Lebanese wines in Kalamazoo? We're in.
West Main Hill · Kalamazoo · Middle Eastern and Mediterranean · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 15, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Zooroona Restaurant’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
Seven bottles is not a lot. But when two of them are from the Bekaa Valley and one is from a South African producer most people have never heard of, you stop counting and start paying attention. Zooroona's wine list is small enough to read in thirty seconds and interesting enough to talk about for the rest of the meal.
This list has a clear point of view: match the wine to the cuisine. Lebanese producers Chateau Musar Jeune and Massaya anchor the list with their Bekaa Valley reds, which is exactly the right call for a restaurant serving shawarma and mezze. Ixir shows up twice — once red, once white — adding more Levantine credibility. The ZAHA Malbec from Mendoza is the crowd-pleaser safety valve, and HER from South Africa and Scarpetta's Pinot Grigio round things out on the white side. There are real gaps — no rosé, no sparkling, nothing from Greece or Turkey — but what's here is curated with more intention than most casual Middle Eastern spots bother with.
By-the-glass options aren't confirmed on the list, which is a miss in a casual, social atmosphere where people want to try different things across a spread of mezze. If they're pouring by the glass, they should make that clearer. If they're not, they should start.
ZAHA Malbec Mendoza — $40
ZAHA makes serious, food-friendly Malbec from high-altitude Mendoza vineyards. At $40 in a restaurant, that's a bottle that earns its keep — especially alongside anything grilled.
HER South Africa White
Most people at a Middle Eastern restaurant are going to gravitate toward the Lebanese reds or the Pinot Grigio they already know. HER is the move nobody makes, and it's almost certainly the most interesting white on the list — South African whites bring a citrus-and-herb tension that works brilliantly with hummus and tabbouleh.
Scarpetta Pinot Grigio
Nothing wrong with Scarpetta — it's clean, it's fine. But at a restaurant specifically built around Lebanese and Mediterranean food, ordering a mass-market Pinot Grigio is like going to a great taco spot and ordering a quesadilla. There are better choices right next to it.
Massaya Le Colombier Bekaa Valley + Shawarma Platter
Massaya's Le Colombier is a Rhône-inspired blend from the Bekaa Valley — warm spice, dark fruit, earthy backbone. It's basically built for spiced lamb and beef shawarma. This is the pairing the list is quietly asking you to make.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Zooroona isn't a wine destination, but it's doing something smarter than most casual spots in its category — leaning into Lebanese producers to match its food. If you're here for shawarma and mezze, order the Massaya or the Musar Jeune and don't overthink it.
West Main Hill · Kalamazoo · Bar / Lounge with cocktails and light bites
Henderson Castle Rooftop Lounge is a Wild Card through and through — you're not coming here for list depth, you're coming because it's a castle rooftop in Michigan with estate wines poured under open sky, and that's a legitimate reason. Just set your expectations accordingly: this is a vibe destination with a house wine program, not a destination wine bar.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Main Hill · Kalamazoo · Steakhouse / American Fine Dining
The Henderson Castle is a genuinely spectacular place to have dinner, and the wine list is its most underwhelming feature. Go for the atmosphere and the steaks, drink the Riesling or the Meritage, and don't come here expecting a deep cellar — there's a literal wine cave on the property but the list doesn't fully live up to the theater of it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Kalamazoo · Kalamazoo · Mediterranean and Spanish-inspired small plates
Fandango is the kind of wine program that makes you wonder why you haven't been going here for years. Fair pricing, serious range, and enough depth to reward multiple visits — yes, send your friends, and tell them to skip the cocktail menu.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Texas Corners · Kalamazoo · Contemporary American Steakhouse
Bold is a reliable neighborhood steakhouse with a wine list that matches the room — safe, familiar, and priced like they know you're here to celebrate. If you're chasing something adventurous in the glass, keep hunting; if you just want a decent pour with a great steak, it gets the job done.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Kalamazoo Mall · Kalamazoo · New American Gastropub
Principle isn't a wine destination, but it's a wine list that clearly had some thought put into it — a rare thing for a cocktail-first downtown spot. Send a curious friend here and tell them to order the orange wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Radisson Plaza Hotel · Kalamazoo · Contemporary American, wood-fired and seasonal
Brick and Brine is doing more with a hotel wine list than most restaurants in its category bother to attempt — there's genuine range here and a few wines worth getting excited about. The markups are real and the California-heavy tilt won't surprise anyone, but if you know where to look, you can drink well.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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