Lower East Side Wine Bars

Mediterranean

181 Essex St., 10002
Cross Streets: East Houston & Stanton St.

Hours: Sun-Mon 11am -Midnight, Tue-Thurs 11am-2am, Fri-Sat 11am-3.30am

A Mediterranean wine and tapas joint has taken over the old Essex Ale House, transforming the space from classic dive bar status into a cozy spot with chandeliers and exposed brick.

The 120 varieties of wine and beer lists cover the world with heavy concentration on the Mediterranean: including Italy, Greece, Turkey and Israel (including kosher options) France, Argentina and California. They also offer Mead (a honey wine) on tap, arguably the oldest alcoholic beverage known to man.  Apparently, Mead is not offered anywhere else in the city.  They carry select beers in bottle, including a gluten-free beer from Spain, and several on tap.

Menu items include modest priced small plates – such as hummus and tzatziki dips and halumi cheese, salads, a variety of crostini at 3 for $9, salmon carpaccio, spinach crepes and chicken samosas; traditional meze plates; and heartier skirt steaks and salmon ($18). Patrons will dine at communal tables with barstool seating, enough for roughly fifty people.