The Rise of Pricey Curated Water Lists in Restaurants

When you picture fine dining, you probably imagine glossy wine menus, maybe a caviar supplement, or the dreaded “market price” that makes your palms sweat. But a water list? Yep—that’s the latest flex at some of the world’s fanciest tables.

This trend isn’t coming out of nowhere. With the sober-curious movement gaining steam, more people are skipping the cocktail cart in favor of something that still feels elevated. Naturally, the industry is pouring it on. They’re happy to oblige—by turning the most basic beverage on earth into a curated experience.

Water Has a Sommelier

Not all water is created equal, and in some dining rooms, it’s taken as seriously as wine. That’s where water sommeliers come in—yes, that’s a real job title. Their role? To help you navigate whether your duck confit should be paired with something silky and still or lightly effervescent with a whisper of minerality.

Water, it turns out, has terroir too. Depending on where it’s sourced, it can lean sweet or salty, heavy or crisp, bubbly or flat. If you think that sounds over the top, well…you’re not wrong. But much like how a perfect wine pairing can transform a dish, water can do the same—just with fewer regrets the morning after.

Restaurants with a Curated Water Menu

Plenty of fine dining spots have already joined the hydration hype.

• La Popote in Cheshire, England, rolled out a water list with global offerings priced between £5–£19 ($6.80–$26) a bottle. Each menu entry lists mouthfeel, carbonation type, and mineral content. Consider it water’s version of wine tasting notes.

• In West Hollywood, Petit Ermitage employs Martin Riese, a bona fide water sommelier, to guide diners through pairings that make sparkling Pellegrino feel like tap water by comparison.

• And in Bangkok, The Water Library is practically a cathedral to the stuff—over 30 varieties line a dramatic half-circle wall behind the bar, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the wine and cocktail selection.

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Yes, it’s easy to laugh at the idea of spending $20 on something you could technically get free from the tap. But in the context of fine dining, it tracks. If restaurants can charge you for a curated tasting menu, why not a curated tasting of what you’re washing it down with?