Bar in New York City, United States
The Ten Bells
100ptsNatural wine done right. Skip the cocktails.
About The Ten Bells
The Ten Bells is a candlelit natural wine bar on Broome Street in the Lower East Side — best suited to wine drinkers who want a low-key, rotating list of low-intervention bottles in an intimate room. Walk-ins are generally achievable on weeknights. Not a cocktail bar, and not a full dinner option, but a strong neighbourhood wine stop for two.
The Ten Bells, Lower East Side: A Wine Bar First, Not a Cocktail Bar
If you arrive at The Ten Bells on Broome Street expecting a craft cocktail destination, reset that expectation now. This is a natural wine bar — one of the neighbourhood's most established — and the drinks program here is built around low-intervention bottles, not bartender showmanship. That distinction matters for your decision. If you want technically driven cocktails, Attaboy NYC or Amor y Amargo will serve you better. But if you want a genuinely interesting glass of wine in a room that feels like it was designed for staying a while, The Ten Bells is one of the stronger calls on the Lower East Side.
The Space
The room is compact and candlelit, with exposed brick and a pressed-tin ceiling that makes it feel older and more worn-in than most of its neighbours. Seating runs to a handful of small tables and a bar counter , this is not a large venue, and that intimacy is part of the draw. On a winter evening it reads as genuinely atmospheric rather than affected. In warmer months, the window frontage opens up and the street-level energy of Broome Street comes in, which changes the mood considerably. If the spatial intimacy is what you liked on your first visit, aim for a weeknight rather than a weekend, when the room fills and the noise level rises.
The Drinks Program
The wine list skews toward natural and biodynamic producers , expect funky, skin-contact whites and lighter reds rather than polished, conventional bottles. This is the right bar if you want to be challenged a little, or if you already know the natural wine world and want to explore. If you found something you liked last time, ask what's current , the list rotates with the season, and what's pouring now will likely differ from your previous visit. For the current season, that typically means leaning into orange wines and low-ABV reds suited to cooler-weather drinking. The bar does not lead with a cocktail menu, but simple drinks are available. The wine program is where the ambition sits, and it's the reason to come.
Food
Ten Bells serves small plates alongside its wine , tapas-style, meant to complement rather than replace a full dinner. This is a bar with food, not a restaurant with a bar. If you're planning an evening around eating, you'll want to supplement with a dinner reservation elsewhere. For a full Lower East Side dining experience, see our full New York City restaurants guide.
Booking and Logistics
Walk-ins are generally achievable, particularly earlier in the week. The venue is small enough that weekend evenings can fill, but this is not a hard-to-book destination. If you're heading here after dinner, aim to arrive before 9 PM on a Friday or Saturday to have a comfortable choice of seating. The address is 247 Broome St , walkable from several Lower East Side and Nolita dinner options, and close enough to Superbueno if you want to make a night of the neighbourhood.
Who Should Book
The Ten Bells works well for a date, a low-key catch-up with someone you know drinks interesting wine, or a solo seat at the bar. It is less suited to large groups given the size of the room. If you're returning after a first visit, focus on asking what's new on the list rather than defaulting to what you had before , the rotating selection is where you'll find the most value in coming back. For other strong bar options in the city, see our full New York City bars guide, or consider Angel's Share if you want a more cocktail-focused room at a similar intimacy level.
How It Compares
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Compare The Ten Bells
| Venue | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|
| The Ten Bells | — | |
| The Long Island Bar | — | |
| Dirty French | — | |
| Superbueno | — | |
| Amor y Amargo | — | |
| Angel's Share | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Ten Bells have happy hour deals?
No happy hour deals are documented for The Ten Bells on Broome Street. Arriving earlier in the week or early evening is the practical move — the room is small enough that weekend crowds push prices into a second bottle faster than you expect. If a deal is your priority, check Amor y Amargo nearby, which runs more structured drink programming.
What's the signature drink at The Ten Bells?
The Ten Bells is a wine bar, not a cocktail bar — the 'signature' here is the natural and biodynamic wine list, which skews toward funky skin-contact whites and lighter reds. If you arrive expecting a standout house cocktail, you're in the wrong place. Come for the wine, specifically the kind of pours you won't find at a conventional bar.
Does The Ten Bells have outdoor seating?
Outdoor seating at The Ten Bells is not documented. The venue is known for its compact, candlelit interior on Broome Street, and the experience is built around that room. If sidewalk seating matters to you, factor that in before committing to a trip.
Is The Ten Bells good for a date?
Yes — it's one of the better wine bar date options on the Lower East Side. The candlelit room, pressed-tin ceiling, and worn-in atmosphere do the heavy lifting without feeling staged. Works best for a first or second date where you want conversation-friendly seating rather than a loud, crowded bar. Arrive before 8pm on weekends to avoid the squeeze.
Is the food good at The Ten Bells?
The food is small plates, tapas-style — designed to pair with wine rather than stand alone as dinner. It does that job well, but if you're coming hungry and expecting a full meal, set expectations accordingly. This is a bar with food, not a restaurant with a bar.
Is The Ten Bells good for groups?
Not really. The room is compact and the layout isn't built for large parties — groups of more than four will find it tight and potentially awkward for ordering. For a group night out, Dirty French or Superbueno give you more space and a format that scales better. The Ten Bells works for two to three people who know what natural wine is.
What's the crowd like at The Ten Bells?
The Ten Bells draws a Lower East Side regular crowd — people who drink natural wine by choice, not because it's trendy, alongside neighbourhood locals and the occasional solo drinker at the bar. It's relaxed rather than sceney. If you're looking for a high-energy room or a place to be seen, this isn't it.
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