Great Pretzels, Forgot to Try on Wine
Downtown / Alley A · Columbia · European beer garden and café · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 4, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Günter Hans is genuinely charming — cozy European beer garden energy, killer Belgian waffles, and a pretzel that could make you forget your problems. Then you look at the wine list and realize someone copy-pasted it from a grocery store end cap. Seven bottles, zero surprises.
The entire wine program is Canyon Road. Every single bottle. Canyon Road Cab, Canyon Road Pinot, Canyon Road Merlot, Canyon Road Moscato, Canyon Road Sauv Blanc, Canyon Road Pinot Grigio, Canyon Road Chardonnay — it's less a wine list and more a brand sponsorship deal. Canyon Road is a fine $8 supermarket bottle, but at a restaurant with this much personality and a European soul, it's a missed opportunity of the highest order. No regional curiosity, no natural wine nod, no Old World gesture to match the Bavarian-Belgian aesthetic — just California bulk wine across the board.
All seven wines are available by the glass, which technically makes this a by-the-glass-only program since there are only seven wines total. Rotation is nonexistent — what you see is what you get, and what you get is Canyon Road. If you're here for the beer program, you're making the right call.
Canyon Road Sauvignon Blanc — null
If you're drinking wine here, this is your move. It's crisp, inoffensive, and the one style in the lineup that at least makes sense alongside salty pretzels and charcuterie boards. Manage expectations accordingly.
Canyon Road Moscato
Nobody orders it, but poured alongside a sweet Liege waffle it actually works — the residual sugar and light fizz play off the caramelized pearl sugar in a way that's more intentional than it has any right to be.
Canyon Road Cabernet Sauvignon
A full-bodied red Cab at a waffle-and-pretzel spot with no kitchen to speak of — there's nothing here for it to stand up to. It tastes flat and out of context, and you'll wish you'd ordered a Belgian ale instead.
Canyon Road Sauvignon Blanc + Bavarian pretzel with dipping sauces
Salt and acid are friends. The Sauv Blanc's citrus bite cuts through the pretzel's chew and plays nicely with a mustard dipping sauce. It's the one combo on this list that feels like someone thought about it — even if they probably didn't.
❌ The Bottom Line
Günter Hans is a fantastic spot for beer, waffles, and atmosphere — the wine list is an afterthought wearing a Canyon Road uniform. Order a craft beer, enjoy every minute of the pretzel, and come back when they decide wine deserves the same love as everything else on the menu.
Near Campus · Columbia · American Sports Bar
Campus Bar & Grill is a great place to watch a Mizzou game and drink a beer — and that's exactly what you should do. The wine program is an afterthought from a restaurant that has no interest in wine, and we respect the honesty of that even as we wave you toward the tap list.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Columbia · Contemporary American
Bleu is the kind of wine list that works well if you already know what you want and want it done properly. It's not pushing any boundaries, the markups are on the steeper side, and there's no real discovery to be had — but for a night out in Columbia, it's a solid, well-stocked option that won't let you down.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Columbia · Columbia · Upscale globally influenced cuisine with Italian-inspired fare, seafood, pasta, steak, and gourmet pizzas
Sophia's is doing more with wine than almost anywhere else in Columbia, and we'd happily send a friend here — with a warning to navigate carefully around the commodity wines and go straight for the reserve list. The ambition is real; the markup discipline just hasn't caught up yet.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Columbia · Columbia · New American
Sycamore is doing something genuinely unusual in Columbia: running a tight, thoughtful wine list with real producers and fair prices, backed by someone on staff who knows what they're talking about. Come on a Wednesday and it's a no-brainer.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Acceptable
Forum Boulevard / south Columbia · Columbia · American and international; steak and seafood-focused
Chris McD's is doing more with wine than almost any restaurant in Columbia — 35 by-the-glass pours and some genuinely interesting cellar selections earn it real credibility. Markups run steep and the list leans heavily on California safe bets, but as a neighborhood wine bar that also happens to serve a good steak, it punches above its weight class.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Columbia · Columbia · American, Creole
Glenn's Café is a dependable wine destination by mid-Missouri standards — not flashy, but fairly priced and backed by a legitimate Wine Spectator track record. Send a friend here knowing they'll drink well without any nasty surprises on the bill.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.