Locavino’s grand opening celebration this weekend will feature wine tastings, special draft beers from local breweries and a full menu, according to co-owners Jarrod Jabre and Justin Wallace.
“We have tastings all afternoon and evening both days,” Jabre said.
Wines from Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard and the Loire Valley will be featured on Saturday. Sunday will include tastings of wines from local distributor Artisans and Vines, and wines and new meads from Loew Vineyards in Mt. Airy.
“For the grand opening, we’re opening with our standard menu,” he added. “We want people to see what we’re all about right from the start.
“We’re a wine café. We specifically use that word,” Jabre continued. “We’re laid back. We don’t take ourselves seriously. What we do take seriously is our wine and our food.
“We are focused on supporting the local wine and beer scene, here in Maryland and in the surrounding states [and] the District, and we are committed to focusing our menu on everyday, well made, made-to-order food. We are designed to be a neighborhood bar,” he concluded.
The menu was developed with the assistance of Santos Amaya. Like Jabre and Wallace, he is a veteran of Adega Wine Cellars, which used to occupy the space at 8519 Fenton St. Amaya will oversee Locavino’s kitchen operation as well.
The menu features three different beef burgers (also available with a Beyond Burger patty). The “Frederick County Cabernet” includes a wine-marinated beef patty, local cheddar cheese, lettuce, pickles and a special sauce.
Sandwiches include an Italian panini, steak and cheese, grilled portabella mushroom with bell peppers, red onion, provolone and coleslaw on a baguette, and grilled cheese.
Locavino will also offer flatbreads and salads, appetizers including three types of fries (eggplant, sweet potato or truffled Yukon Gold), sliders and bruschetta. For dessert, customers can choose truffles or caramels from Silver Spring vendors Zivaara Chocolatiers and Velatis, among other items.
Customers also will find four draft beers featured during the grand opening.
“We’re getting some new or unique beers from Denizens, Silver Branch, Astro Lab and Seven Locks in Rockville,” Jabre said.
For the grand opening, Locavino will be open Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m. and Jabre said they expect to be open on Sunday from 11 a.m. past the normal 9 p.m. closing.
Following the opening, operating hours will be on Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-11 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Photo of co-owners Justin Wallace (left) and Jarrod Jabre by Fredde Lieberman.