Demo
Restaurant · West Village
34 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014
Highlights
West Village’s Demo serves inventive European-inspired small plates and natural wines in a cozy, vibe-rich spot perfect for sharing.
West Village’s Demo serves inventive European-inspired small plates and natural wines in a cozy, vibe-rich spot perfect for sharing.
"A new wave wine bar with short but stimulating menus, offering distinctive glasses of wine at reasonable prices. Features a lot of seafood." - Melissa McCart
"Just steps away from the vibrant and occasionally ostentatious restaurant scene on Bleecker street in New York's West Village, you'll notice Demo nestled nearby at 34 Carmine Street with a storefront that exudes a quieter charm. However, upon stepping inside this establishment, which transforms from a daytime market-cafe to a wine bar at night, you'll uncover the newest hidden gem of West Village. Led by chef Quang “Q” Nguyen and beverage director Jacob Nass, Demo transcends the label of being merely a wine bar; it represents a dedication to innovation forged from years of expertise and a passion for reshaping the dining experience." - Ty Gaskins
"Demo is a new wine bar spin-off on the part of two Wildair vets — chef Quang “Q” Nguyen and beverage director Jacob Nass. Sit in the rear room with a view of the open kitchen, and enjoy tweaked French and Italian classics like a chunky scallop crudo dabbed with cremolata, and a veal tonnato made with tongue instead of veal roast. The wine list tends toward the orange and skin-contact, with plenty of conventional choices, too." - Robert Sietsema
"Demo, a new spot from Wildair alums, doesn’t want to be just another wine bar. By day it operates as a cafe, by night the lights dim and chef Quang “Q” Nguyen cooks dishes like Crab Casino with Ritz crackers and lobster au poivre with miso. Don’t skip the luxurious banana pudding for dessert, says Eater critic Robert Sietsema." - Emma Orlow, Eater Staff
"By day this West Village wine bar sells coffee and shoppy-shop pantry supplies, and shares a kitchen with a neighboring bagel place. By night, it's pounding with upbeat R&B tracks and packed with friend dates casually dropping $200 on wine and snacks. Even if you're not cool enough for the tattooed staff, whose hairstyles range from Wednesday Addams to Sonic the Hedgehog, you’ll feel like you belong in that seat at the low front bar, or in a snuggly booth. The best spot is at the marble counter, where you can watch a chef prep familiar small plates with personal touches, like scallop crudo sliced into irregular chunks, or a wedge of tortilla that’s more chawanmushi than omelet between the potatoes. It's all good. But unless you're flush with cash, we'd recommend this place for a drink and a bite rather than a full meal. photo credit: Sonal Shah" - Sonal Shah
