As you probably know, I’m more of a “go HERE for this but go THERE for that” type of gal; it’s rare that I come across a place I’ll recommend for a wide variety of social situations… but then there’s 10 Degrees. This East Village (St Marks btwn 1st Ave/Ave A) cocktail + wine lounge has great food, an extensive drink menu and excellent happy hour/day-drinking-friendly specials that can play to the most casual of friendly hangs to the most swoon-able date nights.
For your next date, grab a stool at the bar or a table along the back corridor for a more private rendezvous. A glass of Prosecco ($12) will get your bubbly self off to a fab start, play it safe and choose a classic cocktail ($10-14) or experiment with something new – the French 75 ($11) is the perfect blend of citrus, bubbly and gin. There’s also an extensive wine list (1/2 priced bottles on Mondays) and an interesting selection of beers. You’ll be feeling saucy in no time.
After you’ve got your refreshments settled, I strongly suggest you consider grabbing a bite. The mixed plates of meats and olives are perfect to casually share and nibble off of – I personally love the mix and match cheese plate options (3 for $21 or 4 for $26). If you want to go all out, the Avocado Toast ($7.50) is EXCELLENT; the flavors are so fresh with a splash of lemon juice that dances on your tongue (forgive me while I have my moment). The Paninis are equally impressive; particularly the Caprese ($9.75), which you may want to skip if you’re on a date but will absolutely have to try if you’re ready to dig in to a seriously fab pressed sandwich.
While date night is always a good time, my favorite time to play at 10 Degrees is with a group of friends for a weekend funday. The front lounge area has windows that open to the sidewalk, creating the perfect atmosphere to enjoy 2-for-1 cocktails (on the daily) from 12-8pm. AMAZING deal. On a recent trip, some friends had the Porc Burgerettes ($9.75) which are adorable sliders made of sake glazed pork belly topped with a fried quail egg and accompanied by a Cabernet Sauvignon jelly. Sounds almost good enough to make me reconsider eating meat –almost…
If you’re looking to throw an all out rager, there’s a back room which can be rented out for larger groups – open bar options and food platters for groups make this a no-brainer party spot. So next time you’re in the East Village without an agenda and with a desire to get your drank and eats on, use your brain; there’s no degree of separation that should keep you from 10 Degrees.
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