Wine Bar
Unclaimed profileOrzo Kitchen & Wine Bar
Charlottesville, VA · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar runs a beverage program with genuine range. Cocktails split between a happy hour list and a dinner menu of house drinks and Classics like the Manhattan and Orzo Sour. The wine list leans Mediterranean with a Virginia section, pouring sparkling through red by the glass and by the bottle. Beer covers local drafts and imported bottles, while a six-drink zero-proof list and a nine-bourbon small batch section round out the options.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Orzo Sour, a rye-cassis sour available at happy hour and on the dinner Classics list. For wine, the 2022 Nebbiolo, Vietti, Perbacco, Piedmont, Italy, by the glass or bottle. The zero-proof Faux Bianco Negroni is a solid non-alcoholic pick.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Guests who want a full beverage program—cocktails, wine, beer, zero-proof drinks, and bourbon—without choosing a single lane. The Mediterranean wine focus and Virginia bottles suit wine drinkers, while the Classics list and small batch bourbons appeal to spirit-forward tastes.
- When should I go?
- Happy hour offers $11 cocktails, $6 local draft beers, and $10 wine or sangria. The dinner menu expands the cocktail list and offers the full wine and spirits selections.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Happy hour cocktails are $11 each; dinner cocktails and Classics are $15, with The Ritchie Rich at $17. Wines by the glass range from $13 to $28; bottles from $52 to $95 on the dinner menu, with the broader list from $44 to $150. Draft and bottled beers are $8 at dinner; mocktails are $12.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- A dual cocktail menu—happy hour and dinner—with a Classics section alongside house drinks like the Orzo Sour and Napoleon's Loss. The wine list focuses on Mediterranean regions plus a Virginia wines section, and the zero-proof list uses non-alcoholic spirits and aperitifs across six drinks. A small batch bourbon section lists nine options.
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
Two distinct cocktail menus: a happy hour list with house drinks and martinis, and a dinner list with house cocktails and a Classics section. The range spans spritzes, sours, stirred classics, and multiple spirit bases.
Menu strengths
- — Dual menus give separate happy hour and dinner options, including a Classics section with Sazerac, Paper Plane, and Old Fashioned.
- — House drinks like Napoleon's Loss and Pomelo appear on both happy hour and dinner lists, with spritzes, sours, and stirred drinks across the range.
Standout selections
- — Orzo Sour: rye whiskey, lemon, and Cassis, listed on both the happy hour and dinner Classics menus.
- — Manhattan: rye, sweet vermouth, bitters, and cherry, available at happy hour and on the dinner Classics list.
- — Napoleon's Loss: tequila, lemon, and ginger, a house cocktail on both the happy hour and dinner lists.
Pricing: Happy hour cocktails $11 each; dinner house cocktails and Classics $15 each, except The Ritchie Rich at $17.
Wine
A Mediterranean-leaning list with a dedicated Virginia wines section. Wines by the glass cover sparkling, white, rosé, and red; bottles range from $44 to $150, including half bottles. Happy hour pours tonight's red or white and Sangria del Dia at $10.
Menu strengths
- — Mediterranean focus across France, Italy, Spain, and Greece, plus a Virginia wines section.
- — By-the-glass and bottle formats including half bottles, with sparkling through red represented.
Standout selections
- — 2022 Nebbiolo, Vietti, Perbacco, Piedmont, Italy: $18 by the glass or $72 by the bottle.
- — 2020 Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc, 'La Moussiere,' Alphonse Mellot, Loire Valley, France: $85 by the bottle.
- — 2024 Assyrtiko, Plano, Drama, Greece: $15 by the glass or $60 by the bottle.
Pricing: By the glass $13–$28; bottles $52–$95 on the dinner menu, with the broader list from $44 to $150. Happy hour wine and Sangria del Dia $10 each.
Beer
Local beers on draft (Pilsner or IPA) with a varying tap selection, plus assorted local and imported bottles and cider. Bottled options include Deschutes IPA, Three Notch'd IPA, Alewerks Weekend Lager, Mythos Greek Lager, Pilsner Urquell, Stella, Bold Rock Cider, Non-Alcoholic Athletic Lager, and Beal's Stout.
Menu strengths
- — Local draft beers at $6 during happy hour, with the tap selection varying.
- — A broad bottled range covering local and imported beers plus cider, including a non-alcoholic lager.
Standout selections
- — Local Beers on Draft: Pilsner or IPA, $8 on the dinner menu.
- — Mythos Greek Lager, one of the imported bottled beers at $8.
- — Bold Rock Cider, among the bottled cider options at $8.
Pricing: Happy hour local draft beers $6; draft and bottled beers $8 on the dinner menu.
Nonalcoholic
A six-drink mocktail section using non-alcoholic spirits and aperitifs: Go Fig or Go Home, The Natural, Fortuna, Elderflower Spritz, Americano No!, and Faux Bianco Negroni. Happy hour offers The Natural and Go Fig or Go Home at $8. Non-Alcoholic Athletic Lager is listed among bottled beers.
Menu strengths
- — Six zero-proof cocktails built with non-alcoholic spirits and aperitifs, not just juice mixes.
- — Happy hour includes two non-alcoholic drinks at $8 each, and a non-alcoholic lager is available among bottled beers.
Standout selections
- — Faux Bianco Negroni: Dhos Gin Free, Undone Little French Aperitif, and orange slice, $12.
- — Go Fig or Go Home: fig-rosemary syrup, lemon juice, and Q Tonic, $12 (also $8 at happy hour).
- — The Natural: ginger-agave syrup, lemon, club soda, and candied ginger, $12 (also $8 at happy hour).
Pricing: Mocktails $12 each on the dinner menu; The Natural and Go Fig or Go Home $8 each at happy hour.
Spirits
A small batch bourbon section lists nine options with prices per pour, from Elijah Craig and Four Roses to Blanton's Single Barrel. The menu also invites guests to ask about Single Malt Scotch selections and Sipping Tequilas. Happy hour lists Gin or Vodka Martinis at $11.
Menu strengths
- — Nine small batch bourbons with per-pour pricing, ranging from $16 to $22.
- — Additional spirits categories—Single Malt Scotch and Sipping Tequilas—available on request.
Standout selections
- — Blanton's Single Barrel: small batch bourbon with butterscotch, citrus, and oak, $22 per pour.
- — Eagle Rare Ten Year: small batch bourbon with almond, raisin, cocoa, and a fierce finish, $19 per pour.
- — Jefferson's Reserve: small batch bourbon described as complex, bold, and smooth, $19 per pour.
Pricing: Small batch bourbon pours $16–$22; happy hour Gin or Vodka Martinis $11.
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