A new wine bar pairing Filipino comfort food with a carefully chosen glass list is preparing to open on Manhattan's Lower East Side, and organizers say it will be the city's first queer Filipino wine bar. Beautiful Eyes is led by Miguel de Leon, who holds the inaugural Michelin Sommelier of the Year Award, alongside Lj Almendras, founding director of Dila. The pair plan to bring a taste of the Philippines to Manhattan through a menu built around Filipino favorites and fine wine.
According to Lifestyle.INQ, Beautiful Eyes is backed by the same crew behind Pinch Chinese, where de Leon serves as wine director. Possible dishes include pares prepared carpaccio-style and escabeche, giving familiar Filipino staples a new presentation. One of the bar's anchor pours is expected to be Wink Wink, a white wine imported from Australia.
Two Years in the Making
De Leon and Almendras met about two years ago, and the bar's concept grew out of that connection. The outlet reports their bond formed instantly as they bonded over their shared identity as queer Filipinos, a connection that now shapes the bar's mission to provide a safe space for marginalized communities while aiming to make all guests feel welcome.
De Leon has framed the project's ambitions beyond the plate and glass. He has said he wants the venture to prompt dialogue about Filipino “futurism,” rather than platitudes of Filipino “resilience,” according to a profile from Lifestyle Asia. The same profile notes de Leon has said the stories we're telling through beverage programming are producer-focused, pointing to an emphasis on the people behind the wines rather than just the labels.
Pop-Ups Before the Official Opening
Before settling into a permanent home, the chefs and their team have hosted a number of pop-ups, Lifestyle.INQ reports, though the bar had not yet opened at full capacity at the time of that reporting. De Leon has also spoken about the Filipino food at the center of the project, saying the food never needed elevating; it has always been in front of us, and we need to care about it more.
Earlier reporting sketched out some of the plans still taking shape. A report from whatnow.com said the wine bar was slated to join the Lower East Side at 264 Bowery, while Time Out described a vibey bar that would house karaoke and a DJ stand. Those accounts reflect plans reported earlier in the project's development rather than confirmation of its current address or finished design.
A Cause Attached to the Pour
Beyond the menu, de Leon and Almendras have tied the business to a humanitarian cause. The pair have donated a portion of their sales to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, which provides humanitarian aid to children in Gaza, per Lifestyle.INQ's reporting.
De Leon's wine credentials trace back to his recognition as the Michelin Guide Sommelier of the Year in New York City in 2021, as noted by Lifestyle Asia. His approach to building a wine list has also been documented elsewhere: a profile from SOMM TV Magazine reported that Pinch Chinese's list had grown to 350 bottles, with about 20 always available by the glass, giving a sense of the scale de Leon has worked with before turning his attention to Beautiful Eyes.
