Super friendly and cute place…read more We went close to close and the staff still let us come in and enjoy a quick little wine sesh The back spot wash set up so cute for pics too

What a phenomenal little find in Anacortes. The proprietor, who was also working that night, also…read moredesigned the interior of this space, which is so stylish! Great service and a nice selection of wines. We didn't eat there, but the charcuterie boards look divine.

If you are looking for a place to enjoy a great cup of coffee and get a little work done on your…read morelaptop, Ristretto offers a calm and upbeat atmosphere. You can't help but feel the support for art and community, as the walls beautifully display the work of many local artists. Ristretto is a tribute to our community, and I hope Ristretto and people like them, will continue to make Skagit a beautiful place to live in.

We stopped here for a late afternoon caffeine fix. The place is eclectic and charming. The staff…read moremember was polite. I enjoyed my lavender latte. What really stood out was the couch and the chairs. They were so deeply comfortable, they were challenging to get out of in a good way.

Solid five star review for this wine, cheese, and charcuterie hang out. There is plenty of seating…read moreinside as well as outside benches. There are decent selections of red and white wines from various regions including Walla Walla, Napa, Italy, and Bordeaux. Not to mention that the prices have little or no markups. We love the friendly, quiet, and relaxing atmosphere. We're looking forward to many more returns to this unique place in our next stays in Anacortes.

Great wines and phenomenal charcuterie boards…read more The owner is a retired chef who's passion is wine (and pairing it with delicious things). I stopped by for a glass of wine and ended up leaving with 2 bottles plus a new appreciation for Washington GSMs and pinots! Purchased a 2017 GSM (grenache-syrah-mouvedre) from Latta, Columbia Valley AVA ($25) and a 2019 Syrah from Rockgarden Vineyards, Walla Walla AVA. Looking forward to trying both soon! Definitely splurge in the charcuterie boards; they are works of art!

We found a hidden gem! The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The owner is kind and friendly. The…read morelarge charcuterie board was fresh and filling! I would highly recommend this place for a fun girls day or date night!

For my daughter's 21st birthday we chose wine tasting with family and friends. Angela was AMAZING!…read moreShe created 3 wonderful charcuterie boards full of delicious different cheeses, meats and treats... service was impeccable and fun., the ambience was perfect for our party with every detail checked. Definitely recommend Wine by the bays whether you're looking for wine with friends, a date place or your daughter's private party wine tasting they did not disappoint. To top it off they had a great little gift/candy shop inside.

I've gone a handful of times and they've always had good food and good service. And they've been…read moreable to accommodate my food allergies.

Finding a table for three on Valentine's Day without a reservation usually ends in heartbreak, but…read morewe lucked out here! Despite it being a busy holiday evening, we were seated immediately. The vibe was lively but comfortable, with most tables and the bar filled. Since we visited in February, we leaned heavily into their specials menu. We skipped the small plates and went straight for the mains: the Greek Salad with Steak, the Steak and Gorgonzola Flatbread, and the Vine Burger. Every dish was a hit, though my wife found the red wine vinaigrette on the salad to be just "okay" rather than great. For drinks, we stuck to the mocktails. We tried all three on the menu, and the Blueberry Mule (ginger beer based) was the undisputed winner. We'll have to come back for the cocktails another time since they looked promising! We capped the night with the Apple Blossom pastry with vanilla ice cream--it is a total "must-try." Overall, the service was courteous, the ambiance was spot-on, and parking was a breeze. We'll definitely be back!

Chris and I took time out to have a glass of beer on the deck of the fabulous Limedock building in…read moreLaconner Wa at Hellams vineyard. It was a nice break from always working next door. It was a perfect day! Hellams has quite a selection of everything and even beer for those who would rather. The photos are from the deck and public boardwalk.

Never a bad time here. Fantastic and knowledgeable staff, fair prices, extraordinary views,…read moreexpansive selection. 10/10 will return.

Starla's Tavern is incredible! I loved Blotto on Capitol Hill in Seattle and was so sad when they…read moreclosed. But I was so happy when I saw that Starla's Tavern was opening in Bellingham! The menu is much the same, and executed flawlessly. We had the Pepperoni & peppers pizza, with pepperoni that cups perfectly and just the right amount of Mama Lil's to make it interesting but not too spicy. The potato leek pizza was delectable, and the Blotto burnt potatoes with Labneh and chili-vin has my mouth watering just writing about it. Paired with an exceptionally funky Orange wine, this will be my go-to whenever I'm in Bellingham. Be mindful the place gets busy! Staff is kind and efficient. You'll love this place!

Cozy, casual wine bar but that dinner mean lack luster or boring. A strong wine line up is…read moreavailable for selecting from the board inside with help from their knowledgeable staff, if needed. Wine pours, or bottles, are served up alongside changing plates of bites that are great for snacking or sharing. This is the perfect spot to sit and share wine, food, and a good time with your friends or family and maybe relive some of Blotto's good ol' times. Like what you drank? They offer a well curated selection of bottles for retail, mostly from Europe. This neighborhood bar hits the spot.

This was such a lovely experience! I went with a small group on Memorial Day Weekend to La Conner,…read moreand we enjoyed our time at Sips! We had wine flights and some coconut shrimp. Sips was kind enough to take our information and call us when a table was ready so we could enjoy the boardwalk! Pictured is a Bubble Flight and the Coconut Shrimp. I can't wait to come back for more wine and recommendations-their menu speaks for itself of the range of flavors represented. The waitstaff was professional and gave us some excellent recommendations. P.S. They also are following COVID-19 precautions-masking, distancing.

Great place to enjoy a glass of wine and a snack after a hectic day of tiptoeing through the tulips.read more

In a word: WOW! This was a mighty impressive event and I will definitely be adding it to my list…read moreof can't-miss festivals. Held at the absolutely GORGEOUS Eaglemont Golf Club, the Skagit Wine & Beer Festival features wineries, distilleries, breweries, cideries and tons of food. And it's all-you-can consume! Nope, they don't give you a limited amount of tasting tickets. You can enjoy as much (or as little) as you want (including the food). Since I was the designated driver, I definitely spent more time stuffing my face with food samples than wine/beer/spirits, and left feeling like I wouldn't need to eat for several days. The venue is spectacular, with its sweeping views to the west, over the sound and towards the stunning Olympic mountains. Held on two levels of the golf club, the top floor is full of wineries and distilleries. The bottom level features mostly breweries, with a few cideries sprinkled here and there. The food stations are on both levels, and I enjoyed everything from a deconstructed nacho plate by Max Dale's Chop House to a delicious pork taco from COA Mexican Eatery. Other eats included sliders from Skagit River Brewing Co, Indian food from Taste of India, and nibbles from Eaglemont's own restaurant: Fireweed Terrace. There were also cheese/charcuterie samples from Whole Foods, and chocolates from Forte Artisan Chocolates. I'm sure I'm missing a few - I was in too much of a food coma to note all of the options! The VIP room was in a separate area and featured even more food, plus pretty much all the chocolate and candy you could ever want. It was a nice place to sit and relax away from the growing crowds once the doors opened for General Admission. There were also some raffles and a free photo booth with goofy props, plus a huge "store" area where you could buy bottles from your favorite vendors. I can't wait to go back next year! And next time, I'll bring my own driver (or take an Uber) so I can enjoy more of the alcohol samples.

The wine flowed with ease and the beer was poured with a heavy hand into each person's…read morecommemorative festival glass. Tickets were about $60, but I managed to win mine at a Yelp event earlier in the month. The wineries and distilleries were on the 2nd floor, and the breweries were on the 1st floor. Many heralded from Skagit County (Glacier Peak Winery, Valley Shine, Farmstrong, etc.), but there were several from Whatcom (Bellewood Acres, Aslan, Samson, and Wander) and King Counties (Elysian and Fremont) too. All but one or two were from Washington state. Most of the wineries offered 4 different varieties for tasting; whereas the breweries were more likely to have just two choices: one light (ambers and lagers) and one dark or hoppy style (stouts and IPAs). If you liked what you were drinking, you could go back for more. If not, each table had a bucket where you could dump the excess. Vendors were great about rinsing the glasses with water before each pour so you could enjoy their special offering. Interspersed between the vendors were restaurant representatives handing out small samples of their food offerings. These included BBQ chicken (which was always drawing a line and ran out seconds after the chaffing dish arrived), pulled pork sliders (tender, flavorful and moist), Indian chicken marsala (spicy and warm), and pork belly served on polenta with a spicy pesto (elevated and unique). Forté had samples of chocolate and the chocolatiers, a husband and wife team, were there answering questions and selling their sweet bars of perfection. All were delicious and paired well with the liquid libations flowing freely. An onsite store was available so people could purchase the flavors they became enamored with during the evening. No sales tax and a 5% discount made this the cheapest way to stock up on your "liquid therapy" for dealing with in-laws during the holidays. Skagit Media Marketing captured the fun with a free photo booth. Groups of friends grabbed props and donned costume ware for silly photos. I guess the amount of drinking will be in direct proportion to just how goofy the photo results are. I'm afraid to look on Facebook! Uber was nice enough to throw in a $20 discount on your ride home. Hopefully lots of people took advantage of this as there didn't appear to be any perks for designated drivers other than bottles of water available to all. Personally I left with a grin plastered on my face. Sampling so many varieties of wine and beer was a contributing factor, but what really brought about the happiness was winning one of the raffles. I bought 4 tickets for a grand total of $20, and I walked away with a new television and Blu-Ray DVD player. The Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce staff were nice enough to help me squeeze it into my compact car. I'd like to send a shout out to them for putting on such a fantastic event.

What a huge variety of cheese! Every inch is packed with delicious goodness. It is a very cool…read morespecialty shop, and I love how the labels have fun little facts about the cheese or suggestions about how to use the cheese. It's very thoughtful and makes the shop approachable, as opposed to having a stuffy atmosphere. The cheesemonger is quite knowledgeable and very helpful. I knew what cheese I wanted to buy, but he was helping out other customers and having a great time. I'll definitely come back if I need a high end charcuterie board. Do note that the cheeses can be pretty expensive, but I chalk it up to the location (rent is expensive!) and also the sourcing/rarity of the cheeses. I wonder if the cheeses ever get discounted if they're at the end of their shelf life...I would totally snatch them up!

This awesome cheese counter is located in Pike Place Market. They have a great selection of foreign…read moreand domestic cheese, all makes and milks, and also have jams and other sides. I even bought a pin bearing the store name.