Pacific Northwest Pride With a Market View
Pike Place Market · Seattle · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 11, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Matt's in the Market’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Matt's feels like a love letter to the Pacific Northwest — and we mean that mostly as a compliment. It's tight, it's focused, and it doesn't try to be everything to everyone. Open it up and you immediately know someone gave a damn about what goes on the table here.
The list runs 60-80 labels deep with a clear Pacific Northwest backbone — Oregon and Washington producers anchor the thing, with France and Italy filling in the gaps. You'll find Eyrie Vineyards, Lingua Franca, Domaine Drouhin Oregon, and Syncline all making appearances, which tells you they're not just grabbing whatever the distributor pushed this month. There's even a Châteauneuf-du-Pape lurking in there for the old-world faithful. The gaps show up in South America and anything outside those three regions — if you want a Malbec or a Grüner, you're looking at the cocktail menu instead.
Ten to sixteen pours by the glass is a respectable showing, running $14–$22 a pop. The range tracks the bottle list well enough — you're not stuck choosing between two uninspiring options while the interesting stuff sits bottle-only behind the bar. Rotation feels more static than dynamic, so don't expect a Monday surprise, but the anchors are solid.
Syncline Grenache — $48
Columbia Gorge Grenache at the entry-level bottle price is a genuine find. Syncline does serious work with Rhône varieties in Washington, and this one punches well above what the price tag suggests.
Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Gris
Most people reach for Pinot Noir at the Eyrie name — and miss the point. Their Pinot Gris is one of the original Oregon benchmarks, with a texture and weight that handles seafood like it was born for it. Most tables walk right past it.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
We love a CDP as much as anyone, but a single Châteauneuf on a Pacific Northwest-focused list is almost always a token bottle marked up for the occasion. Without knowing the producer or the vintage, and at a restaurant where bottles climb to $130, this is the one most likely to disappoint your wallet.
Lingua Franca Chardonnay + Oysters on the 1/2 Shell
Larry Stone's Lingua Franca Chardonnay brings enough Willamette Valley tension and mineral edge to cut through the brine without steamrolling the delicate flavor of fresh Pacific oysters. It's the quintessential match for the setting — cold shells, cold glass, water view.
The Bottom Line
Matt's in the Market is a reliable wine program that earns its place by knowing what it is: a Pacific Northwest-first list in a Pike Place perch that suits the seafood menu well. Pricing leans steep for the setting, but the producers on the list are the real deal — send a friend who appreciates Oregon and Washington wine, and they won't be disappointed.
Downtown · Seattle · Brazilian Churrascaria
The real headline here is the half-price South American bottles — available Monday through Thursday, all day, on bottles under $150 — which turns a polished steakhouse into a legitimately reasonable wine night. The list won't excite anyone who came for the wine, but if you came for the meat and want a solid regional bottle at a fair price, this deal is worth planning around.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Active Program
Acceptable
Ballard · Seattle · Italian
A short, Italian-leaning list with most of its bottles in the Old World red section. Order the $11 Montepulciano by the glass, or the $69 Travaglini Gattinara if you want to splurge a little, and confirm prices on the day. This unrated guide covers the posted wine menus, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Seattle · Pacific Northwest / New American
A hotel wine list with a Pacific Northwest page up front, Champagne, Bordeaux and Italian sections behind it, and a separate glass list on the drink menu. Start with the $12 Treveri Blanc de Blancs at happy hour or the Mark Ryan 'Goldfinch Tavern Red Blend', and check the current list before you go, since the restaurant says menus are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list and drink menu, not service, storage or markups.
Lake Union · Seattle · Steakhouse
A long, Northwest-first steakhouse list with plenty of bottles under $100 as well as a $300-to-$550 tier of Leonetti and Quilceda Creek Cabernets. Start with the $20 Five Star Cellars “Prime” Cabernet by the glass, or the same wine at $55 on the bottle pages, and confirm prices because the list says vintages and availability change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Capitol Hill · Seattle · Italian
An all-Italian list that is easy to navigate: 11 wines by the glass from $13 to $30, a bottle list sorted by region, and $8 house wine during Apericena. Order the Soave at $13 or the $17 Kerner by the glass, or the Villa Venti Sangiovese with the tagliatelle al ragu, and confirm prices because the page says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Central District · Seattle · Seafood
A mostly natural, mostly French bottle list that stretches from $60 Muscadet to a $455 Champagne, with a deep run of Jura, Savoie and Loire bottles. Start with the $60 Hautplanty Muscadet or the $72 Laurent Herlin Cabernet Franc, and ask about the list’s ◆ and ◉ key if you want help choosing between classic and wild. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
· Flowery Branch · Seafood
Fish Tales is on Lake Lanier, which should be a natural setting for a thoughtful selection of cold, crisp whites. Instead, the wine program is a single bottle of heavily buttered California Chardonnay. We'd recommend sticking to whatever's on tap and revisiting the wine situation if anything changes.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Perimeter Center · Dunwoody · Seafood
Louisiana Bistreaux is genuinely worth visiting for the food — the seafood is the draw, full stop. But if wine is part of your evening, don't come here expecting the list to match the kitchen's ambition. Order the crawfish ravioli, get a cocktail or a cold beer, and save the wine exploration for somewhere that's put in the work.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Cartersville · Seafood
Maine Street Coastal Cuisine is a seafood spot that doesn't take wine seriously, and the five-label, all-$7, no-producer list makes that clear without apology. If you're here for the food, drink the cocktails or crack a beer — the wine list isn't worth the conversation.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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