Have you ever been sitting at work and dreading the boring lunch you packed yourself? The thought of reheated leftover chicken, or a lazy PB&J is enough to drive you insane. Ok, that may be a bit of hyperbole, but sometimes a changeup for lunch does your psyche good. Let me introduce you to Vin Bin. I think by now it’s clear, I tend to gravitate towards small local establishments that focus on quality and customer service. The Vin Bin fits these criteria, though it hardly fits the “traditional” model of a restaurant. In fact, it may have been the wide selection of craft brewed beer, wine, and artisanal cheese that put Vin Bin on the map, but it was the cafe that stole my heart.
When you walk into the Vin Bin, you will immediately notice a large selection of beer and wine with names you may not recognize. No worries, the staff is plenty knowledgeable and will delight in helping you. Additionally, the Vin Bin hosts beer and wine tastings on a regular basis, which provide customers the chance to expand their own craft brew or vino knowledge. A full list of events can be found on the Vin Bin website, but I wanted to highlight “Burgers, Brew, and Bleus” every Thursday from 4-7 p.m. at their Southborough location. There’s nothing like some good beer and even better burgers to take you to the end of the work week.
The Cafe provides a wonderful selection of handcrafted sandwiches, salads, and soups. The Angry Italian comes piled high with Italian meats and cheeses, while the Korean BBQ Pork sandwich arrives doused in gochujang mayo with a spicy daikon pickle. My favorite is Grandma’s Meatball sandwich on ciabatta bread. The tomato sauce is sweet, the meatballs are well seasoned, and the ciabatta bread is perfectly toasted by the panini press. Service is quick and every sandwich is made to order.
Although Vin Bin has three locations (Southborough, Marlborough, Hopkinton), only the Southborough and Marlborough locations have a cafe. Never let a boring lunch let you down again; make your way to the Vin Bin for a great midday pick-me-up or an evening tasting event.