Looking for the best wine bars in Bend, Oregon? This rosé-loving local has you covered.
Bend is known for having some of the best beer in the country. Indeed, the craft brew scene has been attracting visitors for years. But a new trend has been stirring beneath the surface, a surge of wine bars eager to convert beer drinkers and cocktail-lovers into wine enthusiasts.
Found in the crosshairs, I had the pleasure of visiting all the wine bars in Bend and wanted to highlight the true standouts. Let’s dive in!
Best Wine Bars in Bend
(Table of Contents)
Viaggio Wine Merchant
Let’s kick off this list of the best Bend wine bars with a personal favorite, Viaggio Wine Merchant. Part-shop, part-bar, this elegant gem is the brainchild of experienced Sommelier Benjamin Richardson.
Richardson’s impressive past has some key milestones that can’t be overlooked. From training under the wing of Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey (named Sommelier of the Year in 2015 by Wine Enthusiast) to helming the wine program at a three-starred Michelin restaurant, safe to say he’s been around the block.
From there, he became the Estate Director at Faila Wines in St. Helena, California before ultimately settling down in Bend to focus on family. What Richardson brings to Bend is an impeccable eye for exciting wines, the well-curated menu removes the guess work completely.
All this to say, if you don’t want to spend the next year drinking mediocre wine, head straight to Viaggio for a proper introduction to the good stuff. Everything on offer is memorable and inspiring.
Word to the wise: Don’t sleep on the light bites offered, Richardson works closely with local farmers for seasonal produce he couples with imported Italian olive oil and cheese. The seasonal burrata and tomato salad is a treat!
Lone Pine Coffee (Apéro Hours)
Lone Pine is a popular cafe that moonlights as a wine bar Friday & Saturday evenings from 5pm to 8pm. The vibe is very casual and relaxed, and the wine menu is limited to 2-3 choices.
To the unassuming eye, the small menu seems like a disadvantage, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Having 3 thoughtfully-curated options to choose from means less time studying a menu and more time catching up with friends. I loved the cozy vibes and relaxed vibes at this Bend wine bar, highly recommend.
Flights Wine Bar & Restaurant
In 2019, Kelsey Daniels left her comfortable job (in the film industry) to pursue a lifelong dream of opening a wine bar in Bend. She opened Flights Wine Bar with her husband Kent, a wildfire helicopter pilot.
Daniels was intent on creating an inviting space where people could learn about wine without pretense. Thankfully, she succeeded. Between the great selection and knowledgeable staff, Flights quickly became one of the most popular wine bars in Bend.
The best part about this charming wine bar is the thoughtful food menu. Offering small shareable plates, the dishes pair beautifully with the wines on offer. But fair warning, the cozy vibe can quickly turn a 1-hour tasting into an evening you wish would last a lifetime.
FERM & fare
FERM & fare is the passion project of Chef Dave Bodi. Knowledgeable in both food and wine, Bodi seeks to bring the best of both worlds to Bendites through FERM & fare.
Offering a unique selection of hand-picked wine, Bodi has turned FERM & fare into one of the most beloved wine bars in Bend. If you’re feeling adventurous, I suggest swinging by on Thursday night for the blind tastings.
Bodi hand selects a few wines, covers them in paper bags and pours them generously for those in attendance. You’ll be given a sheet of paper and asked to write down your thoughts on the wine, before attempting to guess the wine.
This is a great way to spend a date night or learn a new skill with girlfriends. The impressive lineup of interesting wines coupled with fun events and blind tastings makes this one of the best wine bars in Bend.
The Bend Wine Bar
When it comes to big names in the Oregon wine world, Mark Proden needs no introduction. The man behind Portland Wine Bar (in Portland) and The Winery at Manzanita (at the Oregon Coast), has been making small-batch wine since 2008.
Sourcing grapes from small regional vineyards, each wine is produced using grapes from a single vineyard. In 2022, Proden extended his passion to the lucky people of Bend, when he opened the The Bend Wine Bar. Note: the Pinot noir deserves a special shout out.
The Good Drop Wine Shoppe
Started by a world traveler named Sarah, The Good Drop Wine Shoppe brings knock-outs wines to Bend. Using her experience living in France (after backpacking Europe at the age of 21), Sarah learned about the joys of wine and food.
Wine, it turns out, should not be an afterthought. Wine, it turns out, can steal the show.
Offering a vast selection of wines from around the world, expect to find everything award-winning vintages from Napa Valley and France to home-grown heroes from the Pacific Northwest.
Guests are welcome to enjoy wine by the glass or bottle. Can’t decide? Ask the friendly folks behind the counter for recommendations. There’s never a shortage of something fun to discover at one of the best wine bars in Bend.
The Wine Shop and Beer Tasting Bar
Tucked into an unassuming alley just off the main drag, the Wine Shop and Beer Tasting Bar feels like a little secret for visitors. Locals have long known about this wine shop turned tasting room because they offer some of the best wine in Bend (by the bottle and glass).
I always recommend The Wine Shop and Beer Tasting Bar to out-of-town visitors traveling in large groups. Mostly because there’s always someone in the group determined to get their hands on an IPA, wine be damned.
Well, this bend wine bar fills both needs. Offering a massive selection of wines from all over the world (with plenty of local gems), the beer on tap (Spider City) is some of the best in the city, too.
Between the relaxed vibe, great selection and easy-going staff, I find myself frequenting this local joint often, which is why I consider if one of the best bars in Bend.
Laurel Ridge Tasting Room
We stumbled upon Laurel Ridge Tasting Room innocently enough. Having spent a leisurely afternoon at the Ale Apothecary (right across the street), we decided the evening was too enjoyable to be cut short.
Little did we know we had just come across one of the most charming wine bars in Bend. While the wine bar is new to Bend, the winery itself has been around a while.
Established by David Teppola in 1974, Laurel Ridge has won awards on a global scale. Most recently, they won a silver medal at the prestigious Mondial du Chasselas competition in Switzerland. Officially becoming the first American winery to win a prize at the competition.
Intrigued, we opted for the Reserved Tasting Flight ($55 per person) and can confirm — all the wines lived up to the hype. Whether you enjoy a bottle or go for the flight, rest assured, you’re at one of the best wine bars in Bend and you’ll be spoiled accordingly.
Local’s Recommendation: I found the cost of the tasting flight a bit steep (considering the pours) and would opt for a bottle next time around.
Bledsoe Family Winery
Bledsoe Family Winery hails from Walla Walla, an up-and-coming wine region folks can’t stop talking about. Upon retiring from the NFL, Drew Bledsoe, along with his wife Maura, decided to return to Walla Walla and lay down the foundation of a lifelong dream by starting a winery.
Fast forward to today and this family-run winery produces some of the most exciting Cabernet Sauvignon in the state, so it was only a matter of time before they opened a wine bar in Bend. Thank goodness, because the good people of Bend are nothing if not spoiled for choice, and the options seem to be getting better by the day.
Local’s Tip: If you’re a fan of rosé, you may consider this one of the best wine bars in Bend. So good!
Evoke Winery Tasting Room
Located smack dab in the heart of the Old Mill District, you couldn’t miss this popular Bend wine bar if you tried. Called Naked Winery until 2021, Evoke originates from Hood River and has been around a while.
Using playful names to entice wine enthusiasts, Evoke has amassed a loyal following and expanded to several locations across the state. It was only fitting that one of they’d open a Bend wine bar too. Most first-time visitors opt for tasting flights, I suggest following suit.
Best Wine Bars in Bend (Post Summary)
- Viaggio Wine Merchant
- Flights Wine Bar & Restaurant
- FERM & fare
- The Bend Wine Bar
- The Good Drop Wine Shoppe
- Flights Wine Bar & Restaurant
- The Wine Shop and Beer Tasting Bar
- Laurel Ridge Tasting Room
- Bledsoe Family Winery
- Evoke Winery Tasting Room
- Apéro Hours
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