Wine Bars

Wine Spectator Magazine named Café Mamo one of the 12 best new restaurants of 2022, a list reserved for standout wine spots that also offer a memorable dining experience, and its wine program earned an award of excellence from the publication. Opened in summer 2021 by husband-and-wife team Michael Goessman (chef) and Summer Knoop (a certified wine sommelier), Café Mamo is an intimate wine-driven eatery tucked into the Creston Heights neighborhood northeast of downtown GR.

Knoop draws on her experience in the New York City wine industry to curate a rotating wine (and beer and mocktail) list that beautifully complements the farm-to-table food menu that also changes weekly based on the freshest ingredients Goessman can find. The restaurant is open Monday-Saturday for dinner service and offers brunch one weekend each month. Café Mamo's happy hour runs from 4-5:30pm on Monday through Friday. 

Chateau Grand Rapids is a wine bar housed in a historic building in Uptown GR. Opened in February 2024 by husband-and-wife duo Chris and Allaire Stewart, the emphasis here is on European wines, with an ever-changing selection offered by the glass and a bottle list of more than 400 options. Wine pours are priced from $13-$26 and bottles range between $50 and $730. A small seasonal food menu includes cheese & charcuterie.

Cork Wine & Grille, located at the Watermark Country Club, is open to the general public and is a must-visit for wine lovers. Cork certainly lives up to its name, offering one of the area’s most extensive wine lists, with selections available by the bottle or in a glass. 

Cork’s menu features plenty of California wines, as well as European, South American, and Michigan varieties. Cork offers a modern bistro ambiance and has a fabulous patio to enjoy during the warmer months. Cork also offers wine storage lockers, which will get you a range of benefits, including access to premium and rare wines. 

Located in the Creston neighborhood just north of downtown Grand Rapids, Good Good Good focuses on natural wines made without chemicals. They source wines from vineyards that ferment their wines with native yeasts and bacteria. Nothing is added or subtracted in the process. The result is wines that are “junk-free, alive and absolutely delicious,” according to the shop’s proprietors.

Stop in for a glass and some nibblies (they don’t have a kitchen), and shop for bottles to take home. Join the GGG Wine Club for monthly drops of two bottles complete with notes and pairing suggestions for each.

Good Good Good is also a floral shop, so you can also sign up for a floral club or a wine & floral club. Fresh floral arrangements are available in the shop and can be ordered for delivery.

The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck at the Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton offers a smaller, curated wine list to accompany its globally inspired menu. 

The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck offers European-style wines, with a few California and Austrian wines included for good measure. All are available by the bottle or the glass.

Two other Amway Grand Plaza restaurants are also great wine destinations: MDRD features a satisfying selection of Spanish wines to complement its modern Spanish cuisine, while Ruth’s Chris Steak House offers an extensive global wine list.

The wine menu at this full-service restaurant and bar in downtown GR emphasizes natural wines sourced from small family and farmer-driven wineries. These wines are fermented naturally, with zero trickery and minimal intervention.

The Littlebird’s food menu is a creative mix of American and world cuisines, and servers are adept at recommending wines to pair with your meal choices. The restaurant serves brunch Tuesday-Sunday and dinner Tuesday-Saturday. Happy Hour specials available Tuesday-Friday from 4pm-5:30pm. 

Follow Littlebird on Facebook and Instagram for fascinating insights into their wine and food selections, and notification of special wine dinners.

Noto’s Old World Italian Dining is a family-owned restaurant that’s been serving up fine Italian dining since 1982. Its expansive list of 1,300 Italian wines (covering all 20 of the country’s wine-producing regions) is worth a browse.

Not sure what to choose? Opt for a wine flight featuring three wines before you purchase a glass or bottle. The 28th Street location (Noto's also operates a lakeside restaurant in Grand Haven) features spaces for private parties and events.

A casual-yet-chic champagne bar and market in Uptown GR, Pursuit of Happiness offers “bubbles by the glass,” “bubbles by the bottle” and “bubbles & troubles” – a selection of spritz cocktails made with their very own champagne, a delicately dry Blanc de Noirs. An assortment of wine, beer and specialty cocktails round out the beverage menu.

A small-plates food menu includes toasts, charcuterie and delightful nibbles, as well as some “sweet thangs” from Mokaya, a nearby artisan chocolate and confections boutique. You can also get a locally made Any Colour You Like popsicle swimming in Pursuit of Happiness bubbly (or non-alcoholic champagne), a creation dubbed “Slap Me Twice & Call Me Sally.”

Pursuit of Happiness is a woman-owned business emphasizing a positive, inclusive, respectful culture of celebrating, so come as you are.

Two of the world’s favorite beverages come together at Squibb Coffee and Wine Bar, located in Uptown. Guests can order wine by the glass or bottle, and pair their choice(s) with a something from the food menu, which includes toasts, cheese, and charcuterie. Specialty coffees and pastries round out the offering.

Since its opening in 2019, Squibb has expanded its retail selection of wine bottles to include more natural wines and a wider range of wines from all over the world. Guests can take a bottle to go or open a bottle at the shop for a corkage fee.

Keep in mind that menus and prices are subject to change, so it’s always a good idea to check websites and/or social media pages before you visit any of these wine bars.