Graft Wine + Cider Bar

📍 16 Miles 🚘 21 Minutes 🚲 1 Hour 32 Minutes

 

GRAFT Wine + Cider Bar: A Local-First Dining Experience in Watkins Glen

If you’re spending a day exploring Watkins Glen, Seneca Lake, or the surrounding Finger Lakes wine country, GRAFT Wine + Cider Bar is one of those places worth keeping on your dinner list.Located right on Franklin Street in downtown Watkins Glen, GRAFT combines the feel of an intimate wine bar with a genuinely food-focused restaurant. Rather than trying to showcase beverages from everywhere, GRAFT puts its attention close to home, featuring New York State wines, ciders, and craft beer alongside a seasonally changing menu built around local ingredients.

Why Visit GRAFT?

The Finger Lakes has no shortage of wineries, breweries, and restaurants, but GRAFT offers a slightly different way to experience the region.Instead of driving from tasting room to tasting room, you can settle in for the evening and explore a curated selection of New York wines and ciders while pairing them with food designed specifically for that kind of experience.Chef and owner Orlando Rodriguez, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, emphasizes seasonal cooking and sourcing from nearby farms whenever possible. The result is a menu that can change throughout the year rather than remaining locked into the same handful of dishes.That makes GRAFT particularly interesting if you've already spent the day visiting wineries. You can continue exploring Finger Lakes wine while experiencing it in an entirely different context: at the dinner table.

The Food

Don't let the words "wine and cider bar" make you think GRAFT is simply a place for a glass of wine and a cheese board. The kitchen is a major part of the experience. GRAFT describes its food as creative, simple, and seasonal, with dishes intended to share and pair with the beverage program. Depending on the season, the menu can include snacks and small plates alongside salads, sandwiches, seafood, meat dishes, vegetarian options, and desserts. Recent menus have featured dishes such as PEI mussels, local steelhead trout, roasted local chicken, duck breast, local salads, charcuterie, marinated tofu, and warm sourdough bread. Because the menu is seasonal, think of these as examples rather than a checklist of what will necessarily be available during your visit. Our advice: embrace the changing menu. Order a few things that sound interesting, ask about the current wine or cider selections, and build your meal around sharing and trying something new.

The Wine + Cider

This is where GRAFT really fits into a Finger Lakes trip.The beverage program focuses on handcrafted New York State wine, cider, and beer, with selections rotating throughout the year.For visitors who are relatively new to Finger Lakes wine, it's also an opportunity to discover producers you may want to visit later in your trip. And if you've spent the afternoon tasting around Seneca or Keuka Lake, GRAFT gives you the chance to revisit regional wines alongside food rather than in a traditional tasting-room setting.Don't overlook the cider, either. New York has an excellent craft cider scene, and GRAFT's emphasis on both wine and cider makes it a particularly fun stop for a group whose tastes don't all fall into the same category.

Atmosphere

GRAFT is relatively small and intimate, which is part of its appeal.It feels more like a neighborhood wine bar than a large tourist-oriented restaurant—a particularly nice change of pace after a busy day around Watkins Glen.The smaller space also means it can get busy. If GRAFT is high on your list, we recommend checking its current reservation policy or arriving toward the beginning of dinner service rather than assuming you'll be able to walk in at peak dining time.

Pair GRAFT With a Day in Watkins Glen

One of the best things about GRAFT is its location.It's right in downtown Watkins Glen, making it incredibly easy to incorporate into a full day exploring the area.A great itinerary would be:Morning: Hike the gorge at Watkins Glen State Park.Afternoon: Explore wineries along the east side of Seneca Lake or spend some time along the Watkins Glen waterfront.Evening: Head into downtown Watkins Glen for dinner and a glass of Finger Lakes wine at GRAFT.It's an especially good option when you want your day in wine country to continue into dinner without necessarily visiting another winery.

Who Will Love GRAFT?

Wine lovers will appreciate being able to explore additional New York producers without another tasting-room stop.Foodies should put GRAFT on the list because the seasonal kitchen is every bit as important as the beverage program.Couples will appreciate the smaller, intimate atmosphere for a Finger Lakes date night.Small groups can turn dinner into a shared tasting experience by ordering several dishes and trying different wines and ciders.And if your group includes people who aren't particularly interested in wine, the combination of cider, craft beer, and a substantial food menu makes GRAFT an easier compromise than another traditional winery.

Know Before You Go

Graft Wine + Cider BarAddress: 204 N. Franklin Street, Watkins Glen, NY 14891
Phone: (607) 210-4324
Style: Wine bar • Cider bar • Seasonal restaurant
Best for: Dinner, date night, wine lovers, foodies, and small groups
Hours and the menu can change, so we recommend checking directly with GRAFT before making the drive.
GRAFT Wine + Cider Bar official website

From The Hideaway

GRAFT makes an excellent dinner destination during a stay at The Hideaway, especially when you're planning a Watkins Glen or Seneca Lake day.Spend the afternoon hiking Watkins Glen State Park, exploring the waterfalls and gorge, visiting wineries around Seneca Lake, or simply wandering downtown Watkins Glen before finishing the day with dinner at GRAFT.And because The Hideaway sits between the Keuka Lake and Watkins Glen areas, you don't have to choose just one side of the Finger Lakes for your trip. Spend one day discovering the wineries and small towns surrounding Keuka Lake, another exploring Watkins Glen and Seneca Lake, and then retreat back to the quiet of the woods at the end of the night.

Final Thoughts

GRAFT Wine + Cider Bar captures something we love about the Finger Lakes: the connection between the farms, vineyards, cideries, restaurants, and people who make this region special.It's local without feeling forced, elevated without requiring a formal night out, and a great reminder that experiencing Finger Lakes wine country doesn't end when the tasting rooms close.If you're planning a day around Watkins Glen, save room for dinner—GRAFT is absolutely worth adding to the itinerary.