GRAPE + BEAN

That place would be amazing and worth 5 stars without one guy in there, I am not sure he is the owner or just store manager but he always has an attitude. He doesn’t like if you just stop in for a glass, doesn’t like space to be occupied as he is loosing money on you. The only reason I keep going back there because they have great choice of wines and rest of the staff is great.

An excellent, curated selection of interesting wines by the glass and bottle. Not to be missed if you are a wine professional.

My mother-​in-​law and I came here last weekend. The waitress was knowledgeable about the red wines. I had the mushroom soup and flatbread as simple as that sounds but the flavor was amazing!!! I will come back here with my husband.

I stopped by here a few weeks ago with a friend, and the service was abysmal. First off, I selected this place after I did a search on Unilocal for best happy hours in Old Town Alexandria. When we get there, no one greets us. So, we seat ourselves, which is fine. Eventually, our server stops by, just long enough to fling the menus in front of us — without any sort of greeting. I have to hurriedly ask about their hh menu, realizing he’s going to dash off, and he very rudely responds there isn’t a hh here. OK, so we decide to order a couple bottles of wine and a cheese platter. Thus, we were easily about to spend a decent amount of money. However, as one would expect from a decent wine restaurant, we first wanted a brief description of their wine selection, which we didn’t get, even after prompting with a few questions. Then, we ask for a taste of wine (which he was not at all helpful in selecting), and he just frowns at us, grunts, and walks away. He then came back with one VERY SMALL pour to taste (seriously, it wasn’t even enough to dampen your lips!). I then ask if we may both taste the wine. This obviously really annoyed him, and he walked off without a word. At this point, my friend and I just look at each other and decided to leave without even tasting the wine. It was obvious he didn’t want us there, and we really didn’t appreciate being treated so rudely. Thus, we took our business elsewhere, where we had a lovely time.

I work in DC, live in Annapolis. Decided to come here on a whim after work to avoid traffic. Best decision in at least one month. Parking was easy (4pm on a Friday), there was plenty of room inside, and the staff was kind and attentive. Wine list is good, food is a little fancy. Overall, wonderful experience, can’t wait to go back.

Grape + Bean is a quaint wine bar just off the bustling King Street that’s perfect if you’re looking for a glass of wine, cheese and charcuterie boards, small plates, light lunch or dinner, or even a cup of Joe!
After this year’s Old Town Alexandria St. Patty’s Day parade, my friend and I popped into Grape + Bean for some wine and cheese. There’s not a whole lot of seating here, but we were able to snag a high table for two. The overall look and feel of the place is rustic and homey, a relaxing and comfortable spot to sip some wine, eat some small plates, and engage in friendly conversations.
We both ordered white wines and a cheese board (asked our server to make the cheese selections for us). The cheese board came with 3 types of cheeses, along with an assortment of fresh, handmade breads and other accompaniments like jams and fresh fruit. The cheese board was especially delicious; I really liked all the accompaniments that came with the cheeses they selected for us. The staff here know their stuff!
Another time, I stopped by simply to get some iced coffee. Grape + Bean offers Stumptown and Counter Culture coffee. They also have an Italian roast drip coffee.
Grape + Bean also offers tasting events and wine classes. Wines are lined floor to ceiling at the front, and the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. They’re more than willing to help you find the perfect wine.

I was in Old Town for a client meeting. The meeting was over by 10 am, and with an evening flight home, I found myself with hours to kill. Since the weather was gorgeous I decided to just wander the streets and see what struck my fancy. I had decided that I really just wanted to sit outside and sip rosé, and lo, like a mirage, an oasis in the desert, Grape & Bean appeared. I spent a lovely hour sipping rosé and enjoying a cheese plate. They didn’t seem to care that I was alone and taking up one of only two outside tables, and happily let me linger. The location is tucked on a side street so there isn’t a ton of distracting foot traffic — just you and your wine and a lovely peaceful afternoon.

One of my favs. in Old Town.
Grape & (ampersand, not plus sign) Bean marries old world charm with new world D.C. prices. They boast an eclectic, and interesting, wine selection; paying attention to representing different (major) wine cultures of the world. It’s all too easy to spend a hundred quid sampling the wares, so to speak.
The cuisine offered to compliment one’s inner oenophile if well above average… for the area, and in general. The deviled eggs with whole grain mustard are a staple, and a must try. Ham and gruyère is the equivalent of a lefty throwing a good fastball in the mid-ninetys…good all day. The smoked salmon entrée was generous, and well balanced with the addition of cornichon and capers. Come to think of it, I’ve not had anything disagreeable @ Grape & Bean.
The staff is delightful. Dustin is a fun bloke to spend an hour with, and reminisce about the big apple.
In a the controlled air space of D.C., G & B is a definite «fly zone».

We loved this place! Cute inside. Everyone was very friendly and knowledgable. We ordered the three cheese charcuterie plate and a few glasses of wine. Great way to start a date night. We can’t wait to go back!

More than $ 10 for two 12oz standard green teas is overkill but I’ll live.
We did ask first to see a list of teas (which would presumably have prices on it as well). No list for teas so we asked what they had. The reply was «green and chamomile». Very odd considering the other Grape and Bean in Del Ray has a detailed list of about 10 different ones. Come to find out, those were available… but they just didn’t want to take the time to make those for us. That’s what irks me.
Was my first– and last time– at this location. Will take our gatherings elsewhere in the coming weeks.
Good work. Hope your trip to Australia was fun.

Absolutely phenomenal local hidden gem! Phenomenal eats, wine selections to die for and friendly attentive staff that make the entire experience one of a kind.

My fiancé and I visited Grape + Bean for an afternoon drink while we were spending the whole day in Old Town Alexandria. There is very limited seating in there! We barely got a seat at the ledge in front of the wine shop. We both had a glass of wine each. The wine was good, though a bit overpriced.
We took a look at their menu for food snacks, but everything was either offered in bulk as a large portion, or was way too overpriced for an afternoon snack.
We stuck with just one glass of wine each and found another restaurant to get an afternoon snack where we could actually sit down comfortably.

Very busy the night that we stopped in, but got a spot in the window. Very small, but great wine and the food was excellent. I recommend the cab paired with the duck. Unfortunately they were under staffed that night so the service was a bit slow. But the servers were great. Can’t wait to go back.

Had high hopes. Cute restaurant, nice outdoor seating. The wine was good and they even had a nice beer selection, but the service was rough. The waitress had little to no wine knowledge, instead referencing the menu. Two waitresses worked the floor, overlapping and causing a regular interruption of our conversation. Whole thing felt pretty awkward — don’t think we’ll be back except maybe to buy wine from the store.

Cute little wine place right in old town that has a very cute feel and some great selections. Make sure that if you want dessert wine that you ask. They have some they just aren’t on the menu or easily spotted. A good experience and the gentleman working was very friendly to us on our visit. Would recommend splitting a bottle of sweet red or some port here.

Very cute little wine bar/​restaurant. Really more of a wine bar than restaurant. The wine selection is great! I had 3 wines and was really impressed with all of them.
I also tried the truffled egg toast. I thought the smell of truffle oil on it was a bit too strong, but the taste was not too truffly, so I ended up happy with it.
Very cute ambiance in this place. Perfect for a date, or maybe coming with a max group of 4.
Prices are slightly high, but what can you really expect for the area. At least you are getting great wine and food for the price.

An absolute must if in Alexandria, va.
The moment you walk up to the restaurant you notice the cute and unique name of the restaurant. Then when you open the door you expect a grand lavish entrance. On the contrary, you open the door to something much greater than the lavish restaurant that you may expect. Rather it is a small and cozy space. The space is rustic and and homey. The restaurant really uses up every nook and cranny as a functional space. They do not let their small space go to any waste. Then when you sit down at a table, you are faced with a list of wine. I love white wine so my eyes went straight for their resiling.
As far as the food. It’s romantic and clean cut. As a matter of fact, romantic is the perfect word to describe their food!

Lovvvveeee this place! This is the perfect place to go to for a romantic bite or a delightful place to go with a small group of your girl friends for a relaxing night in. You can order some really delicious and perfect cheese and meat plates. The selection of cheese and wine is the perfect combo after a long stressful week!
We ordered the three cheese/​meat plate. We got two cheeses– the dolce, which was a green cheese drizzled with honey and the monocacy which was topped with a fruit jam. We also got the prosciutto, which was the perfect combo with the sweet cheese toppings and dried fruits.
The platter came with three assortments of bread and was filled with different pickled vegetables and dried fruits. Every bite you took, it was a burst of flavor and every bite was unique. Not a single bite tasted the same.
The service was friendly and ambiance was on-​point! Cute cozy restaurant.
Seriously in love with this place and I will be going back:)

A nice cozy place a block from King Street in Old Town Alexandria. The service was good and so was the food. The Benedict was delicious and the coffee very good. A great place for a Sunday brunch.

Overalll good experience. A little bit of cheese, wine, or coffee. A great place for couple for deep conversation and dating. If you have more than four people, then this is not a place. Also, this is not the place for you when you are hunger or looking for a lot of foods. Otherwise, a OK little place for a quick snack and coffee.

Nice low key spot to have light bites and wine.
Didn’t have any of the cooked food, just the wine, cheeses, and salami.
Everything was good, but the prices were a bit high. Also, they don’t pour the wine in front of you when ordering a glass, so you cannot get a look at the bottle.
The customer service was great. With such a small seating area, they really do a good job trying to ensure that everyone is comfortable and taken care of.

Favorite place in Old Town Alexandria!
I love the seasonal BLT, Truffled egg toast, Fresh goat cheese & organic olive Tapenade are a must try! Paired with my favorite Oregon Pinot Noir, Napa Valley Chardonnay, and many others.

Stopped In for some champagne to celebrate a special night. Immediately greeted and had phenomenal service, even when the place was full. Cheese and champagne were the best I’ve had in awhile. Will DEFINITELY be back

Only came here for coffee but it’s a very cute coffee shop and the coffee is excellent. We just got the drip special and typically I can’t drink coffee black, but this coffee didn’t need anything extra… it was really good simply black.
The downside is that the guy at the bar was very unpleasant and they also don’t allow outside food which is kind of annoying since they’re a coffee shop… what’s it to them if you bring in some desserts?!?

My husband and I took my mom here for a celebratory lunch after she helped us find a house to rent. We arrived on the late side of lunchtime (1:15ish), so that might have accounted for why there were a few tables open. There aren’t many of them and one large one in the center is shared, so I can see the place getting full fast.
The 4-​top table in the back is a bit of a tight squeeze for 3 people, maybe because most people don’t come for full meals here. However, there are plenty of interesting sounding menu items for lunch, from the egg toast with truffle oil (which I gobbled up), to flatbreads with or without meat and truffle oil. Yes, G + B is in love with truffle oil, but luckily so am I. My husband had a BLT, which was gone before I had a chance to taste it. The flatbread didn’t come with a side salad like the other 2 meals did, I guess because it’s more of a sharing plate than a meal for one person. We started with olives and nuts. Not a huge portion, but delicious, especially those Spanish pecans.
The selection of wines by the glass isn’t terribly vast, but I gather that the options they offer are good ones. My mom and I thoroughly enjoyed the rose we each had. And my husband got a yummy red.
On the way out, I spied the brunch menu and even though I was stuffed, lots on there sounded really good, too.
This place successfully manages to be a number of different things: coffee shop, wine store, bar and restaurant. I will definitely be back. Looking forward to trying the Rosemont location, too, which is right by our new house!

It was my first time at grape and bean. The place is tiny and it was a Saturday evening but we (four of us) did not have a had time getting seats even though the place was packed. This is definitely a place an intimate atmosphere. Highly recommend it for dates or girl’s night out.
I got the confit de poulet. It was delicious, tender and the meat fell off the bone. It came with Israeli couscous and vegetables.
I would definitely go there a second time.

I came in here today for a cup of coffee, and I was very pleased with the result! It was half-​full during lunch time, but I was looking for take away coffee anyway. There is a small wall filled with wine bottles as well as a bar and wall counter. There are a couple of tables outside too.
I got the Italian roast drip coffee, and it was very flavorful without too much sugar/​skim milk. There were other options such as pour over and the Trifecta machine (it was broken today which was too bad — it creates a coffee that isn’t as harsh as an espresso).
The staff was friendly (thank you, Erin, for being so helpful and nice!).
Room for improvement: there was a couple waiting for some time before they were acknowledged. Perhaps G+B can have more than just two people working the place. Furthermore, this place is a tad pricey to be a regular, BUT the coffee is very delicious. For example, the small is 6 oz.
Bottom line: I’ll definitely be back if I’m nearby. The place is quaint, cute, and high quality.

I was a little confused about this place when we showed up on a Saturday evening. We just had dinner and thought this was a wine retail shop and had planned on just buying a bottle of wine and taking it home. Come to find out, its more like a wine bar that does flights and tastings (and even food!). It looks like they DO sell wine by the bottle but its not some big wine shop.
It’s a small place so we grabbed a couple stools by the window, which was fun for people watching. You get 3 wines for $ 14. My friend got a bubbly flight and I had a flight of random reds. We also got the chocolate plate which had a variety of different dark chocolates and fruit (no truffles though). Everything was great and the staff was accomodating. Overall, intimate and romantic spot to take a date, for sure.

We’ve been to Grape + Bean several times now and have always been happy with service, wine selections, and the charcuterie plates. This last Saturday we stopped in early afternoon with friends for a light bite and bottle of wine. As many have said this is a very small place — in my opinion quite cozy. We had to wait a few minutes for a table, but that gave us time to peruse the wine selection.
For a small shop, Grape + Bean has an impressive wine selection. I love seeing labels I wouldn’t necessarily find at Total Wine. They sell their wine at retail and for a $ 15 corkage fee you can enjoy the bottle on premises. Considering the mark-​up at most restaurants, I found this reasonable.
The menu is surprisingly varied considering the size of this place, although if I have to be completely honest, most would consider the prices a bit high. However for me personally, the fresh locally sourced ingredients and quality of the food will bring me back. My husband and I decided to share a bowl of their creamy bean soup (special that day) and the smoked bacon and heirloom tomato sandwich. The soup was good, creamy without being overly rich. The bean flavor stood out, and the soup was not overly salty. The bacon on that sandwich was smoky, delicious and plentiful. Romaine rather than iceberg was used and the tomato tasted slightly roasted. The herbed mayonnaise added even more flavor. My husband, who swears he hates multigrain bread, loved this sandwich as did I.
Our dining companions chose the truffled egg toast with bacon and the flatbread topped with prosciutto and thyme. Both looked very good and our friends enjoyed them thoroughly. I will say the flatbread was very small considering it was listed as a large plate, but it was loaded with prosciutto.
Both sandwiches were served with a fresh side salad. I loved the tasty, light vinaigrette dressing which did not drench or overpower the fresh greens.
We ended with a signature chocolate plate to share among the four of us. My favorites, the salted, dark chocolate with almonds which reminded me of a very grown up Hershey’s with almonds, and the white chocolate infused with lavender with pistachios — both delicious, but everything offered was quite good.

always a crowd here when I stop in at Lavender Moon cupcake store next door. Today, I decided to drop in, check out the menu and return later. Well… ye of weakness when it comes to good wine & food… I ran 7 miles this morning and hadn’t eaten, so I sat the bar where Holly and Devon told me about the place and recommended some great vegetarian options. wine flights of some great whites (yay to Albarino, from Spain natch) and a very unique Chenin Blanc. what got me were the crostinis: packed with flavor, simple ingredients and they actually allowed me to get a sampler of three different ones… very nice to accommodate me.
owner David came out, introduced himself, talked about his #3 restaurant about to open up. What a great guy. Super place/​food/​wine/​atmosphere. Easy to understand why there is always a crowd here. Within walking distance of my casa too.
Life is good. Wondering if they serve hot chocolate in the winter. Not that i even WANT winter to come rearing its ugly head but looking forward to that… but i don’t think they have a spirits license: just beer & wine.