For the second consecutive year, 1010 Wine & Events was named USA Today’s Best Wine Bar.
The wine bar won the recognition in 2025 and 2026 as part of the “USA Today 10Best” series that “provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage” of top attractions, destinations and restaurants in the U.S., the news organization’s website states.
“Because we were nominated the first year and won, we were automatically in the running for the next year,” said Le Jones, co-owner of 1010 Wine & Events. “We’re doing this because of people supporting us.”
The wine bar has been a gathering place for locals since 2021 and brands itself as Inglewood’s first and only wine bar that serves up more than just a glass of wine. It is owned and operated by Jones and her sister, Leslie Jones, who are both Inglewood natives.
“It’s one of the most well-known, Black-owned wine bars in all of LA County,” said Robert Lewis, president of the nonprofit organization the Black Cooperative Impact Fund, which held a networking event on Tuesday.
“1010 Wine is completely aligned with what BCIF is all about,” he said.
The wine bar’s back-to-back achievement comes as Inglewood transforms into an international entertainment destination, building new transit infrastructure downtown and preparing to welcome millions of fans for the Super Bowl and the Olympic Games over the next two years.
The recognition is especially significant for Le Jones, the wine bar’s co-owner, who said it’s the community’s support of their vision that keeps them striving for excellence.
“Building community is important,” Jones said. “Our regulars keep us open, but people see us online and come out to support us.”
Co-owner Leslie Jones is on leave and was not available to comment.
Le Jones also said part of their mission is to support Black ownership in the wine industry. The wine bar currently offers the largest selection of Black-owned wines in California, including its own 1010 Wines brand, she said.
Their goal is to some day purchase their own vineyard. For now, 1010 Wine partners with Le Vigne Winery in Paso Robles, California, to create their signature wine.
“We’re grateful to them because they allow us to have so much creativity when we’re creating the taste of our wines,” Jones said.
When not hosting private parties, 1010 Wine and Events offers lunch, dinner, happy hour, Sunday brunch and live music.
The menu includes dishes like grilled prawns, mussels spaghetti, marinated skirt steak and frites, which are specifically designed to be paired with their collection of wines. They also offer vegan options.
“I think this place is absolutely beautiful,” said Kandace Redd, a first-time patron who attended Tuesday’s networking event. “I’m so glad that there’s something here for us, by us.”
As for the wine bar’s future, Jones said they intend to continue expanding the brand, but being in Inglewood is still one of the bright spots in what they’ve accomplished.
“Inglewood is where we were born and raised so it made sense for us to be here,” Jones said.
