Stem Wine Bar

Just one of the coolest local wine bars around. The Bartender Marissa Dodd made the evening a delight for us at the bar… She’s very informative… and we had appetizers that were beautiful in presentation and marvelous to eat.
Marissa knows the bar business and we will certainly make it our late night destination.
Adrienne Leeds

Couldn’t get enough of their wine and food! Try the short ribs. You will die. We had everything from a $ 160 bottle of wine to French fries. No hit or miss here cuz everything is a hit!

I’ve been to Seed 2 times and never noticed this awesome Wine Bar right off to the right of the dining room. The bar is in the shape of a U and there are tables at the end of the bar near the kitchen. The bar has an old school feel and relaxed vibe. They offer a full menu but, we just ordered bread and oil because we had previously eaten at Seed. The menu did have a variety of food options and there werr a few people eating around us so, you could definitely come here for dinner. I had a glass of champagne! I plan to come back and try the food and of course wine!

This place is awesome. The food is delicious… best and most inventive deviled eggs ever… But really all the appetizers we tried were great! The staff is helpful and super friendly. A great date night place. However it is small and fills up quickly.

The Seed Kitchen & Bar has sprouted and the Stem Wine Bar has grown from it next door. Wait, I had something for this… what’s next the Flower… uhm… Flour Dessert Room? Ok, I tried.
Wow, what a cool place! On a Friday night, there were only two bartenders (who were also our waiters) and one bar-​back/​busser operating the whole front-​of-​house. Despite having at least 20 customers in house, they handled the whole operation smoothly. Very impressive.
They offered a decent selection of wines both by the bottle and by the glass (including premium wines by the glass using an Enomatic wine preserving and dispensing system). I noticed a few more Spanish wines than I usually find in restaurants, which is a huge plus for me because I tend to favor them. In fact, I detected a Spanish influence across their food menu as well — such as marinated olives, Marcona almonds, Padron Peppers, Spanish Octopus «a la plancha», chorizo stuffed medjool dates, lamb meatballs, and Gulf Shrimp al Ajillo.
The wife and I enjoyed two different Spanish wines — a 2004 Ontañón Rioja Riserva and 2013 La Cartuja from the Priorat. Excellent and affordable ($ 14 and $ 13, respectively).
For food, we split Arancinis (fried risotto balls) stuffed with smoked mozzarella and placed over green garlic aioli. Very tasty. I loved the garlic aioli which certainly elevated the dish.
We also ordered the Chorizo-​stuffed Medjool Dates. Bacon-​Wrapped Dates (BWD’s), are among my favorite foods. Truly. Usually, I’ve had them stuffed with goat cheese. Here, they are stuffed with chorizo. Excellent. The smoky bacon, sweet medjool dates, and savory complex chorizo made for just about the perfect bite. That said, the ciabatta bread and smoked tomato sauce that was provided with the dates didn’t really make sense to either of us. We weren’t sure what we were supposed to do with it — Use it to mop up tomato sauce? — Make a sandwich? Dunno.
We couldn’t resist, had to try the Stem Burger. We split it. When you hear descriptors like «red wine braised short rib, pork belly, Comte, and tomato onion jam» in reference to a burger, how can you say no? You just can’t. I challenge you to try. Definitely a unique and enjoyable burger — though about as far from traditional as one can get.
Finally, we had dessert — Sticky Toffee Medjool Date Cake. Insanely good. Warm gooey cake. Cold toffee almond ice cream. Sweet (but not overly so). This will make the list of best desserts I’ve had in Metro-​ATL.
It was an excellent dining experience overall. I wish East Cobb wasn’t so far away from where I live.

Probably the best place to eat and go out in East cobb. Love this place. Everyone we have ever taken, even our foodies from NYC, loved it. Can’t say more about this place.

This place is awesome. Very inviting atmosphere. Top of the line appetizers and very informative bartenders.

Hear this my foodie friends: Stem= date night done right! Love the low key vibe here and oh WOW on the raw shaved Brussels sprouts salad. I could eat it by the trough! Thanks Deion for recommending an awesome bottle of red to savor with dinner.

What an amazing place. Went there with my ladies group and we loved everything about it. From the service to the ambiance. All A plus. The food was delicious and the wines were awesome. Fun that you can three three different ones that equal one glass. They come served on a placemat that explains each one. Couldn’t have asked for better service.
We all can’t wait to come back and try different things. Thank you Stem Wine Bar for a great night.

What a great wine and tapas bar! I love that they let you do half glasses of any wine, so it’s easier to sample. Our sommelier was very nice and knowledgeable. We tried five different wines and all were unique varietals. Perfect spot for a pre– or post-​movie date!

Nice small comfortable neighbourhood wine bar.
The staff was fun when engaging our group but personally going too long between check ins.
Had a nice Sauvignon Blanc wine flight, a good selection of wines, also watched the knock out some great looking cocktails.
The food is good just not great. Got the cheeseboard, padron peppers (can’t go wrong on this dish), thrice cooked fries (nothing extraordinary), farro salad (fresh tasting) and arancini (lil bland).
If I had a place like this walking/​short distance from my house that would be a win, but not somewhere to seek out from great distance.

Dark, dim.
Lovely ambiance.
Excellent service.
Fun menu.
This day’s large charcuterie and meat plate includes FOUR different types of cheeses (mix of soft and hard. See menu board) and FOUR different salami. Who knew there were so many different salami?! I love it all. Also tried the succulent shrimp, no extra sauce needed. Bacon wrapped dates are good. However, I’ll save the calories for something different next time. All this in addition to bread and quality olive oil was adequate too fill up two!
Definitely recommend going with friends to sit at their table. A bff to sit at their high tops. Or a significant other to cozy up at the bar.
Will definitely return to try more items and give this place a FIVE star!
Space is limited. Apparently they take reservations but when I arrived, it was self-​seating.
Plenty of parking up front as the lot is shared with other businesses, including sister restaurant, Seed!

The best feeling is to write a five star review.
We actually came in to dine at «seeds» next door which was full and the stuff recommended the bar next door — under the same chef and owner
I started with scallops and my spouse ordered calamari which were both amazingly good and we have chosen the Pork-​burger which was a delight
service was excellent — recommended wine was great
ambiance around was very friendly and guests which never new the others start talking to each other over the bar making friends
Relay a diamond of a place
cannot wait to be back!

Cute little wine bar in East Cobb. I was in Napa for a while and it’s nice to see more wine bars outside of just downtown Atlanta! The wine selection is very nice. They do have tastings available, but the downside is they are tasting of the same grape varietal. So you can get a Chardonnay tasting of 3 different types of Chardonnay, but not a mixed tasting starting with white and moving into reds. The food is good. The charcuterie and cheese plate is wonderful but the tapas can be hit or miss. Last time I got the Carbonara and the noodles were quite undercooked, so that was disappointing. Just be aware that this place is on the pricier side for both wine and the amount of food you get. Not the best bang for your buck. The service is great though! Very nice and engaging pourers. They will try their best to make sure you get a wine you like!

I’m picky about swanky bars. I waited 3 visits to write this…
I love wine. And if you love wine like me, you want to talk to someone that knows just enough to make you ponder, «the grapes get their flavor from an adjacent pasture known for organic crop rotation in a region notorious for acidic soil and challenging climate?» Ok. Got it. You win and my wine is good and that makes you good in my book.
Really, I’m just in love with liquor. All kinds. Classic mixology intrigues me the way perfect pancakes do. You see, pancakes, to be perfect, only require a few basic ingredients (and no, I’m not a «just add water» type of guy.). But they are soooo easy to screw up. It’s the same with a good cocktail. The secret ingredient in both is care and attention. Stem gives you that. The three different bartenders I’ve tested with the classic Vieux Carre have each nailed it with such consistency I could have sworn it was really just all one night in sequence. But it wasn’t — it was three separate times. I now love you for cocktails.
The food menu is limited but appropriate for such a place. It is narrowed only to amuse bouche-​like delicacies such as oysters and charcuterie. All good.
The atmosphere is casual and not pretentious, but feel free to have a dressed up night here, because they will treat you like you are so you might as well. An old school throw back to days when good bars were great — and it’s next to Seed. Need I say more?

This place was FANTASTIC! Love it, so excited about it, and can’t wait to come here again! My husband and I went with 2 friends early on a Friday (and man, the place filled up FAST!), and we had so much good wine and good food! Small plates, and we tried a lot of everything. Scallops, steak, mushrooms, oysters, charcuterie — all fantastic! We literally tried EVERY dessert on the menu (yes, all 4 of them) and they were all delish! Our server (wish I could remember his name) was a lot of fun, teeming with knowledge, and made wonderful recommendations, and nailed a truly amazing Riesling pairing with the flan dessert.
Now let’s talk wine. Oh, let’s! I did the Pinot Noir flight, which was a sizeable pour in each of 3 glasses, each with subtle differences. A fun way to try some new brands and/​or wines and not get too much of anything, yet still enough to feel satisfied. Then I switched to a cab that was AMAZING. I didn’t even know cab could be like that. Smoky, seriously spicy, and not at all the fruity, tannin-​y (is that a word?) cab I’m used to. Just amazing!
It’s a small place, but the atmosphere is great, the wait staff works it, and the large u-​shaped bar is a cozy way to sit and enjoy a lot of great things (a few small tables exist too, but the space is limited). Loved this, can’t wait to go back, and I know I definitely will! So much fun and delicious beyond words!

«Let me show you how this is done. First thing, hold the glass up and examine the wine against the light. You’re looking for color and clarity. Just, get a sense of it. OK? Uhh, thick? Thin? Watery? Syrupy? OK? Alright. Now, tip it. What you’re doing here is checking for color density as it thins out towards the rim. Uhh, that’s gonna tell you how old it is, among other things. It’s usually more important with reds. OK? Now, stick your nose in it. Don’t be shy, really get your nose in there. Mmm… a little citrus… maybe some strawberry…» — Sideways (2004)
I think I might hit the character limit of this review by just listing all the dishes we ordered — it was that kind of evening. The perfect spot for a ladies night, or even a date night. What a gorgeous spot! Not even the least bit pretentious, Stem offers the same kind of upscale refinery yet laid back environment of its counterpart Seed (a personal favorite) next door. We were welcomed and treated like family when we walked in the door and immediate accommodated when we explained there would be 6 of us. Quickly two tables were put together and our server, David came to explain the menus to us.
Almost immediately, we orders half of the food menu and David managed to keep it all in his head like some kind of savant (not a single item was missed) and he was quick to make sure my tree nut allergy was handled and well communicated to the head chef. Next up — drinks. I selected the flight of Spanish reds (as I am typically a fan) and I was not disappointed. Very soon, our food was delivered in a symphony of plates of gorgeous colors and smells.
I could not begin to tell you the order of what came to the table — all I can do is list them out.
–Warm duck confit salad — frisee with plump grapes, toasty pine nuts (a seed by the way) and more duck that should be legal anywhere.
–Patatas Bravas — Turned potatoes (its a French thing) topped with a pepper sauce and some salt and past that I really cannot describe — you just have to eat them.
–Salumi and cheese plate — 4 of each. All you need to know is duck proscuitto
–Proscuitto di Georgia — half order — who knew that we grew pigs in the GA that grew up to be yummy cured prozute?
–French onion fondue — basically if you turned french onion soup into a super bown party dip turned up 100 notches — #forthewin
–Georgia shrimp al aljillo — I think this is what its official name was. Think Shrimp Scampi served bubbling (no joke) with a bit of pepper and better than any scampi you have had in your life… oh and they will keep bringing you baguette until you have sopped up all the garlic sauce.
–Chèvre stuffed Piquillo peppers — somehow I never got any of this, but not a big goat cheese fan anyway; but it looked divine.
–Chorizo stuffed Medjool dates — also, wrapped in bacon. ’nuff said
–Dark Chocolate Budino tart — dark chocolate pudding being held together by a delicate pastry. Not mine, but kept stealing bites.
–Salted Caramel Flan — I would have eaten 3 of these if I had the room.
–Valhrona Chocolate truffles with white chocolate fondue — beautifully presented and so rich and decadent.
So overall, I will come back again. I don’t need to eat today, but is that a bad thing really? David deserves a raise — not only did he take excellent care of us, but he helped answer important questions about the mail species — important opinions needed during a ladies night. Well done, David and Stem, well done.

Let me start this review with what I do not like: I ate sooooooo much!
Stem has been much awaited by me and my fellow Seed fan friends, and it lived up to all the expectations and dare I say, exceeded. Ya know what they say about first impressions. Stem had me at Hello. Greeted us. I explained we are first timers and have a party of six, not sure where to stick our group at the small, (gorgeous,) narrow, (intimately lit,) terribly comfortable-​looking bar. They pointed to the one two tables (non-​high tops) in the place and said we could have both. How kind! We had thought it was the chef’s table or saved for someones more special than our ladies night.
For some reason I had it in my head that Stem would offer the same appetizers and snacks as Seed. Happy to know I was wrong. First thing listed? Prosciutto from right here in Marietta, GA. I wanted to find and kiss that farmer. Smokey and cut so thin, it fell into a ribbon pile. Melts on your tongue. Salumi and cheese plate, yes please. 4&4 plus gherkins, jam, nuts and some other goodies. The next order I placed was Patatas Bravas. What the heck is going on there? No idea but it is a single bite of 7 heavens. Garlic butter shrimp sizzling in a small iron bowl, bacon wrapped dates, French onion fondue (wtf, even?! Where. How.?), duck confit salad, more and more. The spread was excellent and well advised by our waiter David.
Extensive wine list but not every kind is offered by the glass. They are in sections: whites, reds, etc. Listed from lightest to heaviest. Unless you know what you’re doing, stick with one of the six completely adequate flights on the smaller menu. It is easier, a good value, and more fun because they give you a paper placemat with three spots for glasses and a nice explanation for each wine you have. I went with the enticing Pinot trio: Sex In Three Glasses. The David Duband, also found on the higher-​end section of the menu, was definitely a favorite.
Dessert was equally as difficult for my group to decide on. Flan, tart, truffles– what’s a girl to do? Answer: get all three with two girlfriends and share! I didn’t try two of them but the double chocolate truffles came with a mini heated fondue pot of melted, bubbling white chocolate (?) It is a good thing yo mama did not come because I would have slapped her! Total indulgence.
I definitely want to visit Stem again, maybe solo to enjoy me (–and-​wine) time. Super five star experience.
Note to self: Try not return to seed tomorrow and next day and next day and next day…

Wow. Loved the Salmos – Paired well with the octopus and the blistered pardon peppers. I am glad I got some veggies in because the bone marrow was Phenomenal. I had the Hollis CSB with the bone marrow. A mazing presentation and amazing flavors. The foie gras was great. A must!
They don’t take reservations. Just walk up to the bar. There are a few side tables.

Where do I begin? Well, how about a nice, crisp Gruner Veltliner? This would go great with the oysters on the half shell… and I will next time. Instead, we had the roasted Marcona almonds and charcuterie.
Then finished with a bottle of one of my favorites; Aprille by Gargiulo. This is a spectacular Sangiovese/​Cabernet Sauvignon blend by one of Napa Valley’s best. I know the retail price and therefore know Stem isn’t overboard on markup.
The ambiance is great. Another grownup bar in the E Cobb corridor. Yep, so worth the drive.