A wine bar will soon open at 164 East 88th Street, which was previously home to a barber shop (Google Maps).
A new wine bar will soon be serving the Upper East Side. Bar Vivant, founded by Chefs Anne O’Hare and Enrique Lerma, will be opening soon at 164 East 88th Street (between Lexington and Third avenues).
East Side Feed first reported on Bar Vivant back in April when the forthcoming wine bar’s owners presented their plans to Community Board 8’s Street Life Committee. The presentation raised controversy, with some residents and board members expressing concerns over potentially excessive lighting, noise and loitering.
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Those who objected were specifically concerned with the choice of location, saying that the mid-block space had never housed a restaurant and to be serving liquor on the mostly residential street may not be appropriate. “We’re trying to save our block and have it as quiet as possible,” one local said. “We have young children and front apartments that will be affected. And we oppose this very much.”
Some neighbors are concerned about a bar opening on a quiet, mostly residential street (Google Maps).
“I have lived in this building for 30 years,” said another member of the public. “And I definitely strongly oppose the establishment like this in the quiet residential block.”
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O’Hare attempted to mitigate these fears, telling board members, “It’s going to be a lovely quiet wine bar, we’re not going to have, you know, patrons [being] loud and causing any problems on the street. We’d like to think that we’re going to be a quality establishment with a nicely curated wine list. We’re not a restaurant, there won’t even be any cooking. It’s going to be kind of [a] classic wine bar. Charcuterie, cheese. And I think it’ll be a nice addition to the neighborhood.”
The (advisory only) application was ultimately approved, with a stipulation that one dedicated employee ensures that no loitering takes place.
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Bar Vivant is expected to seat approximately 25 people inside. There’s currently no outdoor seating, though the owners tell us this might change next year.
The menu, still being finalized, will feature a curated selection of wines, many of them biodynamic, organic and made by female winemakers. It will also include a variety of small plates with a focus on European cuisine.
Lerma and O’Hare are both well experienced in the culinary space. Lerma is the owner of Alison in East Harlem. O’Hare is the owner of O Cuisine at 1261 Park Avenue (between 97th and 98th streets), a private dining studio which also offers catering services and cooking classes.
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O’Hare tells us that while there’s no confirmed date quite yet, future customers should expect the bar to open its doors “sometime in the next two weeks.”
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“We look forward to meeting the people in the neighborhood. Hopefully they’ll find it a nice spot to come and try some interesting wines and have nice conversations.”
Good amount of commerce on that block.