Postino Wine Cafe
THE CONCEPT
A Phoenix-based restaurant group’s first Texas location offering interesting, affordable wines paired with fresh bites of bruschetta, panini and cheese and meat boards.
THE SPACE
In the new Heights Mercantile development, the 150-seat cafe occupies a chunk of a building that formerly was a distribution center for Pappas restaurants. Postino’s dining area and patio are designed in a mix of colors, textures and fabric that’s heavily influenced by midcentury iconography.
THE FOOD
The fairly simple menu has a selection of snacky starters, bruschetta, sandwiches, soups and salads. The signature dish is bruschetta, the shareable antipasti of grilled bread topped with assorted cheeses, meats, fruit and spreads — think fig spread with brie and apples; mozzarella, tomato and basil; warm artichoke spread; smoked salmon and pesto; burrata, bacon and arugula; and almond hummus with chopped tomato. The bread comes from Kraftsmen Baking nearby; produce is sourced here, too.
THE DRINK
The wine list trots the globe, with bottles priced between $27 and $150. Nearly 30 wines made from a wide range of varietals are available by the glass, and Postino is set up for retail sales. There also are eight beers on tap and 22 can and bottle selections.
THE WORD
“It was very clear to me this neighborhood had its own unique identity,” company cofounder Lauren Bailey said of deciding to open in the Heights. “It really feels like this is our place. We got goosebumps. We’re home.”
ONE MORE THING
Postino has some pretty sweet deals: $5 glasses of wine till 5 p.m. daily, and “board and bottle” after 8 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, when a house bottle of wine and a bruschetta is $20.
THE DETAILS
642 Yale at Heights Mercantile, 346-223-1111; postinowinecafe.com. Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-midnight Fridays, 9 a.m.-midnight Saturdays and 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays.