Have you ever traveled somewhere and found a restaurant that was so good you went back twice?! That’s exactly what happened when we visited The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen in Lakeway, Texas. With its stunning patio vistas, a diverse menu catering to every palate – including those with special dietary requirements, and a wine list with just about any kind of wine you could dream of, The Grove quickly became our go-to spot while we were traveling through Austin. Whether you’re craving a hearty meal or a glass of bubbly, this Lakeway gem has it all.

Location & Atmosphere: What to Expect  

The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen Is located in a suburb of Austin called Lakeway, Texas. This Austin restaurant also has locations in: Westlake, Downtown Austin, Cedar Park, and Northwest Hills.

The dining room at The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen is simply decorated, but very comfortable and welcoming. Guests may be seated at free-standing tables or at half-booths. Some tables are situated next to floor-to-ceiling windows that offer nice views that look out across the plains – you can literally see for miles. We imagine the sunset view from the dining room is pretty incredible. If you really want to catch the sunset over Texas, ask to sit on the patio. There’s plenty of seating there, too.

If you’re into wine, like we are, you’re going to love the massive display of bottles in the dining room. They also have a very cool piece of wine art on display that is made of hundreds of wine corks. This particular piece is right behind the host stand when you walk in. It must be at least six feet high and several feet across. Very eye-catching.

The Menu  

This menu at The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen is simple, delicious New American fare, and there is something for everyone. Crafted with lots of fresh, local ingredients from Austin-area farms  this menu has a robust selection of Small plates like Oven-Roasted Meatballs with whipped burrata and crispy Crab Cakes, entree-sized salads, pastas, thin-crust pizzas, and featured plates like King Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Pork Ribeye Chop, and juicy Roasted Chicken.

Pro Tip: The house specialty is Bruschetta, and there are so many variations to try!

Wine List & Flight Options  

The first thing you will notice about the wine flights at The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen are the names, which are all riffs on classic songs.

How do these wine flights sound:

• Sparkle of My Eyes

• Friends in Loire Places –

• It’s a Chard Knock Life

• High & Dry

• Happy Together

• You’ve Got a Blend in Me

• Mr. Cab Driver (for Cabernet lovers)

• Lost in France

• That’s Amore

• Somewhere Only Pinot

Wine flights cost between $18 to $23 for three pours of wine.

The Best Thing About Going to a Wine Bar…  

You have so many options when you order by the glass. We could not believe how many wines The Grove Wine Bar is pouring. Just how many wines are we talking about? Over 50!

Both the by-the-glass and the bottle lists include a great selection of wines from Italy, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Napa, Sonoma, Argentina, Oregon, Spain, and Portugal.

Our Experience at The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen  

We are so thankful we found The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen, because this might be the ONLY good place to go for a good meal AND wine in Lakeway, Texas. Not only was this wine-focused restaurant the best place we found in Lakeway, but our server, Fay, was great. The wine flight choices were awesome, and the food is excellent.

Our dinner there was so good that we went back for the weekend brunch and ate at the bar.

Over two visits, we ordered:

• Cheese & Charcuterie Board

• Avocado Gazpacho made with avocado, cilantro, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, tomato, tajin, and Texas olive oil

• Buttermilk Southern Fried Okra

• Crab Benedict with grove crab cake, poached egg, classic Hollandaise, garlic-herb, breakfast potatoes with spinach

• Classic Benedict with poached eggs, Canadian bacon, English muffin, Hollandaise, paprika, garlic-herb breakfast potatoes with spinach

• Chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Tips  

• No corkage is allowed at The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen, so keep any bottles you picked up during your wine tasting at the hotel room.

• Sit at the bar, enjoy a nice meal and watch your favorite sports team. The restaurant has ample counter seating in front of a big screen TV, plus a few high tops. You can’t beat that.

• Go for brunch. If brunch in Austin is on your mind, try The Grove. With patio seating, endless views, and mimosas, you’re in for a great time.

Closing Thoughts  

We can’t say enough good things about the Lakeway location of The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen. Hands down, this is the best restaurant for wine lovers visiting this part of Austin. If you visit, let us know what you think!