Tucked away within Chinatown is Doyers Street, a historic alleyway home to legacy restaurants like Nom Wah Tea Parlor. And it’s where Annie Shi, one of the restaurateurs behind King and Jupiter, chose to open her Chinese American wine bar Lei this summer. It’s so picturesque that three wedding photoshoots took place outside on a late fall evening. One couple even posed in front of Lei’s red-tiled entrance.
The team knows their wine, so trust their glass recommendations. I enjoyed my Porfia Tinto 2024 from Spanish winery Agricola Calcarea ($19) with noodles and the Pentecoastal Block Riesling 2024 from Apollo’s Praise in the Finger Lakes with dessert.
Solo dinners or small group hangs where people aren’t mega-hungry — most of the menu is portioned on the smaller side. It’s a tiny space with good vibes and music spanning Chinese pop to R&B to jazz.
At first glance, the crane wallpaper in the bathroom seems innocent enough, but take a closer look at the mayhem the birds are wreaking.