V Wine Room

Before it poured wine, this building was Charlie Chaplin's studio, then a library serving the unincorporated area of Sherman from 1929 to 1941. Blaine and Esther Vess took over in 2022, six years after having their first date at the bar; a live olive tree still grows from the center of the V-shaped counter, and the walls are papered to look like bookshelves. The list runs past 30 wines by the glass, weighted toward small California producers and a few Japanese sakes, backed by Roman-style pizzas, tinned fish, and a cheese and charcuterie board. The entrance is a recessed doorway on Westbourne Drive.