Rittenhouse is getting a new place to pop bottles. Bar Caviar, a Champagne-and-caviar lounge from Center City hoteliers Ken and Vittoria Schutz, is headed for The DWIGHT D, the couple's boutique hotel just steps from Rittenhouse Square. The concept is built around a collector-style Champagne list paired with counter-style caviar service aimed at both serious collectors and casual drinkers. Owners describe the room as “elegant but relaxed,” and the early menu is expected to lean on raw and cold preparations. An official opening date has not yet been announced.
Champagne, Price Points and the Sommelier Running the Show
Bar Caviar's drinks program is set to pour roughly 50 Champagne selections, with about 15 available by the glass and nonvintage options expected to start around $15. The ultra-rare Salon is expected to be offered by the glass at an estimated $600 a pour, and Ken Schutz, a level-3 sommelier who is also working on a master-level Champagne diploma through the Wine Scholar Guild, will curate the list, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Schutz told The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Champagne is the original slow drink.”
Caviar, Crudo and a Counter-Service Vibe
The opening menu is expected to feature five varieties of caviar served in classic presentations and folded into composed dishes, along with a rotating selection of oysters and crudo. Owners say the first stretch of service will focus on raw and chilled preparations while the kitchen builds out a broader hot menu. The team has described the space as “elegant but relaxed” and said they are aiming for a minimalist, approachable vibe inspired by European caviar counters, as reported by WhatNow.
A Rittenhouse Fit
The lounge will sit inside The DWIGHT D, the Schutzes' 11-room city-house hotel in Rittenhouse Square, which bills itself as a boutique city house with interiors by Vittoria Schutz. As outlined by The DWIGHT D Hotel, the building's residential scale and intimate public rooms lend themselves to a counter-style lounge. That placement puts Bar Caviar just off the neighborhood's dining corridor and in front of a built-in raw-bar audience.
When Will It Open?
Neither the Schutzes nor the hotel have posted a firm opening date; as of May 20, 2026, the Bar Caviar team had not announced one, according to WhatNow. Earlier coverage in December 2025 said the bar was expected to open in the spring, per The Philadelphia Inquirer.
If Bar Caviar opens as billed, it would give Philadelphia one of its most narrowly focused Champagne bars, pairing modestly priced by-the-glass pours with trophy-level collector choices. The Schutzes say their goal is to demystify Champagne and keep tasting approachable without losing focus on provenance, a mix that could pull in both neighborhood regulars and visiting collectors.
