Familiar Names, Surprisingly Decent Range
· Winston Salem · American Cafe · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed West End Cafe’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
West End Cafe opens its wine list and you immediately know where you are: this is a neighborhood cafe that wants to have wine without making it weird. The list is approachable, priced to move, and built around names most tables will recognize without squinting.
Thirty-six labels sounds ambitious until you realize the list is essentially a greatest hits of grocery-store darlings — Kendall Jackson, La Crema, Matua, 19 Crimes — but there are a few genuine curiosities tucked in. The Cap Cette Picpoul de Pinet and the Abellio Albariño suggest someone with a mild adventurous streak had a hand in building this list, even if they were outvoted most of the time. Reds are thinner and less interesting than the whites and rosé side, leaning heavily on California Cabernet and a couple of crowd-friendly blends. A Port & Sherry section and some sparkling options round things out, keeping the list functional across occasions.
With 34 of 36 labels available by the glass, this is essentially a by-the-glass-only program in disguise — and at $6–$13 a pour, the entry point is low enough that it's hard to feel burned. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority; the list reads like it's been steady for a while, which is fine for a neighborhood regular but not exactly exciting.
Chevalier du Grand Robert Côtes Du Rhône — $21
A bottle of Southern Rhône for $21 is hard to argue with. It's not a showstopper, but it's honest wine at a price that makes a second glass an easy yes.
Cap Cette Picpoul de Pinet
Most tables at a place like this will walk right past a Picpoul and order the Chardonnay on autopilot. Don't. This crisp, citrus-driven southern French white is the most interesting wine on the list and will make whatever you're eating taste better.
Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
At $32 a bottle, you're paying a restaurant premium for a wine you can grab off any grocery store shelf for $14. Nothing wrong with the wine itself, but the value math just doesn't work here when better options exist on the same list.
Abellio Albariño + Seafood or light pasta dish
Albariño is practically built for anything with a little brine or acidity — bright, dry, and refreshing enough to cut through cream or complement lighter proteins without getting in the way.
The Bottom Line
West End Cafe isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly decent place to drink something decent without overpaying for it. Send a friend here if they want wine with dinner and aren't looking to make an event out of it.
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Market
Little Pep is doing something genuinely uncommon for Winston-Salem: a short, confident, all-by-the-glass natural wine list with real producer cred and fair prices. Send a curious friend here; skip sending someone who wants a Napa Cab.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Small Plates
Manolo's is a genuine surprise for Winston-Salem — a focused, serious wine program that gives you by-the-glass access to bottles most restaurants lock behind full-bottle commitments. The markup is not subtle, but you're paying for curation and access, and if you pick smart, the experience delivers.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Winston Salem · Winery Restaurant / Small Plates
Medaloni Cellars is doing something genuinely interesting in Winston-Salem: building a single-producer list that doesn't bore you into ordering a cocktail. If you have any curiosity about what North Carolina wine can actually do, this is the place to test it.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Winston Salem · Wine Bar / Taproom
Four house wines does not a wine bar make. Unless you're here for the hops side of things, the wine program at Carolina's Vineyards & Hops isn't worth centering your evening around — order a beer and call it a night.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Winston Salem · Winery Restaurant / American
End Posts is a single-producer list by design, and if you're good with that — and in the mood to dig into what one North Carolina winery can actually do — it delivers a genuinely fun afternoon. Don't come expecting a broad cellar; do come expecting to leave with a new favorite local label.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Winston Salem · Neapolitan Pizza
Cugino Forno isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the five-bottle list makes that abundantly clear. The prices are fair enough that you won't feel ripped off, but if wine matters to you on a night out, this is a BYOB situation — check their corkage policy.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Eastport · Annapolis · American Cafe
Eastport Kitchen isn't a wine destination, but it's also not pretending to be one — and for a casual neighborhood café in Annapolis, the wine program punches well above its weight class. The markups are mostly reasonable, the by-the-glass selection is genuinely broad, and if you know what to order, you can drink pretty well with your burger.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Albany · Albany · American Cafe
Iron Gate Cafe earns its reputation on food, atmosphere, and that patio — not wine. If you're coming for a leisurely brunch or lunch, grab the rosé or Pinot Grigio and enjoy the setting, but don't expect the wine list to be part of the experience.
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.
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