Eat and Drink

Where to Wine and Dine in Athens, Georgia

Written by: Melanie Velasquez

Athens, Georgia is known for its robust craft beer scene with many famous craft beer companies residing here. Those who prefer wine often think they are out of luck, but that’s not true. Some great spots might make you think differently about the next place you choose to go eat for date night or where to grab a bottle of wine for a take-out meal on a weeknight. One such place to look at for a great date night is to wine and dine at the Heirloom Cafe. Every 2nd Tuesday of the month, they feature a special night with specialty wines and food pairings. They have been hosting these dinners since the first year they started the restaurant, so about 10 years now. They originally started the nights to have wine tastings then dinners since Tuesdays were their slowest times for customers and they wanted to find a way to bring the Athens community together while also boosting the slow nights. Now, the dinners are a full course meal with wines paired with the food they prepare. At the beginning of each year, Chef and co-owner, Jessica Rothacker, along with Co-owner, Travis Burch and a few of the employees at Heirloom Cafe, go over the themes they want to have for each monthly 2nd Tuesday Wine Dinner throughout the year. Once they decide on themes, they tell their wine distributor representatives the theme they are looking for in hopes that the wine representative will match the theme and prepare 7-10 different bottles of wine that fit it. They each taste every bottle to narrow it down to 5 choices. After they narrow it down, Jessica explores the nodes and flavor profiles of all 5 bottles and comes up with different dishes that highlight the flavors of the wine and the food along with the regions that they come from. One of her favorite themes was the September’s Wine Dinner in which the theme was Spanish, her husband is Spanish and she shares personal and deeply rooted love for Spanish cuisine. Jessica Rothacker describes the dinners as “…intimate and relaxing and allows her to play with flavors of the food”, which is great for those looking for an intimate and romantic dinner for two while also getting a meal that is so customized that the wine and food pairings were handpicked and developed right in the restaurant. To grab a spot, you have to call ahead and make reservations to book the 2nd Tuesday Wine Dinner. The dinners start at 6 p.m. 

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Another great location to check out for those looking for wine tastings or to grab a bottle then go somewhere to grab dinner is The Lark. The Lark is a locally owned and operated wine space and wine tasting room, whose shop-keep is a certified sommelier, whom is Krista Slater. For those who don’t know a sommelier, is a wine professional who is trained and knowledgeable of the culture and tastes of wines. Therefore, Krista Slater is exactly the person you need to help you pick out a wine to your tastes and help you figure out what would work best with the meal you plan to have. She recommends for those who are first getting into wine to just, “try everything”, she says, “There is a wine out there for everybody”, and that wines are all different with different flavors and you won’t know what works best for you until you try it. She encourages those to try a new bottle every time and if you need some extra help go down to The Lark and participate in the wine tastings. The wine tastings at The Lark, are changed twice a month with several different wines for each rotation. This month, they have a Halloween themed tasting featuring Brown Estate ‘Betelgeuse’ Sauvignon Blanc 2020 at 2oz $4 / 5oz $10, Ovum ‘Old Love’ 2020 at 2oz $4 / 5oz $10, Weingut Edelberg ‘Das Bronze’ Pinot Gris 2020 2oz $4.50 / 5oz $11, Sebestyén Kadarka 2018 2oz $4 / 5oz $9, Bruno Zanasi Grasparossa Lambrusco NV at 2oz $4 / 5oz $10, and South African red blend that just recently replaced the Maison Noir ‘In Sheep’s Clothing’ 2019. The Lark also has some small cheese plates, with crackers, seafood, and various items for sale in their shop. Krista Slater recommends The Expat, The National, and some local restaurants that serve European-styled cuisine to pair with wines bought from The Lark.

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The Lark and Heirloom Cafe are two great options for those looking to wine and dine in Athens, Georgia. They are the best spots for a romantic date night and even for those inexperienced in wine and need a little guidance whether it is from a sommelier or chef. Two of which will never let you stray in the wrong direction from a great experience with wine.