My fascination with New York’s natural wine bars began upon my arrival in the city. If you have ever moved in New York, or moved generally, than you too have languished in the post-move exhaustion. There is no panacea for this kind of fatigue—bone deep and dizzying—but if there were, it would be a glass of chilled orange wine and take-out Thai food. Conveniently and unbeknownst to me, my first apartment at the intersection of Orchard and Rivington on the Lower East Side, was at the epicenter of New York’s burgeoning natural wine scene. More specifically, I lived in a first floor walk up with little light and a makeshift porch which had laid its uneven floors on the roof of one of the city’s best wine bars. To have Wildair as the foundation upon which your life in New York rests, has to be indicative of something.
The following tracks my exploration of the area’s other institutions, old and new, all serving natural wine. The designation “natural wine bar” is a loose one. Some of these spots are equally known for their food, menus of various small bites all which begin good bread (I always order the bread). And although "bar” tends evokes images of lofted seats and sticky counters, you may or may not find these features at the spots I’ve named. What you will find, is that, across the board, the places I’ve chosen tend to prioritize people—wine makers, wine drinkers, wine enthusiasts alike—above all else. They source wines from interesting producers whose background they will gladly share if you ask (and even if you don’t). They are constantly evolving their lists and their menus. They pour with pairings in mind, but they aren’t religious about it. Most will meet you where you are, so don’t let a lack of wine knowledge nor a lack of the latest ALD drop deter you. Arrive curious, ask questions, don’t (on most occasions) buy the bottle. Survey glasses, try wines of different shades, from different regions. Don’t assume Riesling is going to to be sweet, nor that Gamay is going to be exclusively from Beaujolais. Come with more adjectives than just “funky” and don’t believe that natural wine exclusively means orange wine, it doesn’t.
Wildair, Lower East Side
What I Order
Wine: The gentlemen who work at Wildair have so kindly freed me from any decision making because they have come to learn, I’m no good at it. Shortly after I sit down, whoever is working at the time slowly makes their way to me, and fills my glass with whatever is open. It’s always lovely and somehow exactly what I wanted and didn’t even know. This is to say, they are very receptive to offering recommendations and they very knowledgeable about the producers whose wine they offer. So ask questions, ask for suggestions. And if you are as amenable as I, then you will probably like whatever it is they pour.
Food: You can’t skip on the warm bread with olive oil, the little gem salad (arguably the best salad in New York) or the radis au beurre with smoked comté. Although their menu changes seasonally, these tend to be staples. If you’re forgoing dinner, or snacks, I beg of you, don’t skip on dessert. Their pastry chef is amazing and highly innovative. (Or skip the wine altogether and go for donuts on Saturday and Sunday mornings).
Demo, West Village
Demo is perhaps the city’s newest wine bar. At the moment I’m writing this, sometime in mid-March, it’s been open just a month. Named after Father Demo Square, a small triangular park at the intersection of Carmine and 6th avenue, it is perhaps the singular thing that the West Village was missing. An exquisite wine list, amazing, and I mean amazing food, and a generally convivial air (although, as new as they are, be patient with them). Stepping into Demo felt very distinctly like stepping into a new generation of wine bar. It’s doesn’t have that industrial coldness of early wave (ie. 2016/2017) wine bars. In fact, it’s bar which is a red marble and the dim lighting exude a certain warmth which, even on the tail end of winter, is highly welcomed.
What I Order
Wine: While their wine selection is constantly rotating, I had the most amazing pinot noir from northern France on both my recent visits.
Food: Demo’s head chef is was previously the CDC at Wildair so it’s no surprise their food is amazing and more specifically, their mainstay salad is superior. The chopped radicchio is delicious and full of flavor and texture. If you are wanting something heartier, the cavatelli was also super yummy. And the banana pudding for dessert is an absolute must.
Cellar 36, Two Bridges
I don’t know if Cellar 36 is a secret, but it feels like one. Located in Two-Bridges, the southern most tip of Chinatown, this wine bar is fairly unassuming, distinctly unimposing, and kind of hard to get to. It has the most authentically European feel of any wine bar in city which springs from it’s certain self-assured air. Which is to say, it’s not trying to do anything other than serve really good natural wine at a fair price accompanied with a limited, but carefully curated menu of small bites which stand out for their freshness and seasonality. It’s cozy, the perfect place for a first date. The walls are brick and unadorned; the tables are wide and at bar height. And let me reiterate, the wine by the glass is very cheap. I would make it here as soon as possible before the secret is out.
What I Order
Wine: Cellar 36 hosts a ton of producer events and they use their Instagram to spotlight new offerings so I would recommend following them to see what’s new.
Food: This is the sort of place where I take the “one of everything” approach. Their selection of small bites is simple and delicious so a mix of bread and cheese and meats and olives makes for the most perfect evening bite.
Gem Wine, Lower East Side
Gem is the brainchild of self-proclaimed “former teen chef” Flynn McGarry who rose to fame circa 2018 when he began serving a 14-course tasting menu out of his childhood home in the West Village. So it’s no wonder that, at only age 25, McGarry has created one of the most sophisticated and elegant spaces in Lower Manhattan. Located on Forsythe and Broom, Gem Wine occupies the space that was previously Gem. And the migration has become a symbol of the marriage between the restaurant and wine bar style of eating and drinking. This is reflected as well in the design, which is reminiscent of somewhere that isn’t New York, like Maine or maybe somewhere upstate—McGarry thrifts a lot of the pieces in the restaurant from these parts so it’s no wonder. Paneled in a light wood and famous for its communal tables of a similar finish, which spring from the walls like a tree from roots. Time, which seems so omnipresent in New York, tends to melt away when you’re there.
What I Order
Wine: Gem’s pour by the glass changes nightly but their menu is always: one red, one white, one orange, and bubbles. So order depending on your preference and also feel free to change things up as the evening progresses. That being said, their list of wine by the bottles is extensive and well curated so if you are going with a group, it’s worth exploring that as an option for something a little more specific to your taste.
Food: Although Gem closed at the end of last year, it’s essence still lingers in air of Gem Wine. Though the menu has been largely reimagined, it remains a series of small bites inspired by various tasting menus from around the world. Dishes are made with seasonal ingredients and thus change with some frequency. Although you can never go wrong with a selection of meats, cheeses and bread, which are all locally sourced. If you are wanting something a little more satiate, Gem Wine has kept the option of a pairing menu, the model of dining from which Gem originally springs. And at just $65 a person, it’s a great option.
L’Accolade, West Village
L’Accolade is an old school and profoundly French wine bar, that seems to exist in a category of it’s own among wine bars in the city. They have a sister restaurant on the coast in Marseille and it’s West Village counterpart is run by a cohort of French expats who bring their distinct air and approach to hospitality to the cozy space on Bleeker. In fact, their commitment to make you feel welcomed borders on overbearing. They’ll move furniture for you and let you try wines until you find one you like if it means you’ll hang around. They’ll yell in French and throw their arms around if it means you’ll get the best service. It’s well meaning, don’t let this energy scare you away because they truly have cultivated one the most wonderful and extensive list of natural wines in the area, by the bottle and by the glass. The French are typically predisposed toward things of French origin, a superiority complex for their mother country. And although there is no shortage of amazing French wine generally, L’Accolade has a distinguishably global wine list, with offerings from almost every continent and a range of appellations. And they’ve done it in a way that is uniquely unpretentious.
What I Order
Wine: When I went to L’Accolade recently, it was one of those anomalous winter nights that felt like late spring. Everyone was wearing light jackets and seemed particularly jovial. I ordered a glass of Weingut Idler, a German Riesling, which was acidic and refreshing. This is just one of the many very good glasses by the wine they offer.
Food: My truth. I have never eaten here. But, if you’re looking for something other than wine, try their cocktails :)
"I lived in a first floor walk up with little light and a makeshift porch which had laid its uneven floors on the roof of one of the city’s best wine bars." WRITE ME A WHOLE BOOK! Beautifully written as always and earmarked for my next wine night downtown 🍷
Yessss