Skin Contact

"Orchard Street on the Lower East Side tends to be a parade of public drunkenness. Part of the allure of this wine bar’s sidewalk patio is that you get courtside seats to the surrounding scene, while sipping a glass of delicious, potentially unusual natural wine. Even if you know next to nothing about wine, the condensed list of options and friendly staff will help you find something exciting without paying a ton of money—most of the glasses cost $13-$15." - neha talreja, bryan kim, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick

"Are the glasses stubby? Yes. Is it quirky? Aside from a single LED light and a few octagonal tables, not really. What's it good for? Low-key evenings on the Lower East Side. Skin Contact isn’t trying too hard, and that’s why we like it. The space is dark and mellow, and there’s a patio out front where you can hang out and observe the latest fashion trends inspired by the early-2000s VMAs. If you’re looking for a good selection of wines by the glass, stop by and see what’s available. You might find some muscat from southern France with strong notes of geranium-flavored Betty Crocker frosting, or you might encounter a German chasselas made from grapes hand-picked under the light of a full moon." - bryan kim

"“Skin Contact”, an intimate wine bar on Orchard Street with boundary pushing bottles."

"The next time you’re meeting up with one or two other people who only want to talk about and drink pet-nats, try Skin Contact. This natural wine bar on the LES has a decent amount of sidewalk tables set up, as well as a backyard where they run wine tastings every week. There’s even a “$25 bottle dealer’s choice” section where they’ll choose a sparking white or a chilled red for you." - nikko duren

"Orchard Street on the Lower East Side tends to be a parade of public drunkenness. Part of the allure of this wine bar’s sidewalk patio is that you get courtside seats to the surrounding scene, while sipping a glass of delicious, potentially unusual natural wine. Even if you know next to nothing about wine, the condensed list of options and friendly staff will help you find something exciting without paying a ton of money—most of the glasses cost around $14." - Hannah Albertine, Bryan Kim