Beer, Wine & Spirits in Wooster

Craig and Laura Decker seem to have a difficult time making up their minds. They also seem to have a knack for turning this indecisiveness into an advantage at every turn. When it came to opening their new business, for example, they briefly wondered whether it should feature a wine shop, a wine bar, or a gourmet bistro. Their solution? All three.

This spirit of inclusivity pervades The Wine Guy Bistro, where the Deckers pair seasonal wine varietals with globally inspired cuisine. Rather than choose between European elegance and New-American pizzazz, they settled on a compromise they describe as “Old World chic.” This label suits a menu that features small plates of housemade meatballs and bruschetta alongside assorted cheeses from around the world. The focus on small plates is in keeping with the Deckers’ have-it-all mentality and gives diners the option to sample several dishes without having to barter with adjacent tables.

Plates piled high with Emerald Isle favorites share real estate on Murphy’s Ale House’s tables with burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and hearty bowls of beer-cheese soup. Irish staples, such as hand-breaded fish and chips and house-made shepherd’s pie, warm up bellies for upcoming bagpiping marathons. Frothy pints of Guinness pour freely into pint glasses or barbecue sauces, which chefs then use to smother baby back ribs and jumbo chicken wings. Pitas and pretzel buns keep slices of corned beef and ham warm on the coldest of nights, and American-style hoagies and burger sliders supplement the cavalcade of Irish fare. The pub’s doors, located just over a mile from Cinemark Valley View, stay open until 2:30 a.m. daily, keeping patrons up past their bedtimes to take part in nightly events and boisterous football chants.