Northwest Proud, Priced Like a Hotel
Downtown · Kirkland · Pacific Northwest contemporary, farm-to-table · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The list opens with a clear Pacific Northwest identity — Washington and Oregon front and center, California in a supporting role, with France making a respectable cameo. It's the kind of list that feels curated with intention, even if the hotel setting reminds you that margins are being watched closely. You won't be bored, but you might wince at a few price tags.
Cedar + Elm leans into its backyard hard, and that's largely a win. Quilceda Creek on the Cab side and Domaine Drouhin Oregon holding down the Pinot Noir column are serious choices — these aren't filler bottles. Chateau Ste. Michelle's Single Vineyard Riesling adds a regional anchor that actually makes sense with the food program. The French section is thin but respectable, and California shows up without stealing the show. Gaps exist in the Southern Hemisphere and anything remotely left-field, so adventurous drinkers may feel slightly boxed in.
Twelve to eighteen pours is a healthy spread for a hotel restaurant, and the range covers the key bases — something white and aromatic, a solid Pinot, and a few bigger reds. The Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Gris by the glass is a smart inclusion — it's a proper wine for the Pacific Northwest context, not a throwaway pour. Rotation and freshness programs aren't confirmed, so ask your server how long a bottle has been open before committing.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Single Vineyard Riesling — $55
Washington Riesling at this level is criminally underrated, and Ste. Michelle's single vineyard tier drinks well above its price point. If the markup stays reasonable on this one, it's the smartest bottle on the list for the food they're serving.
Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Gris
Most tables will walk right past this and order a Chardonnay out of habit. That's a mistake. Lemelson makes serious Willamette Valley whites, and a Pinot Gris with some texture is exactly what you want alongside wild salmon or anything with a light sauce.
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
Quilceda Creek is legitimately one of Washington's great Cabs — no argument there. But in a hotel restaurant with steep markups, this bottle is almost certainly priced well beyond what you'd pay at retail or even at a wine-focused spot. Save it for a dedicated wine dinner where the markup is the point.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir + Wild salmon
Oregon Pinot Noir and Pacific Northwest salmon is one of those region-meets-region combinations that just makes sense. Drouhin's Oregon expression has enough red fruit and subtle earthiness to complement the richness of wild salmon without stomping all over it.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Cedar + Elm is a solid wine destination if you're already at the Heathman or looking for a polished evening in Kirkland — the Northwest focus is genuine and the anchor producers are legit. Just know you're paying hotel prices, and plan accordingly.
Downtown · Kirkland · French brasserie with Pacific Northwest influences
Feast is a reliable, well-intentioned wine list that serves the room without embarrassing itself — just don't come expecting discovery. Send a friend here for a solid French brasserie night out; tell them to ask about the Riesling.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waterfront / Downtown-adjacent · Kirkland · French-American Bistro
Le Grand Bistro Americain is a genuinely lovely spot to watch the sun drop over Lake Washington — but the wine list is coasting hard on that view. Until the markups come down or someone builds a list that actually reflects the French-American ambition of the kitchen, we'd say order a cocktail and save the wine budget for somewhere that earns it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Kirkland · American
The Heathman isn't going to make you rethink your relationship with wine, but it's a genuinely decent hotel list anchored by wines worth drinking — and the Monday/Wednesday half-price bottle deal turns a steep markup into something actually worth your time. Show up on a deal night, order the Col Solare, and you'll leave happy.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Kirkland · French brasserie with Pacific Northwest influence
Feast is a reliable, well-intentioned wine list that earns its place alongside genuinely good French brasserie cooking — just know that the markup will sting on the Old World bottles. Stick to the glass pours and the Pacific Northwest selections and you'll drink well without wrecking your dinner budget.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Juanita · Kirkland · Italian, Neapolitan Pizza
Tutta Bella Kirkland doesn't pretend to be a wine destination, but whoever built this list actually cares — regional Italian producers, thoughtful selections, fair prices, and a Tuesday bottle promotion that makes it genuinely worth planning around. Send your friends here, just make sure they skip the house red.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Totem Lake · Kirkland · Italian, Pizza, Wine Bar
Cafe Veloce is the rare neighborhood pizza spot where the wine list actually rewards curiosity — Italian regionality, solid Pacific Northwest representation, and a few genuinely surprising bottles tucked in. Send your friends here and tell them to skip the Veuve.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.