Hello, everyone! Welcome to another week of Bahay Kubo, atbp. I hope everyone enjoyed the first week of Spring last week and adjusted to the DST, losing an hour of sleep.
This week I’m going to talk about my favorite little wine bar in Alameda, the Alameda Wine Company. It is in the historic Alameda Theater Complex, owned and operated by Karen Ulrich. It is one of the very few wine bars in Alameda.
My husband and I had visited the Alameda Wine Company a couple of times now and both times, we were impressed. The first visit was about six months ago while waiting for a hair appointment. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by Karen and she made some great recommendations. Didn’t get to talk to her much but the wine we tried was great! The second visit was on Monday, after my doctor’s appointment. This time, no one was at the bar. Just like the first time, Karen greeted us and recommended yet another great wine to try. We had a lively conversation about wine, how she started in the business, and much more. Karen is very friendly and entertaining, a riot at times but honest, she tells it like it is.
This wine bar has an impressive selection of wines at affordable prices, a deliciously unique selection and some of the best, generous cheese plates. The feel of the place is cozy, comfortable and relaxed, not to mention very clean. It’s a nice place to stop in for some well-deserved down time. Since the location is next to the Alameda Theater, this is also a great place to come before or after the movies. Perfect for anyone looking for a romantic escapade, or simply hang out and mingle. You can always count on a lively conversation and the perfect glass of wine.
Come and visit with a sense of humor and willingness to let the owner choose your wine. She’s amazing at picking out great wine and serving it at a fair price, you won’t be disappointed. Free street parking after 6 pm and free garage parking around the corner after 5 pm makes it the perfect go-to for a nightcap.
Alameda Wine Company is a wine bar, not a restaurant. They have good selections of cheese to match the wine and personalized pizzas. And since they only have limited selections on the menu, the owner will let you bring your own food, which is a plus.
On some days, they have specials deals. Sundays and Mondays, they offer ½ off in-house corkage. Tuesdays, free in-house corkage. On Wednesdays, it’s 2 for 1 Vicolo Organic Corn Meal Crust Pizzas. And on Thursdays, they have “Wine Curious Thursday”, every week its something different (check them out for details).
Special mention, this place is also very dog-friendly. If you’re a dog lover, you’ll love this place. Your dogs are allowed outside on the patio space. The owner will bring your dog a bowl of water and dog treats throughout your visit. Small gestures like that make a big impact on customers.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone who loves wine. I would definitely come back. It’s worth it to go out of your way to visit this place, at least once. One of the few places in the Bay Area loaded with character.
** FILAM STAR NEWSPAPER SPECIAL DEAL**
Bring this write up, show it to the owner or staff to get 10% discount of your entire order!
Can’t get any better than that! Cheers, salud, kampei and na zdarovya!
