One of Raleigh’s biggest names in pizza opens a new wine bar & shop
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- St. Pierre Wine Shop + Bar opens in Raleigh Iron Works with curated wines.
- The owners prioritize “compelling” bottles that are delicious and have interesting stories.
- Food will be provided by NC chef Vivian Howard.
At Raleigh’s newest wine bar, every bottle has a place. But there is not a place for every bottle.
Industry veterans Anthony Guerra and Scott Hardiman, who have partnered to open St. Pierre Wine Shop + Bar, have had long discussions about the merits of each wine that earns a spot on the shelves.
But ultimately, the deciding factor is whether the wine is compelling or not. Maybe an interesting story about the wine’s origins makes it compelling. Maybe it’s just delicious, and that makes it compelling.
“We’re not just putting things on the wall just to fill a category,” said Hardiman, who was a sommelier for five years at The Umstead Hotel in Cary. “We’re trying to find the best bottle at that price point that we think has the most to say.”
From Guerra’s perspective, this is a reordering of the more common way wine is sold. Restaurants are often limited by their need to “make their margin” on wine, said Guerra, who also owns Oakwood Pizza Box and the new Capital Pizza Box.
Making money is important, sure, but Guerra and Hardiman see another way to do it. Step one, find compelling wine. Step two, work out the money.
Together, they’ve created the kind of place Guerra and his wife, Brett, would like to go on date nights.
“It’s not as stodgy and boring as the traditional wine bar setting, and it’s not a retail shop that you’re drinking in,” Guerra said. “It’s like a cool space that has great wine at a great price, where the selection is really good and the staff knows how to serve it.”
And while wine is the focus, there will be some food offered. It won’t be available when St. Pierre opens, but it’s not an afterthought. Guerra has invited award-winning North Carolina chef Vivian Howard to develop a menu of small bites for guests feeling snacky. Howard has restaurants of her own, including The Counter at Chef & The Farmer in Kinston, Theodosia on the Outer Banks and two more in Charleston, South Carolina.
Wine and food selection at St. Pierre
A group just looking to share a good bottle for under $40 is welcome at St. Pierre. So is the home chef searching for a wine that’ll complement tonight’s spaghetti dinner. So is the more discriminating wine connoisseur who knows exactly what they like.
Bottles span regions, including Champagne and Tuscany, with lightest reds on one end of the wall and heaviest on the other. Prices increase on higher levels — under $40 on the bottom shelf up to top-shelf prices on, well, the top shelf.
In a region where craft breweries reign but cocktail bars are spreading, St. Pierre is intended to give wine more prominence. Logistically, Oakwood Pizza Box doesn’t have the space to support the kind of wine program that Guerra and Hardiman want to offer. At 1,300 square feet, St. Pierre, located at the buzzy Raleigh Iron Works development, is nearly as large as the Person Street pizza joint.
Two key design elements punctuate St. Pierre’s interior. One wall contains the wine cabinets, constructed from white oak and steel by Raleigh’s Rebuild Fabrication Co. The other side features a curved, marble-topped bar with seating for 10. Around 20 more seats fill the inside.
The logo on the neon sign outside illustrates just how not stodgy St. Pierre is: a dog wearing a beret, holding a just-opened bottle in its mouth. The name for the place comes from the famous Champagne producer, which also inspired the name of the Guerra family’s golden retriever, Pierre.
“Wine’s a party,” Guerra said. “You open a bottle of wine and you can have fun with friends.”
St. Pierre location and hours
St. Pierre opens Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 1101 E. Whitaker Mill Road.
Hours are 2-10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and noon-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
This story was originally published September 10, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
