Dallas has historically been a cocktails and craft beer kind of town. Like the rest of Texas, Dallasites have a penchant for margaritas and ranch waters, and intense loyalty to the Lone Star State’s historic brewing industry. 

But a slate of wine bars launched in recent years is bringing some change. And while “Dallas” and “natural wine” might seem like a radical pairing, that’s no longer the case: three natural wine bars have opened in the city in the last 12 months. 

If you’re a resident oenophile seeking the solace of similar palates, or just passing through the city this summer and in desperate need of a glass to beat the city’s legendary heat, here’s your line-up of establishments leading the way for wine in Big D. 

Ampelos

This wine bar and bottle shop in Oak Cliff’s Bishop Arts District is bright and colorful, with a pink neon sign directing you to a “wine-dow” where you can order a glass on the patio. But this place isn’t mere Instagram bait—the selection of natural wines available inside is serious and impressive. Ampelos (named after a satyr that the Greek god Dionysus turned into the first grape vine) is co-owned by Jessica Martinez and Genevieve Weaver, who met while polishing glasses at a natural wine pop-up in Dallas. Martinez also works as an assistant winemaker at the Portland Wine Company in Oregon. (Find its Love & Squalor Gamay on the shelves at Ampelos.) She and Weaver, who manages the shop in Dallas, meticulously curate a list of natural-leaning, sustainable wines from both old-school, traditionalist winemakers and younger producers following their lead like Arianna Occhipinti in Sicily, as well as up-and-comers like Sara Pérez of Mas Martinet. The by-the-glass menu might feature options like Luis Seabra Xisto Ilimitado Branco or Furlani Mae Son Rosso Frizzante. You can choose a bottle like Champagne Jacques Lassaigne or one of Raj Parr’s labels to drink in the colorful space or on the shop’s front porch. Flights are available on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Ampelos regularly hosts events, such as a showcase of biodynamic wines during the winter solstice and a celebration of Beaujolais Nouveau Day.

Fond

Husband-and-wife duo Jennie Kelley and Brandon Moore—longtime darlings of the Dallas pop-up scene with Better Half and The Pickling Collective—recently opened Fond, their brick-and-mortar restaurant and natural wine bar in Downtown. (Kelley, a member of The Polyphonic Spree and a MasterChef season 2 contestant, was also one of the founders of the much-beloved Frank Underground secret supper club in Dallas.) Fond is the only full-service restaurant in Dallas with a strictly natural wine list. Recent by-the-glass options included Bodegas Altolandon Sin Filtros Garnacha Blanca and chef’s choice of a mystery glass (“40 percent tasty, 30 percent juicy, and 30 percent unique”). Fond also hosts winemaker events, including recent “BTG Takeovers'' with Austrian winemaker Judith Beck and California-based Etteilla Wines. Exceptional bites on the lunch menu include Le Sandweech (ham, salami, Comté, arugula, and Dijonnaise on a hoagie roll) and the roast turkey Tower Club, while the “Aperitivo Hour” menu (Fond’s European spin on happy hour) has shared plates like fried olives, sous-vide carrots, Ruffles potato chips with French onion dip and caviar, and Moore’s mouthwatering Detroit-style pizzas.

Blind Bishop

Owned and operated by Dilek Caner MW, Blind Bishop is a restaurant and wine bar in trendy Bishop Arts that provides a totally unique experience in Dallas. Caner, who worked early in her career as a sommelier at Restaurant Alain Ducasse in New York before becoming the first Turkish Master of Wine, manages a bottle list and 1 oz, 3 oz, or 5 oz pours of up to 20 different wines, including some rarer cuvées like 2008 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Extra Brut. Order a blind flight to test your palate, a popular choice that guests approach like a game. The restaurant offers seasonal wine pairing dinners on Saturdays, with courses like New York strip steak with red chimichurri and grilled spring veggies paired with a 2019 Elena Fucci Titolo Aglianico del Vulture. Or choose from the à la carte dining menu—the goat cheese gnudi is a perennial favorite.

The Meteor

“Espresso. Champagne. Chain Lube.” So goes the motto of this café, bike shop, and wine store with a retro diner vibe located in the Design District. With two original locations in Austin and Bentonville, Arkansas, The Meteor was founded by cycling enthusiasts Doug Zell, founder of Intelligentsia Coffee, and Chris St. Peter, a former attorney. Slip into a comfy leather seat by the fireplace in the lounge and sip wines by the glass, or open a bottle to enjoy on the terrace. The organic and biodynamic wine selection is expansive, with bottles like Champagne Elise Dechannes Coeur de Noirs, Koehler-Ruprecht Kallstadter Riesling Kabinett, or COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria. Counter service at the all-day café offers specialty coffee drinks, baked goods, salads, and sandwiches. The cycle shop provides gear and repairs, so you can finish a ride on the nearby Trinity Strand Trail, service your bike, and grab a pizza and glass of Lambrusco to refuel while you wait. 

Trova Wine + Market

Located in the Plaza at Preston Center, Trova is an oasis amongst the strip malls of north Dallas: a non-Starbucks option for a mid-afternoon work meeting or break between shopping and errands. Inspired by a local wine shop that she frequented while living in Chicago, owner Michelle Bonds created a wine bar and bottle shop that stocks around 260 bottles from benchmark producers and small-scale, harder-to-find winemakers. The bar has a rotating list of wines by the glass, including a daily somm selection and—a rarity in Dallas—fortified and dessert wines. The seasonal food menu, by executive chef Stephanie Vivino, is crafted with wine accompaniment in mind. Order a glass of manzanilla sherry with a charcuterie board and soak up the sun at an outdoor table. Or choose a bottle of Benanti Etna Rosso to pair with Wagyu pastrami on rye and truffle fries at a table in the dining room. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to let you linger over a glass or two with a book at the stylish bar.