NYC restaurant owners fear looming tariffs on European booze: It will put us out of business
NYC restaurant owners fear the looming tariffs on European wines and spirits will slam their bottom line – with some popular haunts concerned the levies could force them out of business, Side Dish has learned.President Trump has threatened to impose a 200% duty on booze from the European Union after the EU vowed to levy a 50% tax on American whisky, which it would roll out in early April.While Trump may scale back the size of his tariff as part of his negotiating ploy, the growing trade war poses an existential threat to recently opened restaurants like Boni & Mott in Nolita.The family-run Mediterranean eatery is dependent on wine sales as it awaits a full liquor license, owner Mehdi Mokrani told Side Dish.The worried restaurateur said Boni & Mott’s wine list features vintages he had hand-picked from small producers, usually family-run wineries in France and Italy that focus on biodynamic, organic wine. “Restaurants rely on selling booze.If the tariffs go up, it will put us out of business,” Mokrani said.Top chef Eric Ripert, of the esteemed three Michelin starred Le Bernardin, and co-owner of the Aldo Sohm Wine Bar, said that restaurants are prepared for some kind of tariff, perhaps more in the 20% to 25% range — like the kind Trump ordered in 2019. Those tariffs were repealed by President Biden. “I think there will be a tariff, but not 200%.
The last time Trump was in power we had a 25% tax on wines [from France, Spain, the UK and Germany] as well as other luxury items, like truffles.A tariff in that range isn’t good for the importers or us or the clients, but it’s manageable — unlike 200%,” Ripert said. Ripert added that his wine lists are global, so he will be hurt less than others that are more European focused. “I’m pretty optimistic it won’t happen.
It seems very exaggerated although of course it is a possibility.American businesses that import wine will be penalized,” Ripert said. A 200% tariff would devastate ...