Olympia

Cascadia Grill isn't a wine destination, but it's a fair and functional list that won't leave you feeling ripped off or bored — and in downtown Olympia, that's more than enough to earn a return visit. Take a Washington bottle, order the salmon, and enjoy the Bigfoot decor.

Fujiyama is a fun night out — but the wine list is an obligation, not an attraction. Stick to sake or cocktails and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that returns the favor.

Budd Bay Café is not a wine destination, but it's a perfectly functional place to drink a decent glass of Washington white while watching boats drift across Budd Inlet. Send your friends here for the view and the chowder — just steer them toward the Barnard Griffin and away from the Sutter Home.

Ralph's Thriftway shouldn't be this good at wine, and that's exactly why it earns the Wild Card. If you're in Olympia and need a bottle — or ten — skip the chain stores and come here first.

Swing's upstairs lounge is the kind of place that surprises you — a Cayuse Cailloux and a Clos de Lambrays Grand Cru don't belong on a list this size in a city this small, and yet there they are. Markups push steep on the top shelf, but there's enough here to make it worth the trip if you know where to look.

Iron Rabbit isn't a wine destination, but it's a neighborhood bar that actually tried — and in Olympia's Westside, that matters. If you're already here for dinner, you'll drink well without a second thought.

Gardner's is the kind of restaurant where the wine list won't disappoint you, but it probably won't surprise you either. If you're in Olympia for a special occasion and want a dependable tour through Washington's greatest hits, this is your room — just know you're paying restaurant prices for regional classics that are easy to find at retail.

Anthony's Hearthfire Grill is a dependable spot for regional wines with a killer view as your backdrop — just don't come looking for discovery or bargain bottles outside of happy hour. Send your friends here for the salmon and the sunset; tell them to order the Poets Leap.

Anthony's HomePort Olympia isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't need to be — it's a dependable, locally-focused list that does the job without embarrassing itself. If you're eating well-sourced Northwest seafood on the water, these wines will get you there.

Octapas is doing something genuinely interesting with wine in a city that doesn't always prioritize it — the list is small but intentional, the prices are fair, and the by-the-glass access to the whole list is exactly right for how you eat here. Send your adventurous friends; tell them to start with the orange wine.

Basilico is doing something genuinely rare for a mid-sized Pacific Northwest city — running a focused, Italy-only wine program with serious producers on the shelf. The markups take some shine off, but if you know what to order, you can drink very well here.