Where to drink well in Austin by the glass and the bottle: natural, classical, and worth the cab fare.
Wine bars in Austin. natural, classical, and the grower-focused rooms worth the cab fare.
LoLo in Austin is the East 6th natural wine bar and bottle shop from Christian Moses and partners, the city's first dedicated natural-wine room with a large patio.
Signature pour: Rotating natural-orange-wine glass program
Wine focus: Natural wines and grower-producer bottles, with hundreds of bottles for on-site or retail
Food: Snacks and small plates
Tip: The wine wall doubles as the retail shop; ask for a bottle to drink on-site at a flat corkage rate.
June's All Day in Austin is McGuire Moorman's South Congress wine bar and bistro since 2017, anchored by Master Sommelier June Rodil's by-the-glass program.
Signature pour: Grower Champagne by the glass
Wine focus: International wine and natural-leaning by-the-glass, curated by June Rodil MS
Food: All-day French-American bistro plates
Tip: Master Sommelier June Rodil rebuilds the by-glass list monthly; ask the bar for the latest revision.
Birdie's in Austin is Arjav Ezekiel's natural-wine list paired with Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel's bistro kitchen, the 2025 James Beard Outstanding Beverage Service winner.
Signature pour: Whatever rare grower-producer Arjav has on; the list moves daily
Wine focus: Natural and low-intervention wines, by-the-glass and bottle, James Beard 2025 winner
Food: Counter-service bistro pastas and crudo
Tip: The by-glass list is the strongest in town; Arjav is at the bar and will route you through the strange bottles.
Bufalina in Austin is Steven Dilley's natural-Italian wine bar and Neapolitan pizzeria on East Cesar Chavez since 2013, the room that started Austin's natural-wine and pizza pairing.
Signature pour: Glass of Etna Rosso or skin-contact Sicilian white
Wine focus: Natural Italian wines paired to Neapolitan pizza, by-the-glass and bottle
Food: Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza
Tip: Half-off pizzas during happy hour 4:30 to 6pm daily; the wine list runs 200 deep, ask for the orange-wine page.
Este in Austin runs a sharply curated Mexican and Mediterranean wine program at the Manor Road bungalow, with bar seating for ceviches and a wine-only late-window after 9pm.
Signature pour: Mexican Valle de Guadalupe glass pour
Wine focus: Mexican and Mediterranean wines, plus mezcal flights
Food: Coastal Mexican seafood, ceviches, snacks
Tip: The bar takes walk-ins after 9pm; the wine list runs Valle de Guadalupe through southern Italy at the same depth.
Suerte in Austin runs a Michelin-recognised wine program led by Celia Pellegrini at the East 6th masa-driven dining room, paired with Fermin Nunez's modern Mexican kitchen.
Signature pour: Glass route by sommelier Celia Pellegrini
Wine focus: Mexican and natural-leaning wines, Michelin Texas Sommelier 2025
Food: Modern Mexican small plates and tacos
Tip: Pellegrini won the Michelin Texas Sommelier Award 2025; ask her to route the pairings or the all-Mexican flight.
Emmer & Rye in Austin runs an Old World-leaning wine bar program at the Rainey Street grain-driven kitchen, with a list built to drink alongside house-milled pasta.
Signature pour: Loire Valley Cabernet Franc glass
Wine focus: Old World, low-intervention bottle list paired to grain-driven food
Food: House-milled pasta and dim-sum-cart small plates
Tip: The bar seats see the dim-sum cart first and route directly to the cellar; book bar over table if you want both.
Better Half Coffee & Cocktails in Austin runs a wine, beer and cocktail patio at its Clarksville bungalow from the New Waterloo group, coffee shop by day, wine bar by evening.
Signature pour: Frozen Negroni on Sundays
Wine focus: Natural-leaning by-the-glass and seasonal cocktails
Food: Bistro snacks and brunch plates
Tip: Order frozen Negronis on Sunday with a brunch plate; the wine glass list is short but sharp at $14.
Fonda San Miguel in Austin runs a deep tequila and reposado list alongside Mexican and Spanish wines at the 1975 North Loop dining room, the city's heritage Mexican cellar.
Signature pour: Casa Madero from Coahuila Valley
Wine focus: Mexican wines, Spanish bottles and tequila reposados
Food: Regional Mexican dining room and Sunday hacienda brunch
Tip: The reposado-and-mezcal flight at the bar is the room's quiet routine; ask for the Mexican wine list at the back.
Peak food season in Austin is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Austin rewards trust.