Where East Village bartenders talk you through 250 natural wines
Settle into a candlelit East Village room where the wine list leans Georgian, Greek, and Slovenian.
🍷 A cellar that leans old-world
Ruffian opened on East 7th Street in 2016, and the room runs closer to a chef's table than a bar. The cellar holds more than 250 bottles, most pulled from Georgia, Greece, Austria, and Slovenia, and the by-the-glass list rarely reads like anyone else's in the neighborhood. Arrive without a fixed order, let the bartenders, who know the backstory of every pour, steer the pairing, and settle in. Plates keep pace with the wine, from duck pastrami to mushroom dumplings, sized for tasting rather than filling. Come early for the weekday happy hour, when wines by the glass drop in price and the counter stays quiet. Seats are limited and the light stays low, which suits an unhurried evening with someone you like.
