Step aside draft beers, because wine is slipping out of its bottle and into our tap lines. This is the situation at new East Village wine bar Lois, which landed on Avenue C on March 16th. Former high school classmates Nora O'Malley and Phoebe Connell created the cozy little space to showcase their shared love of wines, cultivated over a job in Italy, a Sommelier certification and a masters in Food Studies, respectively. The name, Lois, was inspired by the bar's location—Avenue C also goes by Loisaida Avenue.
The duo have designed both a wine, beer and food menu that would offer them an opportunity to explore lots of different vintages and flavors, something to which kegged wines are naturally suited. Not only are the draft wines more environmentally stable and practical—no bottles to be constantly disposing of, for example—they also allow for sips and samples, which isn't as practical with traditionally packaged wines.
"When I found wine on tap, a light bulb went off and I became obsessed," O'Malley explains. "It's incredible how a simple change of format has the ability to lower costs, increase accessibility, and make even the most inexperienced wine drinker feel comfortable." To that end, whenever a keg kicks, they'll replace it with something different, ensuring a constantly evolving list that'll offer a comprehensive view of the various styles of wine.
(Michael Groth)
All told, there are 16 different wines on offer, including cult United States vintners, plus wine-like items like Palomino sherry from Manzanilla and other fortified wines. Because they can pull as much or as little as they'd like without compromising the bottle, they're doing pours starting at 100ml ($3 - $8) up to 1,000ml ($34 - $58). They'll also offer two draft beers or ciders—currently the Bronx Pale Ale from Bronx Brewey and a dry, English cider from Shacksbury—priced between $3 for a half pint up to $8 for a full pint.
To complement the drinks, Connell has created a menu of small plates and snacks. Nosh on sourdough bread ($4) with maple and Szechuan peppercorn butter with a side of Castelvetranos olives ($5) or a more filling plate of Duck Confit Corn Cakes ($9) with pickled onion and aioli or the "School Lunch"-style pudding made with chocolate from Ritual and Madagascar vanilla bean. Connell also has a background in cheese, as former Director of Education at the Bedford Cheese Shop. So expect lots of delicious artisanal cheese on the menu as well.
98 Avenue C, 212-475-1400; website
