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Food & Wine / Kevin Liang
Entertaining at home can be a lot of work, but a bar cart makes serving everyone’s favorite libations easy. It brings the drinks to the middle of the party and gives your guests autonomy to mix their own beverages. This way, there’s plenty of time to mix and mingle, drinks in hand.
Bar carts are essentially small bar cabinets on wheels. The wheels make them easily movable, whether you’re setting up for an indoor or outdoor gathering. Bar carts generally include lots of space to hold bottles, bar tools, and glassware, plus a prep area on top. Many also have handy extra features, such as a wine rack, towel hooks, hanging storage for wine glasses, and more.
Best Overall
Pottery Barn Delaney Bar Console
This minimalist bar console has two fixed shelves and stemware holders, plus adjustable levelers which provide stability.
Since this cart has tempered glass shelves, you'll want to use coasters and non-abrasive cleaners.
A gorgeous white marble bar top adorns this functional and stylish steel bar cart from Pottery Barn. Choose your finish between classic brass or a moody bronze. This bar cart offers plenty of glassware storage options thanks to two fixed shelves, a generously sized bar top, and a stemware holder that fits up to six hanging wine glasses. The lower shelves are crafted from tempered glass, so coasters and non-abrasive cleaners should be used to protect their surface.
The tall mid-shelf space leaves plenty of room beneath the hanging stemware racks for glassware, an ice bucket, bottles of bitters, mixers, and spirits, and other cocktail paraphernalia. The marble bar top is large enough for mixing and pouring, decanting wine, and more. You can even add a serving tray with garnishes and set out a corkscrew, as there’s plenty of room for a full bar setup on this sophisticated bar cart.
Dimensions: 34 x 14 x 30 inches | Materials: Steel, marble, tempered glass | Storage: Yes; includes wine glass storage
Best Splurge
Ballard Designs Ballard Designs Shaw Bar Cart
This solid steel and wood cart has plenty of storage with two drawers, two open shelves, and 8-inch folding wings.
This unit weighs 85 pounds by itself and can be difficult to move when fully stocked.
This two-toned mango wood and steel rolling bar cart is equal parts functional and stylish. Designed with two drawers, two open shelves, and two 8-inch folding wings that raise and lock into place, this cart offers plenty of storage options plus an extra surface area for serving. The two open shelves provide enough space to store bottles, glassware, mixers, and more, and we like the idea of stocking the drawers with cloth napkins. The double-bar handles make it easy to move the cart around for service, though it can be very heavy when loaded down with supplies.
The antique flared brass frame adds a retro touch to an otherwise modern and simple bar cart. With its ample storage options and thoughtful, user-friendly design, we think this bar cart is worth the splurge as the centerpiece for your next cocktail party.
Dimensions: 33.75 x 33.25 x 17.5 inches | Material: Mango wood, steel | Storage: Yes; includes two storage drawers
Best Mid-Century
West Elm Mid-Century Bar Cart
This bar cart features a simple and timeless design for spirits enthusiasts.
There is no additional storage beyond the two included shelves.
This dapper piece of furniture from West Elm takes you back to the era of Mad Men — when midday drinks were so in fashion that bar carts like this one were common in offices. It's a reasonably sized cart with a classic two-tier design: the top shelf for serving and the bottom for storing. We recommend filling the bottom half with spirits, liqueurs, and mixers, and placing a whiskey decanter, a few old fashioned glasses, and an ice bucket on top..
West Elm's simple and classic design has antique brass rails that give just enough pop to the walnut finish for a sleek and classy look. We absolutely love the timeless design.
Dimensions: 32.2 x 19.9 x 32 inches | Materials: Eucalyptus wood, antique brass | Storage: Two shelves, no extra storage
Best Metal
Joss & Main Paulette Metal Bar Cart
This bar cart features two glass shelves with a durable metal frame. It also has four wheels and a raised handle for portability.
The open design lacks compartments for storing bottles or hanging glasses.
If you’re looking for a minimalist, industrial-style bar cart with lots of functionality, the Paulette Metal Bar Cart fits the bill. It’s compact and efficient, offering two tiers of storage space for all of your basic bar accessories. Stock the enclosed, railed shelf on the bottom with libations and their accompaniments, and get to pouring on top.
Weighing only 66 pounds, and thanks to its four wheels and raised handle, this bar cart is lightweight enough to be moved from room to room. It just may not be able to hold the same amount of stuff as similarly sized competitors thanks to its open shelving and lack of extra drawers, compartments, or racks. On the other hand, you could also use it in the kitchen or living room to hold cookware and bakeware, or in the living room for blankets, charging cables, and video game controllers.
Dimensions: 34 x 27.5 x 21.5 inches | Material: Glass, steel | Storage: Two enclosed shelves; no extra storage
Best Value
Nathan James Carter Bar Cart
This stylish and reasonably priced bar cart is ideal for tiny apartments. Plus, it has wheels and a raised handle for portability.
The upper glass shelf is a bit fragile and requires gentle care.
If both space and budget are limited, this petite bar cart on wheels is a nice pick. There’s room for a handful of wine stems, openers, coasters, and accessories on the upper glass shelf, plus ample space for storing up to ten bottles on the lower one. We like that this unit is designed with four wheels and a raised handle, which makes it easy to move from room to room during happy hours or dinners at home.
We think this industrial-chic bar cart would be well-placed in a small, modern dining room or kitchen. One drawback: The upper shelf is made of fragile glass. Be careful swinging around bottles and cocktail shakers!
Dimensions: 17 x 24 x 35 inches | Materials: Metal, glass | Storage: Yes; includes wine bottle and wine glass storage
Best for Wine Storage
LVB Wine Rack Table
This cart can store up to 12 bottles of wine in the optimal horizontal position.
It's one of the bulkier carts on our list and doesn't have wheels for transport.
This is a substantial yet quite practical stationary bar cart that’s chock-full of functionality for wine lovers and collectors. It has ample room, with glass hangers, a middle shelf for glassware and dishes, a tall bottom shelf for liquor bottles, and a wide, flat top for prep. Plus, there are a dozen slots between the middle and bottom shelf to hold bottles of wine laid on their side, the proper orientation for long-term storage. For its size and capacity, it's a great deal.
Dimensions: 15.75 x 40.16 x 34.45 inches | Materials: wood, metal | Storage: Yes; includes wine bottle and wine glass storage
Our Favorite Bar Carts
You can’t go wrong with any of this list of bar carts, as they are all stylish and practical and allow you to get a bit more serious about your at-home bartending. With that said, our top pick, the Pottery Barn Delaney Marble Bar Console, offers everything you need with a surplus of storage space, hanging stemware racks, and a gorgeous marble bar top — it’s the ultimate upgrade for home entertaining. If you're looking to conserve space and your budget, you can't go wrong with the Nathan James Carter Bar Cart for function and style at a price that won't break the bank.
Factors to Consider
Size
Bar carts come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, from petite and portable options on wheels that can be easily tucked into a corner when not in use, to stationary rectangular units that provide extra storage. Be sure to measure your space to accommodate the size of the bar cart and its maneuverability if you plan on using it in more than one location.
Usage
Deciding on a model bar cart will depend on its specific purpose. Consider if you will have nice glassware in your cart, and if so, how the glasses will be displayed and stored. If wine is your go-to, choose a cart with hanging stemware racks and sturdy horizontal slots for holding bottles of wine; lovers of white wine and rosé will also probably need room for a standalone ice bucket. For the cocktail connoisseur, a three-tier cart is recommended by expert bartenders so you have enough space for serving and storage of many different ingredients, glasses, and tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I stock a bar cart?
Hayley Teague, beverage director at Hathorne in Nashville, Tennessee, says, “If you entertain, I recommend having a quality selection of base spirits. Vodka, gin, tequila, rum, and bourbon are great starting points. From there, I would recommend a dry Curaçao for tropical drinks and a bitter liqueur for spritz and Negroni cocktails. Finally, have a couple of options of bitters on hand to both elevate your drinks and to be able to make classic recipes.”
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What essential bar tools do I need for my bar cart?
Regarding bar tools, Teague has a pretty specific list: “I recommend a shaker tin, a mixing glass, your preferred style of jigger with engraved measurements for precision, a Hawthorne strainer, a julep strainer, a mixing spoon, a fine strainer, a small cutting board, small ice bucket with a scoop, a paring knife, and a channel knife for garnishing.”
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What are some must-have liquors for a home bar?
Teague says, “You cannot go wrong with quality base spirits on your home bar. When it comes to my personal bar cart, I include Belvedere Single Estate for my vodka, Citadelle Gin, Diplomatico Reserva Rum, Tequila Ocho Plata, and Angel's Envy Bourbon. Should you find yourself with no mixers on hand, these spirits are of such fine quality to be elegant and pleasant on their own.”
Our Expertise
Years of tasting and writing about food, wine, and spirits guided Melissa Vogt's research. As a tourist, Vogt seeks out the very best in local food and drink, and she's well acquainted with where to find good libations and eats in her hometown of Santa Rosa, California. Read more of her writing on her website and in Napa Valley Life, Very Napa Valley, and Wine Country This Month.