aim is to prevent the cold air in the fridge from drying up the surface of the cheese, while preventing molds and yeasts from other foods [from establishing] themselves on my cheese,” says Carlos Yescas, an award-winning cheese expert and author. “I also want to prevent the spread of molds between cheeses.
Holiday Ham 101: How to Pick the Best Ham for Your Easter Table Original
Few hunks of meat scream “holiday” like a burnished ham that glistens with a flavorful glaze. It’s no wonder why it’s the centerpiece of so many tables for Easter and other celebrations. Most people love ham, and it’s hard to mess up. Since most hams are pre-cooked, you don’t have to worry about precise cooking times or dried-out meat. In fact, the most complicated part about making ham may be how to select one at the grocery store or butcher. Here’s a guide to choose the right ham for your feast.
How to Pick the Best Ham for Easter and Beyond
Continue reading More for You Continue reading More for You
Chefs Love This Wild Mushroom — and You Can Only Find It in the Spring Original
Photo: Food & Wine / Getty Images This time of year, you might see fresh morel mushrooms pop up at farmers markets and on restaurant menus. But what exactly are these funky-looking fungi? Morels are wild mushrooms with distinctive ridged caps that resemble honeycombs. They comprise a range of species that taxonomists have argued over ever since Christiaan Hendrik Persoon classified Morchella esculenta (the yellow morel, or common morel) in 1794.
Chives vs. Green Onions: What’s the Difference? Original
Photo: Food & Wine / Getty Images The allium family, which includes vegetables like onions, garlic, and leeks, is a foundation of virtually every cuisine. Though less common than bulb onions, chives and green onions can pull double duty, combining onions’ pungency with herbs’ delicacy. Here’s how to use either to enhance your springtime cooking. Key takeaways Green onions and chives both belong to the allium family and have an oniony, lightly herbal flavor.
Japan Meets Mexico in This Chile-Spiked Seared Tuna Stunner
Top Puerto Escondido, on the Oaxacan coast, has emerged as one of Mexico’s hottest travel destinations. In recent years, a wide variety of design-driven boutique hotels has opened along a seemingly endless coastline, drawing artists, celebs and influencers in equal measure. Accordingly, a spirited culinary scene has emerged as well, reimagining the region’s traditions and ingredients with a global perspective.
These Diver Scallops with Quinoa and Winter Squash Epitomize Modern Southwestern Cuisine
When Mark Miller opened Santa Fe’s Coyote Café in 1987, it essentially pioneered the idea of Modern Southwestern cuisine by showcasing native ingredients and techniques in a fine dining context. The arrival last November of Executive Chef Travis Limoge—who had been operating a 20-seat restaurant on the Oaxacan coast working with just one farm and one fisherman—brings it back to its roots, with Limoge showing that local, organic, sustainable and regenerative practices can work on a larger scale.
New Whiskey Launches for February 2025
February is typically a slow season for new whiskey releases, but there are still a few noteworthy bottles to keep an eye on, hailing from Kentucky, Colorado, and Indiana. There’s an American single malt of advanced age, and a single-barrel bourbon that’s even older—both pretty spendy. Also on the high end: Woodford Reserve’s full-size bottles of Double Double Oaked, available for the first time nationwide.
4 Regions Collectors Should Stop Overlooking
In the world of wine, the idea of age-worthiness and astronomic price has sadly become conflated. A few months ago, I wrote a plaintive essay against the idea of wine collecting as an “investment,” fueled by predictions from critics on pricey bottles from certain regions and producers that will presumably increase in value as the years roll on. I made the case that there’s something intangible, ineffable about aging wine.
5 Producers We Love in Washington State
It’s the country’s second-largest wine producing state, but there are a lot of mixed messages out there about Washington wine.On one hand, it’s known for corpulent collectors’ reds like Cayuse, Leonetti, and Quilceda Creek; on the other, for everyday sippers from Chateau Ste. Michelle, and Columbia Crest. Cab and Riesling dominate the market but canny connoisseurs will want to seek out Rhône varieties and Sauvignon Blanc.
This Maple and Sambal-Glazed Extra-Thick Bacon Is Not for the Faint of Heart
These spicy-sweet-salty-smoky slabs of porky goodness are inspired by the thick-cut grilled bacon strips served as an appetizer at legendary Brooklyn steakhouse Peter Luger. Ingredients Serves 6 to 8 2 pounds slab bacon, sliced by your butcher 3⁄8″ thick 6 tablespoons maple syrup 3 tablespoons sambal oelek (or other thick hot chili sauce) Step 1 Heat oven to 400°F. Cover a sheet pan with foil or parchment and set a wire baking rack inside.
This Cheesy, Root Veggie-Packed Casserole Is the Cure for Cold Winter Nights
This casserole is inspired by a similar recipe from Ina Garten, whose new memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens (Crown, 2024) is an engaging and open-hearted tale of a life transformed by great food. Both the book and this dish are perfect for cozy winter nights at home. Root Vegetable Gratin As long as it totals 3 pounds, use any mix of root vegetables, including parsnips or carrots—paying attention to having a mix of colors.
These Oysters with Cider Cream Are Simple Sophistication
This elegant oyster dish is perfect for parties: Once the oysters are shucked and the sauce is made, the oysters cook up in a few minutes. Ingredients From The Joy of Oysters, by Nils Bernstein (Artisan Books, 2023) 24 oysters, shucked on the half shell, liquor reserved and strained Bottled clam juice, if needed 2 cups dry hard cider 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar 2 cups heavy cream Step 1 Measure the oyster liquor and add clam juice, if needed, to reach 1⁄2 cup. Set aside.
Saloon Snacks, But Make It Modern
Forget the pub grub, whether New Year’s Eve, game day or whatever your wintertime celebration, these corner saloon-inspired snacks elevate any gathering.
Beverage Director of the Year Amy Racine Is 'Proud of What We’ve Become as a Community'
Amy Racine oversees a dozen beverage programs across the nation and is a tireless advocate and ally uplifting others in hospitality. “No other position can manage the cellar, host, barista, take food orders, bus, run food and make drinks,” says Amy Racine about her fellow sommeliers. “That said, the sommelier also has the unique opportunity to tell the story of your space. The selections on the list, the way the list reads, and how that list is presented support the ‘why’ of the restaurant.
Social Visionary of the Year United Sommeliers Foundation Strives to Be 'That Emergency Financial Resource'
The United Sommeliers Foundation meets the challenges of wine professionals head-on. If the COVID-19 pandemic showed us anything about the hospitality industry, it was how many of our social support nets are extremely vulnerable or nonexistent, especially in the fragile service community. Noticing this, Cristie Norman took matters into her own hands and cofounded the United Sommeliers Foundation.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Nils
Contact Nils, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack