Street Food Vibes, Wine List That Didn't Show Up
National Landing · Arlington · Asian street food · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 4, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Hawkers Asian Street Food – National Landing’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Twelve bottles. That's the whole program. For a fast-casual Asian street food spot, we weren't expecting a Grand Cru selection — but a list that fits on a napkin still needs to earn its keep, and this one mostly doesn't bother trying.
The list skews heavily white and aromatic, which actually makes sense given the food — Bex Riesling, Nortico Alvarinho, and Asnella Vinho Verde are decent picks for spicy, umami-forward dishes. But then it stumbles badly with Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon and Murphy-Goode Pinot Noir, two brands better known for grocery store endcaps than any thoughtful wine program. The sparkling section is the surprise bright spot: Bisol Prosecco and Pierre Sparr Crémant d'Alsace Brut Rosé are legitimate choices, not afterthoughts. Diatom Chardonnay is a genuinely interesting bottling that feels slightly out of place next to the rest of this roster — in a good way.
We don't have confirmed by-the-glass options or pricing from our sourced data, so we can't tell you what's actually pourable tonight versus bottle-only. That ambiguity itself is a mild red flag — a list this small should be fully by-the-glass, and if it isn't, someone made a questionable call.
The Bottom Line
Hawkers gets credit for leaning aromatic and lighter on the whites, which at least shows someone thought about what people are actually eating. But with no pricing data, an unclear by-the-glass situation, and a red wine section that reads like a filler order, this list doesn't inspire confidence. Order the Crémant or the Alvarinho and move on — the food is doing the heavy lifting here anyway.
Crystal City · Arlington · Wine Shop / Tasting Bar
Crystal City Wine Shop is the kind of low-key, staff-driven wine spot that most neighborhoods desperately want and rarely get — especially one with the nerve to stock Ukrainian bottles in the shadow of the Pentagon. We'd send a curious friend here without hesitation; just don't come in expecting a full restaurant experience.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Clarendon · Arlington · New American
CIRCA Clarendon isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't pretend otherwise — but the all-BTG format, fair prices, and a few genuinely interesting whites make it a solid call when you want wine that works without overthinking it. Send a friend here, just steer them away from the Unshackled.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Arlington · Wine Bar / Bottle Shop
Flight Wine Shop is doing something genuinely rare in the DC suburbs: a tightly curated, fairly priced bottle shop that treats obscure regions and natural producers as the main event, not a novelty section. If you're tired of the same ten wines and want a shop that will actually teach you something, this is your spot.
Deep & Eclectic
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Arlington · Wine Bar / Café
Oby Lee is not a destination for serious wine drinkers, but it is a genuinely fun, low-pressure spot where the prices are fair and the vibe is unapologetically playful. Send your friends who think they don't like wine — they'll order a mango slushy and have a great time.
Plays It Safe
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ballston · Arlington · Neapolitan Pizza
Pupatella isn't trying to be a destination wine program, and it doesn't need to be — it's a pizza place with a focused, fairly priced, Italian-centric list that actually makes sense with the food. Send a friend here for the pizza and tell them to order the Lambrusco.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Arlington · Arlington · Wine Bar
Screwtop is doing something genuinely unusual in the DC suburbs: a deep, eclectic by-the-glass list priced fairly and organized with actual personality. If you want to drink something you've never tried before in a low-pressure setting, this is exactly the place to send a friend.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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