As we head into shorts-and-sandals weather, many new tasting rooms in and around the Greater Seattle area are rushing to open to take advantage of the heavy foot traffic of the warmer months. You’ll have to wait another month or so for the wine bar debuts from the Tom Douglas restaurant group and L’Oursin in Belltown and the Central District, respectively.
In the meantime, here’s the first wave of what’s expected to be many roll calls of new taprooms and tasting rooms setting up around Seattle and the Eastside.
Cairdeas Winery
3861 First Ave. S., Suite E, Seattle; 206-268-0222; cairdeaswinery.com
One of the best wineries in Lake Chelan expands to Urban Works in Sodo with a 50-seat tasting room, though the spacious digs offer plenty of standing room around the bar. Come summer, there will also be a 16-seat patio. The Rhône-inspired winery features a handful of rotating wines by the glass, including its stellar flagship white Nellie Mae and also its signature Châteauneuf-du-Pape-style red Caisleán an Pápa.
Just The Tap
90 Blanchard St. (Belltown), Seattle; jttsea.com
A taphouse with a pinball game room, this newcomer takes over the former Belltown Billiards space and boasts a 24-self-pour tap beer system. This is an all-ages venue with 74 seats that serves pizza by the slice, along with a South American food menu since the chef is from Brazil. Just The Tap is open until 1 a.m. on weekends.
Tim’s Tavern
9655 16th Ave. S.W. (White Center), Seattle; 206-588-2452; timslivemusic.com
Big news for the nightlife scene in White Center as this Bitter Lake haunt moves into a space that’s six times bigger and includes a 2,500-square-foot patio. Tim’s Tavern, with a capacity of 300, offers live music and entertainment seven days a week. It will also offer bar specials such as Taco Tuesday, with discounted tequila and half-off wings, and wine bottles on Wednesdays. The venue is family-friendly all day, but come 10 p.m., it’s 21-and-older only.
Aluel Cellars
1629 Queen Anne Ave. N., Suite 102 (Queen Anne), Seattle; 206-566-6971; aluelcellars.com
After opening on Capitol Hill and in Ballard, Aluel expands to Upper Queen Anne in the former Robert Ramsay Cellars space. Aluel does Old World-style wines made with grapes from Rattlesnake Hill and Walla Walla. The Queen Anne tasting room can seat 20 and offers up to nine wines by the glass.
Fidelitas
14200 N.E. 145th St., Suite B, Woodinville; 425-558-9001; exploretock.com/fidelitaswineswoodinville
Fidelitas, one of the best wineries in Red Mountain lands, didn’t move far in Woodinville, setting up in a swanky space near DeLille Cellars. The tasting room offers eight whites and reds by the glass, including its not-to-be-missed Bordeaux blends Optu red and Optu white. Its 140-seat tasting room should be packed this summer. It’s all-ages allowed, and dogs are allowed in the upstairs patio area.
Long Shadows Tasting Room
14200 N.E. 145th St., Suite C, Woodinville; 425-408-1608; longshadows.com
Long Shadows has also relocated its Woodinville tasting room near DeLille Cellars. Long Shadows’ splashy official opening bash is on June 4, but you can sneak in now before this spot blows up this summer. Long Shadows offers nine wines by the glass, and guests can sip on the scenic upstairs deck by the fire, or in the main tasting room. The 130-seat tasting room is all-ages. Note: Reservations are recommended.
Glacier View Cellars
19255 Woodinville Snohomish Road, Woodinville; 206-719-1331; glacierviewcellars.com
Glacier View opens next to the Hampton Inn with an outdoorsy-themed tasting room outfitted with a climbing wall, a 200-square-foot wall-sized map of the Cascade Mountains and a library of trail maps. Its wines are named after hiking trails. The 34-seat tasting room offers eight wines by the glass including its popular 2019 Gothic Basin Walla Walla Valley Red Blend and a 2018 Gruner Veltliner. It’s 21-and-older only.
Capitol Hill Comedy/Bar
210 Broadway E. (Capitol Hill); Seattle; 206-390-9152; comedyslashbar.com
Located just north of the Capitol Hill light-rail station, this comedy club plans to hold live shows six nights a week. The bar, with a capacity of about 200, also plans to host karaoke, open mic and trivia night. Located in the former Highline bar space, Comedy/Bar will allow patrons to take their cocktails outside to the balcony. Owner Dane Hesseldahl said he wanted to build on the legacy of the open-night mic at the now closed Jai Thai, where many local stand-up comics and inspiring artists had performed.
Tapped Public House
13215 39th Ave. S.E., Mill Creek; 425-948-6046; tappedpublichouse.com/millcreek
One of the big openings in the North End, this local chain lands in The Shops at the Farm, with a 35-tap lineup that features many Bellingham and Seattle craft beer standouts, including IPAs from Cloudburst Brewing, which brews some of the best hoppy beers in the region. The bar restaurant can hold 150 and come summer will add 32 seats in the patio. Its pub grub runs from the standard tacos and wings to wagyu meatball subs and prime rib dip. The popular North End chain, with branches in Mukilteo and Camano, hopes to expand to Everett and Lake Stevens.
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