Burgers, Milkshakes, and Somehow a Wine List
Lake Hamilton · Hot Springs · American Diner
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Purple Cow Hot Springs’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You walk into a Purple Cow — a chain diner famous for burgers and ice cream — and there's a wine list. It's unexpected enough to make you do a double-take. This isn't a wine destination by any stretch, but the fact that they're trying at all earns them a look.
The list is short and entirely approachable, pulling familiar names from California, Oregon, New Zealand, and Patagonia. You've got Freakshow Cab, Meiomi Red Blend, and Evolution Pinot Noir — nothing adventurous, but nothing embarrassing either. There's a nod to Italy with a couple of La Torre Di Veglia pours and a Fleurs de Prairie Rosé that's genuinely a solid choice regardless of the zip code. The range covers the bases without taking any risks, which is pretty much what you'd expect from a family diner that also sells birthday cake shakes.
Eight still wine options by the glass plus two splits — that's actually a respectable count for a burger joint. Prices run $6.50 to $11 a glass, which is honest money for what you're getting. The splits are a smart move for solo diners who want wine without committing to a bottle.
Fleurs de Prairie Rosé — $11/glass
Fleurs de Prairie is a legitimate Provence rosé that typically retails around $18-20 a bottle. Seeing it on a diner list at this price point is genuinely surprising — it's the best wine on the menu by a wide margin and a fair pour for the money.
Alpataco Malbec
Most people at a Purple Cow are reaching for the Freakshow Cab or the Meiomi blend out of habit. The Alpataco Malbec from Patagonia is the more interesting pick — it's a solid, food-friendly red that works well and flies under the radar here.
Meiomi Red Blend
Meiomi is fine, but it's also on shelves at every grocery store in America for around $15. You can do better on this list — skip the familiar and go for the Rosé or the Malbec instead.
Artezin Zinfandel + Classic Burger
Artezin is a fruit-forward, high-toned Zinfandel that can handle a juicy, grilled burger without getting steamrolled. It's not a sophisticated pairing, but it works — and honestly that's the whole point of this place.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Nobody is driving to a Purple Cow diner for the wine list, and that's fine — but the list is priced fairly, the Rosé is a legitimate find, and the by-the-glass program is more thoughtful than it has any right to be. If you're here for a burger and want something in a glass that isn't a milkshake, you could do a lot worse.
Central Avenue / South Hot Springs · Hot Springs · Sports Bar Chain
Buffalo Wild Wings Hot Springs is a place to drink beer and watch sports — the wine list exists to technically have one, not to be used. Order a beer, order a cocktail, or bring your own if they allow corkage, but don't let the wine list be the reason you're here.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Avenue / Commercial Strip · Hot Springs · Mexican / Tex-Mex
This is a margarita restaurant with a wine list that exists only so no one has to say there isn't one. Come for the fajitas and the frozen drinks — the wine is strictly last resort.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Highway 7 North / Outskirts · Hot Springs · Southern Country Restaurant
We wouldn't send anyone to Cracker Barrel for wine, and neither should you — the food is the point, the wine is a footnote. If you need a glass with dinner, grab the Gambino sparkling and move on with your life.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Avenue / South Hot Springs · Hot Springs · Casual American
The wine list at Cheddar's Hot Springs exists because a restaurant has to have one, not because anyone gave it a second thought. Order a cocktail, enjoy the scratch kitchen, and save the wine conversation for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Avenue / South Hot Springs · Hot Springs · Italian Chain
Olive Garden's wine list is the automotive equivalent of a rental car: it gets you where you're going, nobody's excited about it, and you return it without a second thought. Come for the breadsticks, drink the Chianti, and keep your expectations appropriately parked.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Avenue / South Hot Springs · Hot Springs · Seafood Chain
Red Lobster's wine program is exactly what it is — a chain afterthought with recognizable labels and pricing that won't actively insult you. Come for the biscuits, drink the Kim Crawford with your shrimp, and don't expect anything more.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Tarrytown Road / Westchester Avenue junction · White Plains · American Diner
City Limits Diner is a great spot for a satisfying all-day meal in White Plains, but the wine list exists purely as a formality — overpriced pours of familiar labels with almost no curation or care. Order a cocktail, enjoy the crab cake, and save the serious bottle for somewhere that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Side · Stamford · American Diner
City Limits isn't a wine destination, but it's not a wine disaster either — a handful of legitimately interesting bottles are hiding among the crowd-pleasers, and the pricing is tolerable if you know what to order. Come for the comfort food, pick carefully off the list, and you'll have a fine time.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Various · Spokane · American Diner
Frank's Diner is absolutely worth visiting for the atmosphere, the corned beef hash, and the nostalgia — just don't come for the wine. Order a coffee or a Bloody Mary and call it a day.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.