A First Look at Side Saddle, Yet Another Wine Bar Headed to Atlanta
Atlanta is in the midst of a major wine wave. Alongside wine shops that offer regular tastings and hidden private wine clubs, additions like Madeira Park and Fawn Wine and Amaro are pushing the scene forward, while OTP Deep Roots Wine Market, James Beard semi-finalist Marietta Proper, and Midtown’s Larakin offer relaxed and sun-soaked sipping experiences.
“Natural winemakers also tend to care more about how they’re treating the land they’re working and that’s really important to me. That and how the people working in the vineyards and winery are treated.”
And now, with Side Saddle Wine Saloon and Bar joining the mix, Atlanta gets its first dedicated natural wine bar from the team behind coffee shop Finca to Filter. It opens this Saturday on the Boulevard Heights stretch of the BeltLine. The wine bar does not have its liquor license yet and will be BYOB until it does.
The bar’s name, Side Saddle, is inspired by the way women were forced to ride horses “side saddle” or sideways to appear graceful in a skirt, symbolizing the struggle to break free from a system that doesn’t represent women.
“For me, it’s about reclaiming that image and honoring the pioneers in the industry — women, people of color, LGBTQ+ folks — all who’ve made space where there wasn’t space before and are kicking ass,” says Kayla Bellman, founder of Side Saddle and Finca to Filter.
The bar is led by women and non-binary folks, says Bellman. Chef Carla Fears will lead the kitchen, Flemming Love will bring both bar expertise and hospitality as general manager and bar manager, and Jett Kolarik, a wine consultant and educator, will add depth with a story-driven approach to wine.
Small and intimate, but with plenty of outdoor seating, Side Saddle promises a neighborhood bar feel similar to what you might find in Los Angeles, San Francisco, or New York. The cozy interior is warm and stylish. There are black-and-white checkered floors, plush terracotta-colored velvet booths, and wide-open windows that flood the space with natural light. Palm Beach-style pink and green palm frond print chairs add a playful, tropical touch.
The wine list is funky and fun. You’ll see orange wines and pet-nats, unusual whites, reds, and sparklers, highlighting sustainably-produced and low-intervention wines like a Zibibbo from Oregon (this is the first time this ancient Sicilian grape has been planted there). It is an unfiltered orange wine using grapes grown by sustainable and biodynamic growers in the Willamette Valley with orange blossom, stone fruit, and sweet herb notes.
Other fun wines on the menu include a Bocin Servaj from Piedmont, Italy, which is an organically farmed blend of barbera, nebbiolo, and dolcetto. It’s juicy with dark red fruit, this wine is produced by a fifth-generation family and named after local folklore (“wild veal,” AKA a monster living under a tower in town, as told by the family’s grandfather); and a Scheuermann “Vin de Soda” porch pounder from Germany, a biodynamic, sparkling field blend made by a lifelong winemaker for casual sipping. Also expect a crushable list of house drinks like a margarita, ranch water, and Kentucky mule for $12 each, and three zero-proof drinks.
“We focus on natural wines because we care about the environment and sharing wine that isn’t as heavily manipulated,” Kolarik says. “Natural winemakers also tend to care more about how they’re treating the land they’re working and that’s really important to me. That and how the people working in the vineyards and winery are treated.”
For food, chef Fears has created a menu with grazing boards, grass-fed burgers, confit garlic herb wings, a Monte Cristo PB and J, and more. “The menu was created to tell the journey of food, friendship, and spirits,” Fears says.
As supporters of ARC Southeast, Side Saddle will provide free Plan B and free Narcan for whoever needs the life-saving medications (no questions asked), just like at Finca to Filter O4W.
Weekly events include live jazz on the patio every Thursday evening and Women Wine Wednesdays, where bottles produced by women are half off, in addition to monthly Wine 101 tastings, artist markets, and drag shows.
Kolarik adds, “I’m also excited to welcome winemakers to our space for wine parties! I really want to get away from doing standardized winemaker tastings and highlight what makes each of them unique. Like we’ve done a disco block party in the past for Luke Wylde and a Chappell Roan style party with Gabriel of Scenic Valley Farms. Every event will be so curated and meant to be a joyful celebration of the winemaker and their region.”
Side Saddle will kick off with a BYOB soft launch on Saturday, May 3, from 4 to 10 p.m. Hours will change once the bar has obtained its liquor license.
