Nikita Malhotra
Smithereens | New York
February 2025
Thanks to her parents, who owned a bottle shop on the Upper East Side, Nikita Malhotra had a bit of a head start when it came to wine. After graduating college with a degree in philosophy, Malhotra initially dreamed of opening an independent bookstore, but when she decided to get her certification as a sommelier, she fell back in love with wine. Soon after, she started working for a distributor—and in cafes, restaurants, and wine bars on the side—before landing a job at The Tangled Vine, a wine bar on the Upper West Side, when she was 23. After a year, she was promoted to general manager and wine buyer, focusing on old world, biodynamic, and organic wines while getting to know up-and-coming producers.
In 2014, Malhotra joined the team at Tribeca Grill. Working under Wine Director David Gordon, she gained a deeper appreciation for riesling and wines from the Rhône Valley. Over the next five years, she grew within the Myriad Restaurant Group, stepping into a management position and overseeing the bar program at Tribeca Grill. Then, after three months working as a beer rep to gain an understanding of the distribution side of things, Malhotra became the head sommelier of a new project from the Momofuku team until it was disrupted by the pandemic. So, she went to Momofuku Ko to oversee the beverage program there. Over the next two years, she rebuilt the wine program into an acclaimed, award-winning operation that emphasized Champagne and Burgundy wines.
Ready for something new, Malhotra started working for Sommelier Daniel Johnnes, the corporate wine director for The Dinex Group and founder of La Paulée, and connected with the former executive chef of Momofuku Nishi, Chef Nicholas Tamburo. In 2024, Malhotra and Tamburo opened their restaurant, Smithereens, in the East Village. At the New England-inspired restaurant, she has written a rotating wine list which originally featured white wines from the United States, Germany, and Coastal Europe, but is now focusing on grenache and pinot noirs. Malhotra has created an approachable, intimate atmosphere at the restaurant while sharing the stories of her favorite winemakers with guests.
