Curry and Côtes du Rhône walk into a pub
Creston · Grand Rapids · British/Indian-inspired pub fare · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 29, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Eleven labels at a British-Indian pub in Grand Rapids is not what you expect, but Graydon's Crossing earns a second look. The list is short enough to read in under a minute, but someone clearly put thought into it — there's a German Riesling sitting next to an Oregon Pinot, and that's not an accident. This is a beer bar that respects wine enough to try.
For a neighborhood pub, the regional spread is genuinely decent — California, Oregon, France, Germany, Italy, and Argentina all show up in eleven bottles. The Côtes du Rhône Villages La Jassine Grenache/Syrah is a real find on a list like this, a Southern Rhône blend that punches well above its pub-list station. The Ghostrunner Ungrafted from California adds a little personality too — ungrafted vines are a nerdy detail that signals someone actually cared when building this list. The weak spot is depth: once you get past two or three interesting picks, you're into Sycamore Lane and Hayes Ranch territory, which is supermarket-shelf stuff.
Ten of eleven bottles pour by the glass, which is an unusually high conversion rate and genuinely useful for a place where half the table is drinking beer. Glass pours run $7 to $13.50, keeping things accessible for a neighborhood spot where the average entrée tops out at $22. No rotation or reserve pours to speak of — what's on the list is what you get.
Bex Riesling, Germany — $27/bottle
Bex is a solid, off-dry Mosel Riesling that retails around $10-12 — at $27 a bottle in a restaurant, that's about as fair as it gets. It's also the single best wine to order with the Indian curries on this menu, and nobody at the table will be mad about it.
Côtes du Rhône Villages La Jassine Grenache/Syrah, France
Most people at a pub are reaching for the Malbec or the Cab, which means this Southern Rhône blend gets ignored. That's a mistake. Grenache-Syrah at this price point from a Villages-level appellation has more complexity than anything else on this list, and it holds up against the spiced lamb and curry dishes in a way the California reds simply don't.
Raeburn Chardonnay, California
Raeburn is a fine, inoffensive Russian River Chardonnay, but at $47 a bottle it's the priciest wine on the list and it doesn't earn that spot. You can find it at most grocery stores for well under $20. Order the Bex or the Rhône instead and spend the difference on another round.
Bex Riesling, Germany + Indian curry
Off-dry Riesling and spiced curry is one of the most reliable pairings in the book — the residual sugar cools the heat, the acidity cuts through the richness, and the wine's fruit profile actually gets more interesting next to the spice. Graydon's is one of the few pubs in Grand Rapids where this pairing is even an option, which makes it worth ordering every time.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Graydon's Crossing is a craft beer pub that accidentally has a pretty thoughtful wine list — the Rhône and the Riesling alone justify giving it a chance. Don't come here for a serious wine night, but do come here knowing you won't be stuck with bad options.
Downtown / Amway Grand Plaza · Grand Rapids · Spanish / Modern European
MDRD is a Wild Card because it earns its badge the hard way: a hotel rooftop in the Midwest has no business carrying Bodega Chacra or a thoughtful local Michigan Pinot, and yet here we are. Markups keep it from being a destination wine list, but if you're already up there for the views and the paella, there are worse ways to spend your glass pours.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · New American / Teaching Restaurant
A teaching restaurant that could embarrass a few actual restaurants on the wine front — fair prices, genuine producers, and a France-meets-Michigan list that has more intention behind it than most spots charging twice as much. Go in without expectations and leave genuinely impressed.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · Fondue-focused American/Swiss-style chain
The Melting Pot's wine list is the dining equivalent of a reliable sedan — it gets you where you're going without any surprises, good or bad. Send a friend here for the experience, not the wine, but reassure them they won't be embarrassed by what's in the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kentwood / Southeast · Grand Rapids · Upscale Casual American
Cooper's Hawk Kentwood is exactly what it is — a well-run chain winery restaurant with fair prices, a crowd-pleasing list, and staff that's enthusiastic if not deeply expert. Don't come here expecting to find your new favorite grower Champagne; do come here knowing you'll drink something decent without getting gouged.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Midtown · Grand Rapids · Gastro Pub / Contemporary American Comfort Food
The Friesian is a neighborhood pub that happens to have wine — and there's nothing wrong with that. Come on a Wednesday when glasses are half price, order the Tempranillo or the Malbec, and stop overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · Casual Italian-American, Sports Bar
Uccello's Downtown is a perfectly solid place to watch a game and eat a pizza — just don't show up expecting the wine list to match the ambition of the kitchen. Order the Nero d'Avola, grab it during happy hour if you can, and save your serious wine drinking for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.