Fort Collins

The OBC Wine Project

· Fort Collins · Urban Winery & Wine Bar

The Wild Card

OBC Wine Project is a confident one-producer show — no imported filler, no inflated markups, just Colorado wine priced fairly and poured without pretense. If you're in Fort Collins and want to understand what the state can do with a glass of wine, this is your stop.

Domenic's Bistro & Wine Bar

· Fort Collins · Italian Bistro & Wine Bar

The Reliable

Domenic's punches above its weight for a Fort Collins bistro — the Italian backbone is credible, the Pacific Northwest picks are genuinely good, and 25 by-the-glass options means you can explore without committing to a bottle. The top end leans on crowd pleasers, but there's enough here to keep a curious drinker happy across multiple visits.

Tasty Harmony

Old Town · Fort Collins · Vegetarian / Plant-Based American

The Wild Card

Tasty Harmony is not a wine bar, and it doesn't try to be — but it charges fair prices, pours across the whole list by the glass, and assembles a short list that actually makes sense with plant-based food. If you're eating here, drink the wine; you won't regret it.

Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

Old Town · Fort Collins · Tex-Mex / Mexican

The Reliable

Rio Grande isn't a wine destination, and it knows it — but Wine Down Wednesdays with 50% off bottles is a legitimately good deal that earns it a second look. Bring your margarita crew, order the Malbec with your burrito, and call it a win.

The Still Whiskey Steaks

Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Steakhouse

The Lazy List

The Still is a genuinely fun spot for whiskey and red meat, but the wine list is a clear afterthought — overpriced grocery store bottles with no story to tell. Order a pour from their whiskey program and save the wine night for somewhere that cares.

Bistro Nautile

Downtown Fort Collins · Fort Collins · French-influenced bistro; seafood-focused

The Lazy List

Bistro Nautile is a genuinely appealing restaurant let down by a wine list that plays it safe with familiar labels and then charges aggressively for the privilege. Drink by the glass, stick to the interesting outliers, and don't let the French bistro atmosphere talk you into a $68 bottle of Daou.

Coyote's Southwestern Grill

Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Southwestern

The Reliable

Coyote's isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the pricing is fair, the Wednesday deal is genuinely excellent, and there's nothing actively wrong here. Show up on a Wednesday, order a bottle of Pinot Grigio for $19.50, and focus on the burrito.

Red Lobster

Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Casual Seafood Chain

The Lazy List

Red Lobster isn't trying to be a wine destination and the list makes that abundantly clear — grab the Riesling, enjoy the biscuits, and don't come here expecting anything beyond the expected. If wine matters to your dinner, eat somewhere else.

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Casual Italian-American chain

The Lazy List

Olive Garden's wine list is a corporate afterthought — overpriced supermarket bottles with no rotation, no discovery, and no one behind the bar who's going to help you find something interesting. Order the Moscato, enjoy the breadsticks, and save your serious wine questions for literally anywhere else.

Restaurant 415

Fort Collins · Fort Collins · New American, Wood-Fired Pizza & Seasonal Cuisine

The Reliable

Restaurant 415 is a solid neighborhood dinner spot where the wine list does exactly what it needs to do without doing anything that would actually excite you. Come for the pizza and the happy hour pour, not for the bottle list.

CooperSmith's Pub & Brewery

Old Town · Fort Collins · Brewpub fare / American tavern food

The Lazy List

CooperSmith's is a genuinely great Old Town brewpub, and if you're here for a pint of their award-winning craft beer, you're doing it right. The wine list exists because restaurants feel obligated to have one, not because anyone here cares about it — order a beer.

Blue Agave Grill

Old Town · Fort Collins · Contemporary Mexican and Southwestern

The Wild Card

Blue Agave isn't a wine destination — it's a taco spot with a decent enough list and one of the best mid-week bottle deals in town. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Riesling at half price, and you've played this perfectly.

The Emporium: An American Brasserie

Old Town · Fort Collins · Modern American Brasserie

The Reliable

The Emporium isn't a wine destination, but it's a competent, fairly priced list that won't embarrass you on a date night or a business dinner. Come for the $8 happy hour pour, stay for the rotisserie chicken, and don't overthink it.

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar

Old Town · Fort Collins · Seafood and Oyster Bar

The Reliable

Jax Fort Collins keeps it lean and smart — a short list that respects the food, fair pricing for the format, and enough by-the-glass options to keep things interesting across a whole meal. We'd send a friend here for the oysters and the Cava without hesitation.

Austin's American Grill

Old Town · Fort Collins · American Grill & Steakhouse

The Reliable

Austin's American Grill is a dependable neighborhood steakhouse with a wine list that does its job without embarrassing itself — just don't come looking for adventure. Order the Albariño or the Dr. L, avoid the Caymus markup, and you'll drink well enough alongside a very solid steak.

The Welsh Rabbit Cheese Bistro

Old Town · Fort Collins · Cheese-focused bistro, wine bar, and small plates

The Wild Card

The Welsh Rabbit is exactly the kind of small, thoughtful wine program that Fort Collins should be proud of — it's not trying to be a 500-label wine bar, and it's better for it. Send your friends here for a bottle of Touraine and a cheese board, and they'll owe you one.

Cafe Vino

Fort Collins · Fort Collins · European-inspired bistro and wine bar

The Reliable

Cafe Vino is the kind of neighborhood wine bar Fort Collins is lucky to have — imperfect on pricing but honest about what it is. Send a friend here for a low-stakes weeknight glass; just steer them away from the Malbec.

The Moot House

Midtown · Fort Collins · American Gastropub

The Lazy List

Come to The Moot House for the atmosphere, the craft beer, and the fish and chips — not the wine. This list is a placeholder, not a program, and the markups don't justify the effort of choosing carefully.

RARE Italian

Old Town · Fort Collins · Italian Steakhouse

The Rager

RARE Italian is the real deal — a 5,000-label list with sommelier support and the bottles to back it up is genuinely rare at this latitude. The markups sting on the entry-level stuff, but climb the list even a little and you're drinking very well in a room that knows what it's doing.

The Cache at Ginger and Baker

Fort Collins · Fort Collins · American, Steakhouse

The Reliable

The Cache is a dependable, well-staffed wine program that knows its audience and serves them well — just don't come looking for adventure. For Fort Collins, it's the best seat at the table; for seasoned wine drinkers, it's a comfortable but familiar ride.

Sonny Lubick Steakhouse

Fort Collins · Fort Collins · Steak House

The Reliable

Sonny Lubick is a reliable, well-staffed steakhouse wine program that earns its Award of Excellence badge — just don't expect to be surprised. If you're in Fort Collins and want serious Cabernet with serious beef, this is your spot; show up on a Wednesday for half-price bottles and thank us later.