Serial vegan restaurateur Ravi DeRossi and his team opened a new East Village restaurant on Wednesday, January 7 \u2014 and, true to form, they\u2019re transforming a familiar space in the process. Long Count, an aged-wine and focaccia bar centered on fermentation, is taking over 155 Avenue B at East 10th Street, the former home of Soda Club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soda Club hasn\u2019t disappeared so much as evolved. The popular vegan wine bar relocated in April to a larger space at 95 Avenue A after outgrowing its original Avenue B location. Since opening in 2022, Soda Club became a neighborhood favorite for its natural-leaning wine list, house-made vegan pastas, and late-night buzz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Long Count builds on that foundation with a singular focus: every wine poured by the glass is at least 10 years old. Rather than treating age as something precious or prohibitively expensive, the bar positions mature wines as approachable and everyday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The wine program was curated by partner and wine director Drew Brady, who also oversees Soda Club\u2019s list. Over the years, Brady has sourced overlooked back vintages from importer cellars and distributor warehouses \u2014 wines that have quietly evolved into something special but don\u2019t typically appear on by-the-glass menus. The selection includes oxidative whites, aged ros\u00e9s, skin-contact wines, and big reds that have mellowed with time. At Long Count, these bottles aren\u2019t a novelty; they\u2019re the entire point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVintage wine can feel intimidating for casual drinkers \u2014 you think, \u2018Oh God, I\u2019m out,\u2019\u201d Brady says. But many of the wines on the list were aged by the winemaker before bottling, making them less about long-term collecting and more about immediate enjoyment. Because they aren\u2019t auction-bound trophies \u2014 and many arrived in the U.S. before tariffs drove up import costs \u2014 prices remain relatively accessible. Wines are preserved using Coravin technology once opened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The concise food menu is designed to complement the wine. Chefs Galen Kennemer (formerly of Blanca and One White Street) and Haley Duren (previously of Cadence) have created a vegan offering anchored by focaccia and layered with fermented sauces, vinegars, and infused oils. Expect arancini with truffles, lacto-fermented fries, radicchio salad, and hazelnut cake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n