Wine Bar
http://www.vynenewyork.com/
82 W 3rd St. – W. Village

Vyne is in an odd neighborhood for it’s level of sophistication. It is surrounded by NYU bars, but it’s the perfect spot for adults to have a nice glass of wine while in the Village. The owners are group of people who also own the likes of Pegu Club and Flatiron Lounge. The design is gorgeous, done by a Dutch designer. The wine vaults are particularly nice with a gorgeous screen partitioning the wine from the restaurant. It runs the full length of the space. Also awesome is the gas fireplace filled with sand. There are two black leather couches and we’ve been lucky enough to nab a seat on one two of the three times we’ve been there. There is a nice selection of cheese and charcuterie, but my favorite is the oyster mushroom pizza.

On our last visit, we sat at the bar. It was a much less pleasant experience. The bartender just moved here from California and was a total douchebag. That was a bummer. Also, we noted the manager we met on our first visit QUIT and has been replaced by a less cool guy. This is not one of my top recommendations, but like I said, if you are in that area there aren’t a ton of great choices. Don’t make it a destination spot. But the wine and atmosphere are good.

One last thing. Cool bathrooms. Several private stalls and a long trough sink. I was particularly impressed with the toilet seats. They have a little thumb handle on the side of the seat which is a brilliant design.