Surrell
Make Surrell on Capitol Hill your first stop if you are exploring the state's bottles, because every pour here is Washington wine. Keep things casual in the wine bar area or book the more formal tasting menu. Food comes from local farms and shifts with the seasons, and the covered outdoor garden sets a charming scene for a date or a night out with friends.
Footprint Wine Tap
One of Seattle's few Black-owned wineries, Footprint doubles as a Capitol Hill wine bar where you can discover lesser-known, low-intervention and sustainable Pacific Northwest producers. Its own very small-production wines are on the list too. Every glass flows from a tap rather than a bottle, a choice meant to cut down on glass waste.
Lucy's Bottle Shop
Head to a quiet Interbay street to find Lucy's, which stocks wines chosen from queer, women and BIPOC wine professionals. Grab a local bottle from RAM Cellars, a highlight of the shelves, and settle in on the patio. The space is relaxed and dog-friendly, with snacks for sale and no corkage fee on retail bottles.
Bottlehouse
Tucked into a refurbished craftsman house in Madrona, Bottlehouse offers cozy corners inside and a leafy patio in summer. Browse a list that blends local and international wines with aperitifs and cocktails. Charcuterie, seasonal vegetable plates, heartier entrees and desserts made for dessert wines round out the menu, which is why so many people save it for date night.
Downtown Pours for Pairing and French Wine
Staying near the core of the city? These two spots are an easy stroll from hotels and many of the city's best-known Seattle landmarks.
Purple Café and Wine Bar
Look up when you walk into Purple, a modern downtown wine bar known for its towering wine display. Every dish on the menu comes with a suggested pairing, which takes the guesswork out of ordering if you are new to wine. Order the duo option to get two half pours side by side, a handy way to taste how one grape changes with different winemaking styles.
Le Caviste
Slip into Le Caviste, a small French wine bar on Seventh Avenue run by master sommelier David Butler. The menu is chalked on a board and leans on French regions, matched with well-regarded charcuterie. Ask away, since staff expect questions and guide guests without any stuffiness, and take a few bottles home at a discount.
Neighborhood Spots for Groups and Late Nights
Some of the liveliest wine nights happen away from downtown. Browse our guide to Seattle neighborhoods to plan dinner nearby.
Little Thing
Step into this seafoam-tiled Beacon Hill bar and you will find a house-party feel, with guests drifting onto the porch and into a simple grassy backyard. The staff source unusual wines from around the world, and a non-alcoholic sparkling apple juice is on hand if you are skipping alcohol. It makes a fine place to wait for a table at nearby Homer, Musang or Bar Del Corso, though plenty of people end up staying all night.
Barrel Thief
Bring a group with mixed tastes to Barrel Thief in Fremont, which works as both a wine bar and a whiskey bar. The wine list runs long, and servers are glad to help you narrow it down. Order the truffle popcorn, the snack regulars talk about.
Urban Tasting Rooms in SODO and Pioneer Square
Seattle is home to more than two dozen winery tasting rooms, from tiny garage producers to larger wineries from across the state. These two show off the range.
Sleight of Hand
Catch Sleight of Hand in the SODO Urbanworks complex, where several respected tasting rooms cluster together. The room is fun and unfussy, decked out with Jimi Hendrix and Pearl Jam posters and other music memorabilia. A DJ or live performance often sets the mood.
Locus Wines
Settle into Locus Wines, set in a historic Pioneer Square building with tall brick walls and a tree-shaded sidewalk terrace. Pair your glass with tapas such as Turkish meze plates and lamb-and-turkey meatballs. It slots neatly into an afternoon spent exploring the neighborhood.
Day Trip to Woodinville Wine Country
Spend a day in Woodinville, roughly a 25 to 30 minute drive northeast of downtown and home to more than 100 wineries and tasting rooms. The Hollywood District and the Warehouse District hold dense clusters, so you can park once and walk between pours. Several local operators run guided tasting trips if you would rather leave the car behind, and the Woodinville Wine Country website offers a downloadable map.
