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Vara Winery & Distillery, Albuquerque, NM

Vara Winery & Distillery

4.7
4.7
258 Reviews
$31 to $50
Winery
Top Tags:

Vara is your destination for fine Spanish and American wines, artisanally crafted spirits, tasty tapas and dramatic sunsets. Relax on our patio with a flight of wine that connects the rich histories of Spain and New Mexico while honoring the birthplace of the American wine experience. Sip on a cocktail crafted from our unique selection of Vara's handcrafted brandies, rums, gin or Taylor Garrett Whiskey while enjoying a pan of paella or savory tapas. Vara satisfies the senses. You can sit on our patio with panoramic views of the valley or relax in our cozy indoor tasting room with a glass of wine. Come take a tour of our winery and distillery and stay for the the food, wine, and spirits!

Make a reservation

2 people
June 2022
Sun
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7:00 PM
Booked 4 times today
Experiences are available.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Dining

  • Cuisines

    Winery, Tapas / Small Plates, Distillery

  • Hours of operation

    Sat 12:00 pm–8:00 pm Dinner Wed–Fri 4:00 pm–8:00 pm

  • Phone number

    (505) 898-6280

  • Website

    http://www.varawines.com/

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress code

    Casual Dress

  • Private party facilities

    We are not accepting private events at this time.

  • Location

    315 Alameda Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87113

  • Neighborhood

    Albuquerque

  • Cross street

    Located on the north corner of Alameda Park Dr NE & Alameda Blvd NE

  • Parking details

    Private Lot

  • Additional

    Beer, Cocktails, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Guided Wine Tasting

    $30.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Experience an in-depth guided wine presentation with Vara's Wine Educator. Explore six different wines in a communal setting, including wines that aren't usually offered by the glass. Great for groups and individuals alike. Classes are offered Monday - Friday at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. $30 per person with small snack plate included. Reservations recommended. Please note: dining is not available during this time.

Popular dishes

What 258 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • New Mexico

    Notable Wine List

  • Albuquerque

    Best Overall

  • Albuquerque

    Best Food

  • Albuquerque

    Best Service

  • Albuquerque

    Best Ambiance

  • Albuquerque

    Best Value

  • Albuquerque

    Fit for Foodies

  • Albuquerque

    Notable Wine List

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Filters

  1. LP

    LisaP

    New Mexico

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Sat outside for the first time and it was magical. Always excellent service, food and drink. A hidden gem.

  2. J

    Jolinegkg

    New Mexico

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on June 17, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience4

    Jennie Thornton is a wonder. I thought I knew about wines but I didn’t know anything compared with her. And what a delight she is! We had such a great time. Great wine, fun experience and we learned things. What could be better!

  3. HM

    HollyM

    New York Area

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on June 12, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We always love going to Vara in the summer. We brought some friends who had never been and they enjoyed the wine, food and location.

  4. TE

    TERESAS

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 10, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    I love Vara Wines, always a wonderful experience. Staff and venue is relaxing and enjoyable.

  5. F

    Foodie

    New Mexico

    14 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on June 10, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience5

    First time visiting and we had record breaking heat. Seated outside under the trees and shade blockers. Service from Stevie and others was so helpful and thoughtful. It was a treat! Food is all tapas with a twist.

  6. ET

    ElizabethT

    Dallas

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on June 5, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience4

    The Paella was delicious! The view from the outdoor area is very pretty. Service was great. And most of all, the wine was tasty and there were many to choose from! We will definitely be back!

  7. MC

    MaryC

    New Mexico

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 5, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Hannah & Maddie made the experience extra special, they are wonderful!

  8. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New Mexico

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on June 4, 2022

    overall4food5service4ambience4

    This was our first visit — went on a friend’s recommendation. We chose 4 wines for our flight; especially enjoyed the two white wines we chose, and bought a bottle to take home. The food was great. We intend to go again.

  9. RM

    RebaM

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 1, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience4

    Great assortment of wines and spirits! Very unique and tasty!

  10. A

    Anthony

    New Mexico

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on May 28, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Great wine and service

  11. T

    Tierra

    New Mexico

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 28, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Our new favorite date night restaurant. We especially love the paella and wine!

  12. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New Mexico

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 28, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    Good food, not tons of selections but appropriate. I get it …it’s tapas, but portions still somewhat small on some items . Wine and cocktails good. A bit noisy inside , but cute. Was too windy to sit outside. Service good. Will return again ….

  13. BS

    BarbS

    New Mexico

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 21, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Always wonderful food and service. The Paella is the bomb!

  14. J

    Janban

    New Mexico

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on May 20, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We’ve been to Vara before and we keep coming back because both the food and wines are excellent. Our server had a tiny error, corrected immediately and comped our dessert.

  15. C

    Chief

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 19, 2022

    overall3food4service3ambience2

    Some tapas are excellent; issue with timing of food orders. Sat inside due to wind and the flies were annoying!

  16. SC

    SwimChick

    Jacksonville

    15 reviews

    3.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on May 13, 2022

    overall3food3service3ambience4

    Outdoor patio was nice; good view of Sandia’s. Wine was good; not the best in NM, by a long shot. Wines are simple, not complex, single note. Meatballs were moist, empanadas crispy, potatoes had nice heat, crustiny was underwhelming. Value was lacking. Service was OK.

  17. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 7, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Great atmosphere, drinks and food! Staff very knowledgeable about their menu.

  18. LP

    LisaP

    New Mexico

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 7, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience2

    Really enjoyed the paella and wine recommendation. Service was great.

  19. LB

    LoisB

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 6, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience5

    We had the paella, the dates, the bruschetta, and the Brussel Sprouts as well as wine flights #1 and #2 split between 4 people. The food and wine were very good as well as our waiter who advised us like a pro. Doesn’t look like much from the road when driving by but it packs a lot of good positive vibes into a small area.

  20. KT

    KarelT

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 6, 2022

    overall5food3service5ambience5

    We were there for a wine tasting. We only had snacks to go along with the wine. We want to return for a meal sometimes soon. We really enjoyed the wine tasting and bought several bottles of sine to prove it!

  21. YT

    YanceyTaos

    New Mexico

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 5, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Again ! Great wine , service and wonderful food thanks

  22. A

    Anthony

    New Mexico

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on April 30, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Great Service

  23. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New Mexico

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 29, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Wine tasting experience was exceptional! She was extremely knowledgeable and was super fun!

  24. BW

    BillW

    New Mexico

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 29, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We had a wonderful evening. Wine and food were fabulous.

  25. j

    jeffs

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 26, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    Great experience wine tasting at Vara. We tasted six wines and were surprised to enjoy them all (unusual for us). Sean was a great host and made for a very relaxing and informative time. Vara has so many things going for it, expert wine makers, designers, and big big plans to be a force in the Southwest. We recommend visiting or if you can't, at least order some of their wine on line.

  26. a

    aefoodie

    Denver

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on April 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    Great in-house wine and spirits, cocktails, and Spanish food. Best service I've experienced in NM.

  27. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 23, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Lovely venue, great food and Wine

  28. MC

    MichaelC

    New Mexico

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Staff was great and knowledable. Good food!!

  29. AR

    AmandaR

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 22, 2022

    overall5food3service5ambience5

    Sangria is so good! Staff was great and accomidating

  30. CM

    CaraM

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 19, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    The wine tasting was amazing. Shawn was a great teacher and we learned quite a bit.

  31. V

    Vivi

    New Mexico

    12 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on April 10, 2022

    overall4food5service4ambience4

    We had a great time. The brussel sprouts were great! Good wine choices. We enjoyed the flights.

  32. RB

    RobertB

    New Mexico

    11 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on April 3, 2022

    overall4food5service5ambience5

    We enjoy the unique dining experience provided by Vara.

  33. s

    stevenl

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 30, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We went to a wine tasting at Vara as a birthday celebration, and it couldn’t have been any better! The staff was great, and so were the wines.

  34. ET

    EliseT

    New Mexico

    11 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on March 25, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We had such a wonderful experience here. Perfect for a date night. Lovely atmosphere. Great service, food and drink are excellent.

  35. d

    debbied

    Western NC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 25, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Very enjoyable; food was excellent!

  36. YT

    YanceyTaos

    New Mexico

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on March 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Staff are all very attentive and polite. Great atmosphere and awesome wine selection. Also many spirits and mixed drink selections.

  37. c

    christylou

    New Mexico

    34 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    34 reviews

    Dined on March 19, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We are so glad we discovered this hidden gem! Their wines are made from Spanish and California grapes, so they are a cut above New Mexican wines which tend to have a bitter aftertaste. Staff is enthusiastic and fun as well as knowledgable. Tasting plates are all delectable!

  38. C

    Colorado

    New Mexico

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on March 18, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Jenny was great. Her knowledge and experience in the wine industry is fantastic! Highly recommend.

  39. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New Mexico

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on March 12, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We had the meat & cheese board as well as the dates. It was all excellent. Had a wine flight and particularly liked the Tempranillo

  40. VJ

    VeronicaJ

    New Mexico

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 12, 2022

    overall3food2service3ambience3

    Wasn't happy with food had to send back it was cold meatballs and bread. they said they made a new one for us. When brought back I lied and said it was good. Still cold.

Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers

  • Physical distancing

    • Distancing maintained in common areas
    • Extra space between tables

  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
    • Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

Vara Winery & Distillery offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (505) 898-6280.

Vara Winery & Distillery is rated 4.7 stars by 258 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
June 2022
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
7:00 PM
Booked 4 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Vara Winery & Distillery

315 Alameda Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87113

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street

    Located on the north corner of Alameda Park Dr NE & Alameda Blvd NE

  • Neighborhood

    Albuquerque

  • Hours of operation

    Sat 12:00 pm–8:00 pm Dinner Wed–Fri 4:00 pm–8:00 pm

  • Cuisines

    Winery, Tapas / Small Plates, Distillery

  • Dining style

    Casual Dining

  • Dress code

    Casual Dress

  • Parking details

    Private Lot

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Additional

    Beer, Cocktails, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

  • Website

    http://www.varawines.com/

  • Phone number

    (505) 898-6280

  • Private party facilities

    We are not accepting private events at this time.

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