Restaurant
Unclaimed profileCafe Navarre
South Bend, IN · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Cafe Navarre runs a beverage program with genuine depth in wine and spirits. The full wine list includes a sommelier selection, half bottles, 1.5L large formats, and a Tignanello vertical; bottles span $27 to $2,899. Eight handcrafted cocktails, priced $11–$16, cover vodka, gin, cachaça, mezcal, bourbon, and High West double rye, with a spiritless section alongside. Seven draft beers and a spirits list that reaches premium aged expressions round out the offering.
- What should I order?
- Start with a Bitter Ember, built on mezcal with Aperol and Amaro Montenegro, or the Executive Old Fashioned with High West double rye. For wine, the 2019 Castello del Trebbio Chianti Rufina Riserva is poured at $19 for six ounces. If you want a spirit, Whistle Pig 12-year rye is $37 a pour; Feather & Flame rye runs $80 per ounce.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- This suits drinkers who want a serious wine list with by-the-glass range from Prosecco to Veuve Clicquot, and spirits drinkers who value aged rye and mezcal. The spiritless section and non-alcoholic draft beer give non-drinkers real options rather than afterthoughts.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails are $11–$16. Draft beer runs $4.5–$8, spiritless drinks $7–$12. Wine by the glass starts at $8 and reaches $25 for Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label; the Chianti Rufina Riserva is $19 for six ounces. Spirits by the pour range from $10 to $85, with Feather & Flame rye at $80 per ounce.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- A Tignanello vertical and 1.5L large-format bottles anchor the wine list, while the spirits selection reaches Feather & Flame rye at $80 per ounce and a truffle-infused Chartreuse V.E.P. Served from a wooden box.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
Eight handcrafted cocktails span vodka, gin, cachaça, mezcal, bourbon, and High West double rye, with modifiers including Aperol, Amaro Montenegro, and prosecco. A limoncello martini and a signature espresso martini appear on the dinner menu at $11 each, and a dedicated spiritless section sits alongside the cocktails.
Menu strengths
- — Eight named cocktails with varied base spirits and modifiers, priced $11–$16.
- — Cocktail ingredients include vodka, gin, cachaça, mezcal, bourbon, and High West double rye.
- — The dinner menu lists dessert cocktails including a limoncello martini and signature espresso martini.
Standout selections
- — Bitter Ember — $13 — Mezcal, Aperol, Amaro Montenegro, fresh lime, king cube
- — Executive Old Fashioned — $16 — High West double rye, demerara, orange
- — Pepperoncini Martini — $16 — Grey Goose vodka, pepperoncini, Dolin dry vermouth
Pricing: $11–$16
Wine
The full wine list includes a sommelier selection, half bottles, champagne, sparkling, riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet blends, and cabernet sauvignon, plus 1.5L large formats and a Tignanello vertical. Wines by the glass span sparkling, white, rosé, and red, from Prosecco at $11 to Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label at $25.
Menu strengths
- — The full wine list includes a sommelier selection section and a Tignanello vertical collection.
- — Wines by the glass range from $8 (Malbec, Terrazas de los Andes) to $25 (Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label).
- — Bottle prices on the full wine list range from $27 to $2,899.
Standout selections
- — 2019 Castello del Trebbio, Chianti Rufina Riserva, IT — $19 (6oz), $26 (9oz), $74 (btl)
- — 2022 Opus One, Oakville, CA — $399 half bottle
- — Yellow Label, Champagne, FR — $25 by the glass
Pricing: $8–$25 by the glass; $27–$2,899 by the bottle
Beer
Seven draft selections cover pilsner, pale lager, lager, Irish stout, and a non-alcoholic golden ale. Miller Lite is the cheapest at $4.5; Guinness and Anti Hero top the list at $8. The range is conventional but complete, with a non-alcoholic option built into the lineup.
Menu strengths
- — A draft beer section with seven selections.; Draft beers are priced $4.5–$8.
- — The draft list includes Upside Dawn Golden Ale by Athletic Club Brewing, marked N/A.
Standout selections
- — Guinness — $8 — Guinness Brewery (Irish Stout)
- — Miller Lite — $4.5 — Miller Brewing (Pilsner)
Pricing: $4.5–$8
Nonalcoholic
A spiritless section lists four non-alcoholic beverages priced $7–$12, including two Phony Negroni variations and a Berry Hibiscus. The draft beer list adds Upside Dawn Golden Ale at $5. The options are named and priced, not tokens.
Menu strengths
- — A spiritless section with four named non-alcoholic beverages.
- — Spiritless beverages are priced $7–$12.; The draft beer list includes Upside Dawn Golden Ale by Athletic Club Brewing, marked N/A.
Standout selections
- — The Phony Negron — $7 — Non-alcoholic cocktail
- — The Phony Espresso Negroni — $7 — Non-alcoholic cocktail
- — Berry Hibiscus — $7 — Strawberry, fresh lemon, hibiscus, soda
Pricing: $5–$12
Spirits
The spirits section covers vodka, gin, rum, tequila/mezcal, bourbon, rye, and Irish/Canadian whisky. Pours range from $10 for Bushmills, Old Forester Rye, or Jack Daniels Rye to $85 for Clase Azul Mezcal Potosi Red. Premium and aged expressions include Whistle Pig 12-year rye and Clase Azul mezcals.
Menu strengths
- — The full wine list includes a spirits section with vodka, gin, rum, tequila/mezcal, bourbon, rye, and Irish/Canadian whisky.
- — Spirits by the pour range from $10 to $85.
- — Includes premium and aged expressions such as Whistle Pig 12yr Rye and Clase Azul mezcals.
Standout selections
- — Feather & Flame Rye — $80 per ounce
- — Whistle Pig 12yr-Old Rye — $37; Clase Azul Mezcal Durango Black — $49
- — Chartreuse V.E.P. — truffle-infused, presented in a wooden box
Pricing: $10–$85 by the pour; Feather & Flame Rye at $80 per ounce
How it sits with the food
A guest chose the Frescobaldi Remole Toscana, listed as a Super Tuscan, over a white wine and described it as straightforward and easy to drink with any meal.
Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.
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