Purveyor manager Eva Lavalle recommends macarons, empanadas, an orange soda and more. (Photo: Wini Moranville)
By Wini Moranville
On a recent visit to Purveyor, in the East Village, I was struck by how much it resembles a French cave à vins (wine cave), with its plentiful wines on tap and wide array of tasty little snacks. True, Purveyor’s menu leans more toward Italy and Spain, but the whole idea of coming into a neighborhood wine shop to refill your empty bottles while having a glass of wine and a little nibble before you go, well, that swings French, too.
To be clear, Purveyor offers more than just small bites. In addition to tapas and charcuterie, you can enjoy sandwiches and daily features (like Couscous Thursdays) in a casual restaurant setting. (Note the hours.)
But if you want the French cave à vins experience, check out their thoughtfully curated wines available by the bottle, glass and, unusually, by the growler. Sixteen wines are “on tap,” so you can choose one, settle in for a snack if you’d like, and enjoy both the vibe and some savings on the well-chosen pours.
“We hand-select wines and buy them in six-barrel kegs,” manager Eva Lavalle explained. “The tap system allows us to offer many wines by the glass, because if we had to keep 15 bottles open at a time, a lot of it would eventually go to waste.”
The growler setup offers an added bonus: Once you buy the bottle, you can refill it again and again, paying only for the wine itself, not the packaging. The container holds a liter, the equivalent to about 1.3 standard bottles of wine.
One caveat: Wines purchased from the tap should be consumed within three or four days.
When I asked Lavalle about the best way to spend $100 here, she rounded up the following mix of products to enjoy on-site and to save for tapas-style nibbles at home.
Empanadas ($10 for two): These homemade savory pastries come with a choice of four rotating fillings. Graziano sausage is a popular pick.
Fangst Limfjord Tinned Mussels Marinated with Dill and Fennel Seeds ($11): Lavalle said these are perfect for “just a little bite on toast.”
A’ Siciliana Aranciata di Sicilia ($3): A refreshing blood-orange soft drink that’s made with real
blood oranges from Sicily.
La Narval Pulpo Tinned Octopus with Garlic Sauce ($12): “I’m not sure there’s a better way to enjoy octopus,” Lavalle said.
Vietti Roero Arneis White Wine ($28): This is a stunning white wine with great acidity and weight, made from an under-the-radar grape.
Growler of Wine ($5 for the refillable bottle, plus $20-$30 per liter): Choose from one of 15 wines on tap.
Salted Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies from Doré Bakery ($7 per package): The shop rotates its supply of cookies from this artisanal bakery, but this flavor is a popular standby.
French Macarons from Doré Bakery ($6 for three): Enjoy rotating flavors of these delicate French pastries.
For more shopping recommendations, read Wini Moranville’s suggestions for the best ways to spend $100 at AllSpice Culinarium, The Cheese Shop and Gateway Market.
