"What was once a teeny wine bar on the Lower East Side has moved nearby, into a larger space that was once a hyper-seasonal restaurant run by a 19-year-old. The chef has grown up, and so has Gem Wine, which is just about as perfect an early date spot as you can find. The wine is good but unpretentious, the design is fun but not in-your-face (note the little wooden fishes attached to the wall lamps), and you should start your evening with some sourdough and marmite butter before moving on to small plates of lion’s mane schnitzel or crab toast. If you’ve already committed to “I love you,” there’s a $75 “Experience” sampler menu of mostly vegetable-forward dishes to try." - Bryan Kim, Sonal Shah, Willa Moore, Neha Talreja, Will Hartman
Sean Davidson