Cadet Wine & Beer Bar

Walking into Cadet, you immediately clock that this isn't another Napa Cabernet shrine — the list leans hard into Champagne, German Riesling, and natural-leaning producers in a way that feels almost confrontational given the zip code. The vibe is loose and bar-forward, which makes the depth of the wine program a genuine surprise. This is a place where you can order a Saar Riesling alongside a charcuterie board and nobody bats an eye.

The list punches well above its weight, covering serious Champagne growers like Paul Bara and Vilmart alongside German heavyweights from Maximin Grünhaus, Peter Lauer, and Dönnhoff — a Riesling bench that most dedicated wine bars would envy. California gets its due too, but in an interesting way: think Cruse Wine Co's Eaglepoint Ranch White Zinfandel and the house Cadet x Space Age California Grenache rather than another Stag's Leap Cab. The cellar goes deep when it needs to — J.L. Chave Hermitage 2015 and Araujo Eisele Vineyard 2008 are on there for the serious spenders — but the sweet spot of the list lives in the $50–$125 range where the selections actually get interesting. The only real gap is a thin showing in Southern Hemisphere and domestic non-California regions, but given how much they do right, that's a minor gripe.

The by-the-glass program is genuinely one of the stronger ones in town, running somewhere north of a dozen options with real range — you can go Gaston Chiquet Champagne at $35 or Maximin Grunhaus Mosel Riesling at $16 depending on your mood and your wallet. The Julien Cruchandeau Bourgogne de Nuits Chardonnay at $20 a glass is the kind of pour that makes you wonder why you'd ever order anything else. Rotation appears active, which means repeat visits reliably turn up something new.