Aurora

PH1315 Wine Bar

· Aurora · Wine Bar / Small Plates

The Wild Card

PH1315 is doing something genuinely interesting for Aurora — a tight, Italian-accented glass-only list at prices that don't insult you. It's not a destination wine bar, but it's the kind of neighborhood spot that makes you glad it exists.

Wine Experience Cafe & World Cellar

Southlands · Aurora · New American / Wine Bar

The Wild Card

Wine Experience Cafe is the kind of place that earns its name in a neighborhood where most restaurants don't try at all. It's not a destination list, but it's an honest one — and in a shopping center in Aurora, that's worth celebrating.

Dragon Meadery

· Aurora · Meadery Tasting Room

The Wild Card

Dragon Meadery isn't a wine destination — it's something more interesting. If you send a friend here expecting Burgundy, they'll be lost; if you send them open-minded and curious, they'll probably come home with a bottle of something they've never tried before and can't stop talking about.

Culichi Town Aurora

· Aurora · Sinaloan / Mexican Seafood

The Wild Card

Nobody walks into a Sinaloan seafood restaurant expecting Billecart-Salmon and Pieropan on the glass list, and that surprise is exactly what earns this place a Wild Card. If you're ordering from the sea side of the menu, the wine list here will actually help you — which is more than you can say for most restaurants twice the price point.

Pita Central

· Aurora · Mediterranean

The Lazy List

Pita Central is here for the food, full stop — the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved seems fine with that. Order a beer or a soft drink and save the wine for somewhere that cares.

InVINtions, A Creative Winery

Greenwood Village · Aurora · Urban Winery

The Wild Card

InVINtions is a genuine neighborhood wine spot in a market that doesn't have enough of them — the staff enthusiasm and approachable format make it worth a visit even if we can't pin down every bottle. Go with an open mind and a friend who likes to try things; you'll leave happy.

Ladrón Cellars

· Aurora · Urban Winery / Tasting Room

The Wild Card

Ladrón Cellars is doing something genuinely independent in Aurora — all house-made, a real range of varieties, and a concept that holds together. It earns a Wild Card because you won't find this kind of self-contained winery personality many places, and the Bien Nacido Chardonnay and Glen Rose Roussanne alone justify making the trip.

The Wine Barrel

· Aurora · Wine Bar

The Lazy List

The Wine Barrel has the bones of a good neighborhood wine spot — a few genuinely interesting labels, approachable prices on the low end — but the pricing inconsistencies and thin list make it hard to trust. Until the menu gets cleaned up and the by-the-glass program is visible, order carefully and stick to the imports.

Nana's Dim Sum & Dumplings

· Aurora · Chinese / Dim Sum

The Wild Card

Nana's isn't trying to be a wine bar — but it's doing more than most dim sum spots would ever bother with, and the list actually fits the food. Come for the dumplings, order the Albariño or the orange wine, and tell your friends.

Haykin Family Cider Tasting Room

Aurora · Aurora · Cider Tasting Room

The Wild Card

Haykin is the rare place where cider gets the same treatment wine does — single varieties, vintage dates, dessert-tier offerings, and zero apologies for being serious about it. If you've ever wanted to understand what an apple actually tastes like, this is where you go.

Sorry Gorgeous

· Aurora · Cocktail Bar

The Wild Card

Sorry Gorgeous isn't a wine destination, but it's a cocktail bar that actually tried — and that counts for something. Come for the rooftop, order the Pinot Blanc or the orange wine, and leave the Dom on the menu for someone else's bachelorette party.

Molino Chido

· Aurora · Modern Mexican

The Wild Card

Molino Chido is doing something genuinely unusual: building a wine list that reflects curiosity and culture in a space where most restaurants would just throw up a Kendall-Jackson. If you're in Aurora and you care about what's in your glass, this is your spot.

Traveling Mercies

Stanley Marketplace · Aurora · Oyster Bar / New American

The Wild Card

Traveling Mercies is a Wild Card in the best way: an oyster bar inside a marketplace that built a wine list with actual conviction. It's not deep, but it's smart, and smart beats deep when you're eating shellfish in Aurora.

Old Hickory Steakhouse

Gaylord Rockies / Gateway Park · Aurora · Steakhouse, American

The Reliable

Old Hickory is a reliable, well-run resort steakhouse wine program — sommelier on staff, proper glassware, wines stored correctly — but it's built for comfort, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want a guaranteed good glass with a great steak; send someone else if they're looking to find something new.

Cody's Café and Bar

Meadow Hills / South Parker Road · Aurora · New American

The Reliable

Cody's isn't a wine destination and it has no interest in being one — but the list is priced fairly, the pours are recognizable, and there's just enough personality (Baja Tanga, we see you) to keep it from being completely forgettable. Send a friend here if they want wine with dinner, not wine as the reason for dinner.

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse – Southlands

Southlands · Aurora · American

The Lazy List

BJ's Southlands is a perfectly fine place to drink a craft beer, and we mean that sincerely — lean into the thing they actually care about. The wine list is a national chain template on autopilot, marked up past its worth, with zero local character and no sign of anyone tending the program with any intention.

Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom – Aurora

Aurora City Center · Aurora · Pizza / American

The Lazy List

Old Chicago Aurora is a perfectly fine place to watch a game and eat pizza — just order a beer like everyone else. The wine list exists to check a box, not to enhance your meal, and no amount of J. Lohr is going to change that.

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant – Parker Road

Southeast Aurora · Aurora · Italian-American

The Lazy List

Olive Garden's wine program exists to check a box, not to enhance your dinner. Order the Chianti, eat the breadsticks, and save your wine budget for somewhere that's actually trying.

Bonefish Grill – Aurora

South Aurora · Aurora · Seafood-focused American Grill

The Reliable

Bonefish Aurora isn't a wine destination, but it's a solid, fairly-priced list for what it is — and that daily happy hour window makes the whole program punch above its weight. Come for the seafood, order the Riesling, and don't miss the 4 PM pour.

Texas de Brazil – Aurora

Aurora City Center · Aurora · Brazilian Steakhouse

The Reliable

Texas de Brazil Aurora is a fine place to drink wine as long as you accept the list for what it is: a corporate steakhouse program that gets the job done without asking anything of you. Stick to the Malbec, skip the Chardonnay, and let the meat do the talking.

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant – Aurora Mall

Aurora City Center · Aurora · Italian

The Lazy List

Olive Garden's wine program is an afterthought dressed up in a laminated sleeve — it won't ruin your dinner, but it won't add anything to it either. Order the cocktails, drink the water, save the bottle of wine for a restaurant that cares.

Helga's Biergarten (Patio at Helga's)

Heather Gardens / Havana Corridor · Aurora · German / Biergarten

The Wild Card

Helga's doesn't have a wine program — it has a short, focused list that actually matches the restaurant it's attached to, and that's rarer than it sounds. Come for the beer, stay for the Riesling.

Helga's German Restaurant & Deli

Heather Gardens / Havana Corridor · Aurora · German

The Reliable

Helga's is a beer hall that happens to sell wine, and the list reflects exactly that level of effort. Come for the schnitzel and the steins — but if you need a glass of wine, the Dr. Loosen won't let you down.

Old Hickory Steakhouse at Gaylord Rockies

Gaylord Rockies / DIA Corridor · Aurora · Steakhouse

The Reliable

Old Hickory is a reliable steakhouse wine program that knows its audience and doesn't try to be anything else — if you're here for a celebration dinner or a work dinner on someone's card, the California hits list will do its job. Just go in with eyes open on the pricing, and let Jordan or Duckhorn do the heavy lifting instead of reaching straight for Opus.

Annette

Stanley Marketplace / Northwest Aurora · Aurora · Wood-fired New American

The Wild Card

Annette is punching way above its zip code with a wine list that's genuinely curious and regionally adventurous — the Tuesday all-day happy hour alone might be worth rearranging your week. Markup on bottles stings a little, but the glass pours and the list's personality make this one of the more interesting wine stops in the Denver metro area.