LOWER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN

Wildair

The 2015 Orchard Street wine bar from the Contra team — beef tartare, fried olives and natural wine.

Illustration of an American table: a burger, fries and a pickle — Illustration · not a photo of this venue

Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske opened Wildair on Orchard Street in 2015 as the looser sibling to their tasting-menu restaurant Contra. It became a template for the downtown natural wine bar: a busy, social room, French funk on the speakers, and a list built on organic and biodynamic bottles.

The menu changes with the season, but the beef tartare is the order people come back for, and the fried stuffed olives with country ham and mornay are a fine way to start. Get bread and olive oil, share a crudo, and let the staff steer you toward a glass you have not tried.

Editor’s tip

Walk in early on a weeknight, sit at the bar and build dinner from the tartare and two or three small plates.

Make an evening of it — beautiful stops nearby

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Also in the neighborhood

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LOWER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN

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Google rating & reviews ↗

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LOWER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN

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Google rating & reviews ↗

Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 14, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.