Poco Wine Room

Situated on the ground floor of a still-new condo building on the corner of 15th Avenue East and Pine Street, Poco Wine Roombegs to be discovered. A cozy, two-story wine bar with clean, sophisticated architecture and soft lighting, this spot is the perfect place to catch up with an old friend over a sampling of wines and good food. The bar downstairs gets crowded with well-groomed men just off work, while couples tuck into more intimate seating in the loft space upstairs. Wherever you choose to settle, Poco prides itself on its selection of local wines: The majority of its offerings hail from Washington and Oregon, including several unusual varietals you might not find elsewhere. For those who'd rather taste their way around a wine list rather than committing to a whole bottle, half of Poco's 40-bottle wine list is available by the glass. I enjoyed one of the rare Portuguese wines, an Aveleda Vinho Verde ($6), while my friend sipped a locally grown pinot noir from the lesser-known cellars of ROCO ($11) in Oregon's Willamette Valley. We then shared a generous plate of smoked salmon with rosemary flatbread, rich dill sour cream, and capers ($10), as well as one of Poco's delectable cheese plates ($7–12). You won't find a full meal here, though you could fill your belly with a series of small plates. Happy hour is 4–6 p.m. daily (except Tuesdays, when Poco is closed), with $2 off any glass of wine and $8 off any bottle. ADRIANA GRANT