Wine Bar
Unclaimed profilePurple Café and Wine Bar
Seattle, WA · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Purple Café and Wine Bar in runs a serious beverage program centered on creative cocktails and a wine list that spans France, Italy, Romania, and the Pacific Northwest. The cocktail menu is current and ambitious, with hot drinks and a full non-alcoholic section. Wine pairings are built into the dinner menu, reinforcing the venue's wine-bar identity. A community reviewer praised the 'Knock on Wood' cocktail as refreshing and another noted excellent wine options.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Waldorf Negroni, a calvados-based twist with turmeric and celery bitters. For wine, try the 2022 Cor Cellars Cabernet Franc from Horse Heaven Hills. The non-alcoholic Garden Party, made with Seedlip and a salt rim, is a worthy pour.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Cocktail enthusiasts seeking inventive, well-priced drinks, and wine drinkers who appreciate a curated international list with food pairings. The non-alcoholic menu also makes it a good stop for designated drivers and those abstaining.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails run $16 to $19, wines by the glass from $7.50 to $13, and non-alcoholic drinks $9 to $16. Wine bottles are $15 to $26.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The venue's 'Book of Wine' menu and entree-specific wine pairings reinforce its wine-bar mission, while the cocktail program shows a playful, seasonal streak—think calvados and turmeric negronis and a banana-fenet vodka number. The non-alcoholic list, with Seedlip-based cocktails and shrubs, is unusually substantial.
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
A diverse, creative cocktail menu with 18 offerings, including hot drinks and a well-considered non-alcoholic section. Ingredients are thoughtful and seasonal, from spiced pear to cold brew and fernet. Community praise for the 'Knock on Wood' supports quality.
Menu strengths
- — Inventive combinations like the Waldorf Negroni with calvados, turmeric, and celery bitters.
- — Includes hot cocktails and a substantial non-alcoholic menu, broadening appeal.
Standout selections
- — Waldorf Negroni: calvados, turmeric, cardamaro and salers aperitifs, celery bitters ($18).
- — Banana Noire: vodka, cold brew coffee, banana, amaretto, letherbee fernet ($18).
Pricing: Cocktails $16-$19; hot cocktails $15-$16.
Wine
The wine list, though only partially evidenced, shows an international selection with French, Italian, Romanian, and Pacific Northwest bottles. Pairings are suggested with each entree, and the venue's 'Book of Wine' reinforces its wine-bar focus. Prices are approachable.
Menu strengths
- — International range includes Côtes-de-Brouilly, Champagne, Côtes du Rhône, and Friuli.
- — Entree-specific wine pairings on dinner and lunch menus.
Standout selections
- — 2022 Cor Cellars 'Alder Ridge Vineyard' Cabernet Franc, Horse Heaven Hills ($8.50 glass / $17 bottle).
- — NV M. Haslinger & Fils Brut, Épernay, Champagne ($13 glass / $26 bottle).
Pricing: Wines by the glass $7.50-$13; bottles $15-$26.
Nonalcoholic
A standout non-alcoholic program with six drinks, including Seedlip-based cocktails and a house shrub soda. The Classic Nogroni offers a zero-proof take on a bitter classic. This is a serious NA list, not an afterthought.
Menu strengths
- — Includes a non-alcoholic Negroni (Classic Nogroni) and a seasonal shrub.
Standout selections
- — Classic Nogroni: Seedlip Grove, Wilderton & Giffard aperitif, Free Spirits rosso ($16).
- — Seasonal Shrub & Soda: blackberry-balsamic ($10).
Pricing: Non-alcoholic cocktails $9-$16.
Spirits
The spirits program is evidenced only through cocktail ingredients, showing a well-stocked bar with vodka, gin, tequila, mezcal, rum, and calvados. No standalone spirits list or pricing was found, limiting assessment.
Menu strengths
- — Diverse spirit base across cocktails, from blanco tequila to aged rum.
- — Includes specialty liqueurs and amari like Fernet and Cardamaro.
Standout selections
- — The Ambassador: aged rum, Lillet Blanc, curaçao, black currant ($19).
Pricing: No dedicated spirits pricing; cocktails range $16-$19.
How it sits with the food
Dinner and lunch menus include suggested wine pairings for each entree, such as the 2020 Domaine Emmanuel Fellot Gamay Noir with certain dishes. The wine list is priced accessibly, encouraging experimentation.
Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.
Community reviews
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