Reviews of Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room & Osteria (Winery)

Marsha Larson

We came into Cottonwood to find a place for dinner and were pleasantly surprised to find Merkin Vineyards. Their waitstaff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The pasta dishes were amazing! Highly recommend it if you are in Cottonwood!

Yvonne Robertson

Cozy place in the heart of old town, great food, and even better wine!!!! The service was phenomenal, and very friendly, we will be back

Sheila Franzen

The food is very, very good! Homemade pasta, fresh salad, good wine! Very good place to eat and taste wine in quaint downtown Cottonwood!

Chris Bauer

great wine, a lil pricey but worth it. AZ is def making a name for itself for its wineries in the Camp Verde, Elgin and Wilcox areas.

toni lapp

Great service, excellent food and wine. Gnocchi was best we have ever had! Great anniversary dinner.

Beth Poole Kercher

Spent 2 weeks in Cottonwood for work and ate at the Merkin twice. Both times the food, wine and service was amazing. Definitely a must when traveling through! I had the Mac and cheese one night and the pesto one the other night. Both were wonderful!

Shawn Burke

Currently traveling the country, and randomly ended up staying in the area for a few days. Finding fresh, quality meals can sometimes be a challenge, especially in smaller towns. I saw the name of this place, and instantly thought who would ever name a restaurant that?! That answer wasn’t hard to figure out, and I could see why someone would pour development into this area. It’s a wonderful little gem. Our meals were excellent, and they were priced very reasonably. Lovely atmosphere, and spotless throughout the restaurant.

Christina W Herenow

Beyond delicious!! I didn't take pics because I devoured my meal like a chupacabra! (The wine I had was the red 'Chupacabra'. It's been one of the most delicious wines I've had in my life!!! If I'd had more cash, I would've walked out with a few bottles.) We had the three different breads with three different dips. The foccacia was my fave. It had the best olive oil flavor. Fresh and yummy. Then there was apricot marmalade, hummus and rosemary-wine butter. All of which were excellent. Then the gnocchi!! Also, best gnocchi ever! Fresh fresh fresh! With a creamy sauce, basil and nice huge slices of romano on top. Not a light lunch but I'd do it again, one hundred times. Great job and thanks, MJK!

Delois Gowin

Try the French press coffee with one their bruchetta..... Wonderful!

ricafischer

Loved getting the diddle!

Brandon Rutledge

If you're looking for home made pasta and a locally sourced taste of Arizona then look no further. The food, wine, atmosphere and staff were amazing!! We also brought our two year old son and the staff was very accommodating. We liked the wine so much we bought a case. The manager also worked with us to have it shipped to our home in Illinois.

Volker Kossmann

Great wine, good food, nice service and cool people. Highly recommended!

Diana Germain

the food was divine! you must eat here..the homemade pasra and the bruschetta delush...wines were a nice accompaniment. The service was excellent. the amviance perfect

Joe M

Never disappointed here. The food is always exceptional and the wines are always great. I never visit Old Town Cottonwood without popping in for my gnocchi and a flight of the latest wines. Yum!

James Foulks

Fabulous eatery in the heart of downtown Cottonwood. The locally sourced fare highlights vegetables, meats and wine from Central and southern Arizona. The pasta's are first rate and fresh, with bright and cheerful service. While the Merkin label wines are always great, they also host some of the collaborative wines through Four Eight Wineworks are a treat. I make a point of visiting here for lunch and dinner when I'm in the area.

Jessica Burdick

Decided to do a day trip to Cottonwood and Jerome to taste some wines and this was our first stop. Freshly made pasta not frozen, YUM! The wine was delicious and the bartender was very knowledgeable and she had a great personality! Would definitely recommend and will be returning in the future!

Alex Telidis

Great food, better wine, and Danielle was fantastic! Really knowledgeable about all the wine. Nice atmosphere.

Cyan Garamonde

They give you a great experience. Highy recommend.

Dave Scott

I had some really good Red Wine and some Mac & Cheese.

Valerie Paxton

It was our first visit to Osteria and it couldn't have been more perfect. It's a beautiful space on Main St in Old Town Cottonwood. The Merkin and Caduceus wines, 4-course dinner and service was fantastic. Favorite pairings were wild foraged mushrooms/pinot grigio/viognier, sea scallops & crab ravioli/sangiovese, osso buco/barbera and olive oil cake with fresh berries and creme chantilly/Helio Dolce. Chef 'Smithers' is a genius, and Shawna the pasta whisperer is as talented as she is fun. It was a special dinner and we were truly spoiled by Maynard and his staff. Can't wait to come back. Great job, everyone!!

Jessica Twitchell

Service was great and the food was amazing. My 10 year old kids also loved the food.

Kate Arvidson

Cool atmosphere and great service (Carmen was wonderful), but while the food was pretty good, it left a little to be desired, especially for the price. The bread basket was fantastic and the desserts and wine were rather good, but our main dishes were just okay. My husband and I had the tagliolini with wild boar ragu and both came out lukewarm and my husband's wasn't even tossed in the ragu entirely. My mother-in-law had the cacio e pepe and while I know "pepper" is in the name, it was overpowering (though that pasta was perfect). Everyone we've met raved about this place, so perhaps my expectations were too high, but not sure we'd go back.

Michael Brink

Wine was great, food was even better. Got the bruschetta, loved it. This was my favorite of the tasting rooms in cottonwood.

Stacey Munger

Great service! Appreciate local business! AWESOME food!

Randy Knights

Chef Chris is definitely in his element, with fresh pasta, amazing salads and plenty of drinks to get the friends lit for a walk around old town. I recommend the pesto pasta, light and tasty, with a basket of bread. No soda though, so it's tea, water or wine. After all, it IS a winery, and owned by the lead singer of Tool, there's always a great variety of music to compliment the beautiful décor!

Chrissy Fintel

Stopped in to buy a couple of bottles of wine and ended up buying 6! The 2 guys working were so knowledgeable and helpful! We tried at least 10 different wines. Wonderful experience!!

John Tomko

Cottonwood is starting to turn into a bit of a destination, and this should definitely be a stop you make if you find yourself in town. Whether you're familiar with the owner or not, his wines are fantastic, and the whole experience is well worth your time. The background music happens to be good, too...

Jessica Galvez

Incredibly frustrating when you explain to your customers that there aren't any reservations available and that it's an hour wait, when we asked ahead of time if we should accommodate earlier for seating. When we come in two hours before dinner and explain that this is where we would like to have dinner and they say, no worries, there will be plenty of space for you guys. There's lots of options as far as dinner goes but we really had our hearts set on this place and the hostess was incredibly inconsiderate and rude about there not being availability. I've been to this location multiple times and when the bar is closed, and multiple tables in the restaurant are available but you aren't willing to seat us, it's incredibly frustrating. Farm to table it great, but not worth the lacking customer service.

Daniel Ramos

Great service and great food

Casey Olsen

Out of all the places we went to on our adventures in these wonderful towns, this place was the best! The staff treated us like we were family. The welcome feeling and the knowledge that flowed from these people was spectacular! The wine here was our favorite out of all the places that we did tastings. We had a hard time choosing which bottles to buy to take home for our cellar because all of them were so wonderful. The food was absolutely amazing! You have to try the mac and cheese, it is out of this world! Pair it with some chicken or beef skewers to give it that extra tasty kick! The wine, the food, the friends we made here and the setting, it will always have a special place in our hearts. We can't wait for our next visit. Merkin nailed it on the head for our whole Arizona wine adventure.

Max Anono

Great food, great service and always GREAT MUSIC!

Stephanie Adib

We loved our dinner! Great wine, great food, and great service from Laney! Definitely will be back.

Troy Stiefer

I came from Oregon just to buy wine and taste the food here. Let me tell you it did not disappoint. Excellent staff, great fresh food, and nice wines to top it off. It was a treat to watch the staff make homeade pasta right after our dishes were prepared. A must visit!

Karen Niemczyk

I've been to Merkin in Cottonwood 3 times and have always had a great experience. The wine is amazing. The food, have not had a bad meal. And the folks that served us, super friendly. Will go back, again and again!

Daniel McClure

Everything about this place is fantastic. The service was incredible, great chats with our server and the manager. The wine was great. The food was great! My wife and I are in the area for 4 nights and are thinking about going back again!

FJ Fraser

I am so happy I went to Cottonwood The fresh made pasta and gnocchi and bread were wonderful. The fresh grilled vegetables were a prefect side dish Daniela gave us just the best service even Make sure to see if she is working!!

Julie Snooke

Best server ever, shout out to Douglas! Excellent decor, ambience ,food and wine.

Kristin Gassick

Lindy is awesome! Kale and Quinoa Salad with pomegranate, dates, and crunchy roasted chicken peas is amazing. Love, love, love!!

Israeli Rothman

Reminded me of the west coast

Bo Mendenhall

Fantastic experience for first timers!

Danielle Stiles

Maynard is the man, great wine maker great singer. Can't wait to come back

Brian Dupre

Awesome wine & Gnocchi.

Kimberly Peaslee

Nice variety is red wines. Very good and knowledgeable servers.

Luke Clayton

Just amazing. I’m not even a wine guy and this was amazing. Wine was excellent. Food was excellent. Staff was excellent. Atmosphere excellent. EXCELLENT.

Jessica Broadway

I did a red wine flight here, and the wines were great! Prompt and courteous staff members too.

Zoe Hawkins

Excellent find in downtown Cottonwood. A bit of a hipster vibe, with quirky but authentic aesthetic. We had some great wine as well as delicious, hand-rolled pasta, along with a bread basket with a herbed butter. Nice atmosphere. A little on the expensive end of the spectrum, but worthwhile.

Lauren Manguso

What a fun and relaxed environment to go to. The wine is really excellent- over 9 different varieties to choose from. They have all types including white, Rose and Red. My personal favorite is the Tarzan and Chupacabra red- very bold flavors. The food is really high quality and locally sourced. The menu is rather limited (salad and pasta only) but the quality of the food makes up for the limitations. Every dish that I tried paired really well and acted more as a compliment to the wine- very clever seeing as that is the main focal point of the experience. I would highly recommend the mac and cheese option here, it seems very basic but it is out of this world! The staff is really friendly and everyone is hands on. All the staff members played a hand in taking orders, cleaning tables and attending to your needs. Really excellent service! The restaurant was clean, casual and visually very appealing.It was a really fun experience!

Cody Boers

Came here for the wine, fell in love with the pasta. The pastas are made in house. All of the ingredients are local or from Arizona. First the wine, the Chupacabra red is fantastic. They have something for all wine lovers I am just partial to reds. We got the Merkin Mac & Cheese and the gnocchi. Both were delicious. The Mac & Cheese is not your normal Mac & Cheese. Interesting twist with so much flavor.

Ken Zoll

Well here we are again since the initial review. This proves that we come here 2 or 3 times a month. Excellent pasta and salads. Very comfortable place. We usually get a bottle of Chupacabra.

Sean McAfee

Being a local I try and stay away from "tourist traps" this is most defiantly not one of those spots, Wonderful food, environment and service. Jarred, my bar server, was extremely knowledgeable in pairing the perfect wine for my pasta. And I dont drink wine so that should say something we be returning soon

oscar guerin

Wonderful experience. Great food and wine located close to everything in old town cottonwood.

Michele Allen

Very pretty tasting room located in downtown. The food smelled amazing but I was to full to try it. The wine was good and comes in 3 different types of flights, which I was not a huge fan of since I am not that into whites. I would have rather picked out my own. They have a good red that I enjoyed but the whites were lacking in lasting flavor.

Tawny Luna

Fresh food is always the best!!!

Alizaire Lewis

Delicious food. Pretty sure it's all farm to table. I don't think I've ever had better pasta, and the staff is really knowledgeable about the wines. My group ended up trying all the desserts, the lemon poppyseed panacotta was my favorite, but closely followed by the more savory prickly pear panacotta.

Heather Hinkelmann

Service and food were exceptional. Jeff was great, and very knowledgeable. I had the Gnocchi, Chocolate Torte, and Chupacabra Rosa.

Will Hemp

At an establishment with such credential and celebrity, you expect exceptional. But, when you show up Christmas eve with two kids (one grumpy) and are treated with such warmth, care and love. It creates a space that will live forever in my heart. Thank you.

Richard Campanella

Great pasta and great appetizers

Kaylei Behunin

The pasta was absolutely amazing! The chef did an absolute job! Service was fast and friendly and the atmosphere makes for a great evening. I would definitely recommend!

Raphael Tisch

Fresh everything. Farm to table, vine to glass, this place serves up tasty, seasonally inspired dishes that do not disappoint. The wines are a story until themselves, hand crafted by the master himself, MJ Keenan. If you're in the neighborhood, stop in and enjoy!

Azhar Khan

Was finally able to get some MJK wine in my life, was only able to spend 15 min as I was on the way to the Grand Canyon from a music festival but the bartender/sommelier at Merkin Vineyards was very knowledgable and welcoming. They have a great staff of people working there. I can tell by the pride they take in their work. Super excited to gift these wines and come back and spend an afternoon chatting and trying as much food as I can handle.

Danielle Shanahan

The pasta is the best pasta I've had in a long long time. The make their bread and pasta daily. Even better is that they make the sauce when you order it. It may take a while for the food to come out, but the wait is well worth it!

Scott Law

Fantastic wines, incredible menu at Ostsria. Great for lunch or dinner.

Lisa McMann

Loved the amazing pasta. Delicious wine and grsat waitress

Kristi Unfried

My husband ordered some of the chupacabra red gave me two bottles for a birthday present. I've been saving for a special occasion. Had my first bottle tonight. It was so good! At first it tasted like a blackberry taste, but the after taste had a buttery taste to it. Next time I know to have some fresh baked French bread with it. So happy with the results!

Karen Domschke

Great wine, lunch and service by Luis. Then we discovered we had a dead battery when we left. Jeff (Merkin Vineyards server) was great and got the car running so we could get it replaced. Awesome staff!

Sam Wake

Excellent handcrafted meal. The wine is excellent too.

Phoenix Youngcourt

We have frequented the tasting room in Jerome and since my husband loves the man, Maynard, so much we decided to enjoy an early Valentine’s dinner at the Cottonwood restaurant. We looked at the menu online and were excited to go in and try their “daily selections”. Once seated, we found out from our sever that there actually was no specials so that was upsetting. We ordered our pasta with an appetizer and the food came out at the same time? Odd, since we ordered a bottle of wine you would think they would time our meal accordingly. Another odd thing, the restaurant was barely filled and when our pastas came out our server informed us the meat would follow due to the kitchen grill being full? So our sirloin came about 5 minutes later and it seemed to be flash cooked and not very warm. After our food, wine and gratuity we spent about $100 on an incredibly mediocre dinner. Sad to say, but we will not be returning to this establishment.

Donna Lacrooy

We had lunch which was so fresh and tasty. The atmosphere and service were also great. I would highly recommend this restaurant!

Geno M

Atmosphere, food, and wine were all great. We tried the Chupacabra and Tarzan/Jane flights and a little food. It was all so so good. Joey at the bar kept us entertained with great conversation and told us a lot of cool stuff about the winery and Cottonwood itself. Stopping by is a must if you're in cottonwood visiting!

Paul Renken

The gods hath bestowed this divine gift upon us mere mortals. Songs of rejoice and splendor shall be sang in commemoration to this humble temple; for generations to come. But for reals though it felt as if the gods hath exploded in my oral orifice and embraced my vessel with an overwhelming flow of warmth and satisfaction. I love this restaurant and you will too. ❤

Dana Mar

Great little place. Wine tasting and freshly made food.

c m

This place taught me to love wine. The food is so on another level too. Try the cavitelli or the gnocchi all local so fresh. Wonderful friendly staff. One of my fave places on the planet.

Lori Devlin

We stopped in here our first day in Cottonwood and were not disappointed. The vegetables and greens were all so fresh, truly farm to table. I tried my first glass of Verde Valley wine, a rose made from the Spanish grape Monastrell and found it delightfully fresh, bright and flavorful!

Maja Ljubicic

What a gem! The quality of the homemade pasta is right up there with some of the best pastas I’ve enjoyed in Italy and Croatia. My fiancé and I enjoyed our meals so much in fact that we came in for a second round the next day. The mac and cheese takes an original twist with prickly pear infusion and beet pasta; the gnocchi was great and so was the charcuterie board. The wines are delicious (not a wine connoisseur, but a wine lover nonetheless), the Diddler and Shinola Orancia really stood out— I never had white wines that tasted like that.

coolascats

Friendly attentive staff, excellent food and the wine is pretty good too.

Shana Hacker

So disappointed in the service. There was only two other people in there so it wasn’t busy. We couldn’t get our waitresses attention as she was busy flirting with a guy sitting at the bar. The bread was burnt to a crisp and inedible, when we asked for some non burned bread our waitress told us “that’s how it comes”. Half the menu was “out”. My husband ordered chicken with his pasta which she forgot. He was all but done eating by the time he got it and I had to remind her we were waiting for it. For $9 a glass we got 1/4 a glass a wine. Wouldn’t recommend to anyone. The only positive was the girl who sat us was very friendly and kind. The rest have some serious training to do.

Sheila Daniel

Delicious all the way around: appetizers, salad, soup, and sandwiches.

Stuart Schupack

Mussels with squid ink pasta was wonderful. Wines ranged from very good to excellent. Nice service, some might find it slow, but perfect for me. Reasonably priced for the quality.

Krystina Isaac

Left a different restaurant after subpar appetizers and was happy we made it to Merkin! Hand made pasta, the cavatelli was fantastic. The sausage wasn't too spicy, paired nicely with a flight if red wines. Waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable. We will be back!

Teri Potter

Our favorite restaurant in Cottonwood. The food, service and atmosphere is amazing.

root8angel

Exceptional handmade gnocchi and amazing service

Todd Schaefer

Quite possibly, the best macaroni and cheese pasta I've ever had. The red chupacabra wine is top-notch also. Both times I've gone, my guests felt the food and wine were also some of the best they've tasted. When I asked the servers how the food was so good (ridiculously good for the low prices), it turns out Maynard can afford to hire the best chefs. This restaurant towers over its local competitors. Also try the Gnocchi, bruchetta, and veggie platter appetizers. Very nice ambiance too. Good mix of age ranges in servers, and excellent choice of music, reflective of the owner's taste.

Bryley Morrell

Went here for my birthday celebrations on March 21st. We had no idea who owned it. Wonderful surprise as we are huge fans! And what amazing wines. Our beautiful server, Amber, was so knowledgeable and kind. The young blonde host with the bob was so positive. All the staff were helpful and adorable! Sustainable wines is quite the noble quest. After two flights (Tarzan & Jane/Merkin Reds) we had a bottle of the Chupacabra (a spicy and bold red) in the sun on the patio... HEAVEN! The Charcuterie Board was tops, possibly the best! Also had the Italian Sub Special, so fresh, so flavorful! We live in Palm Springs, CA and were driving back from Sedona, AZ. Total fluke that we stopped by, but so worth it and totally recommend making it to Old Town Cottonwood to support and enjoy this GEM of a establishment. #fortysixand2

Alex Charles

All the pasta is hand made, and the bread is bakes in store. If it's your first time, get the gnocchi. It is to die for. The prices are super reasonable, for what you get.

Cyndi Patterson

Great experience. Friendly, fun , very knowledgeable staff. Laid back, beautiful place

Michelle Weston

Excellent wine.

Arborist Standards Tree Care Joshua Favrow

5 Stars to the Pizza Truck!!! At the Verde Valley Home Show today! Great food and service.

Christopher Barrett

Super friendly. Great food. Good wines and reasonable prices. Would visit again!

Monica Linette

Take a day trip up to historic old town Cottonwood and check this place out. I throughly enjoyed my experience at this location over the one in Jerome. This is a bar and restaurant, with seating. Staff are easygoing and knowledgeable about the wines they're serving. I enjoyed the white wine flight, and the prosciutto plate was most excellent.

Matthew Kohen

Huge fan of MJK but I am not a fan of this resturant or vineyard. Starting with the positives: the pasta is fresh, cheese and meats are all impeccable. The criticisms: I dont understand why the menu is in Italian when its not really a Italian resturaunt? Presentation is horrible. No garnishing, no colors, no contrast, no insight to pairing. My entree didn't even look appealing. My spaghetti was just pasta and cheese in a white bowl, like something you would make at home. These wines are very forgettable, comparable to cheap Temecula wines. I started to question Maynard's judgment. Don't get discouraged like I did. Caduceus is a different animal.

Jp Jp

The wife and I had the Merkin Mac Cheese, gnocchi, and tagliolini. You can tell the highest quality ingredients are used along with being local. The pasta for the Merkin Mac Cheese infused prickly pear cactus juice and red wine. This is some of the best pasta dishes we’ve ever had (even better than fancy Italian restaurants in big cities like NYC/LA). The chocolate torte dessert was excellent and paired well with the Shinola.

Conner Barraco

I love the concept! The wine is one of my favs. The fresh pasta is delicious. Wonderful atmosphere!

Bankster Slayer

I've been here several times and I'm a fan of the Shinola red blend. Pasta here is quite special, lots of gluten free options. Slightly pricey but, hey. I keep coming back, so ....

Danuell Edlen-Stiverson

Please visit and tuck away the macaroni. It's life altering. (Not that I'm a fresh pasta expert, but I kinda am) Great staff, surprisingly quality wines, fantastic playlists.... Don't eat here first. Everywhere else will be a bit of a let down.

Quiteria Perreira

A millennial restaurant: new, slightly industrial and full of young millennial workers. Edgy, but very good! Charcuterie including interesting and tasty cheeses - absolutely loved the smoked blue cheese. My husband had gnocchi and beef and I had the seasonal salad. Both delicious! The wine butter was unexpectedly fabulous. We also each had a glass of 30 degree wine- lovely!

Julie Neff

Amazing food, amazing staff. The gnocchi will change your life. Do not pass this place up.

Robert Culpepper

Very nice place to go, clean but industrial. It's almost like a winery owned by some lead singer of Tool or something....

Alia Purchase

Amazing place, great customer service, and lovely atmosphere. Highly recommend for great food and wine

K Dub

Whilst walking the streets of Cottonwood a man in overalls came running towards us.. long pony tail.. towel in hand.. little did we know he was chasing down the woman who just passed to return her credit card.. we carried on checking out the area and ended the evening at Merkinosteria where the man in overalls came to greet us.. Jeff, he was super friendly and helpful.. we ended up getting the gnocchi and trying the 33° wine which was amazing.. everything was so great.. highly recommend.. visiting this area was a humbling experience overall..

Nathan Forkner

Delicious handmade pastas, bread, and desserts!

Collin Clay

The Mac and Cheese and vegetables are my favorite picks. Lots of soul in this food just like everything else they do. I travel to the area once a year in the fall I wish I could sample the seasonal variety.

Isaac M

Excellent tasting environment with food (Gnocchi is AMAZING) and a great atmosphere!

william chelednik

My first time here and would be coming back in the future. The staff were absolutely wonderful, and our server was on point with her knowledge of everything they had to offer. The menu is small, but they're constantly changing and adding things that are grown locally in their own greenhouses, or purchased from other local businesses, so you're getting quality ingredients thats supporting the community. Now I'm not a wine person at all, but after trying a Tarzan and Jane flight of wines, I left with a bottle. Definitely check it out. All in all, a amazing experience with delicious food and wonderful staff.

Traci Kincaid

Great vibe here. Lindy is amazing and makes you feel welcome and is happy to answer any "ridiculous" question you may have. There is a nice mix of wines, and the food is delicious. Definitely try the Pane. It's only $7 and easily provides a great appetizer for 4.

Victoria Whitman

On the way to a recent visit to Sedona, my sister and I stopped to check out the small town of Cottonwood. After a stroll through the shops and boutiques, we decided to lunch at Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room & Osteria. What a gem of a restaurant, bar, and tasting area! The service was friendly, informative, and efficient. The wines were made of grapes with which we were unfamiliar, however, our waiter shared his knowledge and his palate notes with us as we tasted. The pasta is made fresh daily and in the rear of the dining room where you can watch and ask questions. Our meal was delicious. I am a gnocchi afficianado and must say that Merkin served me the lightest, most delicate, and delicious gnocchi I have ever had! What a pleasant surprise. The roast beef sandwich with spicy a jus was a big hit with my sister. Do stop in and experience this foodies delight.

Arie Deller

Awesome place. Loved the fresh and local ingredients, Tool playing in the background, and overall atmosphere. Staff was laid back yet professional. Beautiful place.

Charlie Schulman

Really good arizona wine. We had the red and mixed flights. The diddler and tarzan red were a couple favorites. Didnt have dinner but the food all sounded and looked great as well. Will def come back for dinner on next trip up. Definitely recommend if in cottonwood.

ANISHA ADELLA

Service and ambience is good

Savannah Scheinuck

A little pricey but worth it every time. Quality local ingredients in made to order dishes. Plus the wine is always delicious. Great spot for locals and tourists alike.

Jeremy m

Really nice bar. We did the wine tasting and had a cheese plate. Everything was great.

Joshua Nagato

Absolutely amazing. The food was delicious and affordable. The ingredients are very fresh and almost everything is sourced locally. A warm and inviting atmosphere with great music and a unique look and feel. I highly recommend stopping here if you're in town.

Lauren Fumagalli

Perfect sized portions, they look small at first, but very filling!! Try the gnocchi, and don't miss out on Metal Monday!

Judy Burke

Fresh, fresh food. Deli meat sandwich is excellent! Staff is great

Lori Brennan

farm to table italian food and local wine. everything was amazing! food, wine, service, atmosphere... perfect spot in old town. if you're visiting the tasting rooms in old town cottonwood, which are all great, be sure not to miss merkin. you can also watch the chef making his fantastic pasta in the back.

Jesse Young

Created with passion from establishment-food-wine, this place delivers on all cylinders..you won't regret coming here!

Chaese Strelz

The whole experience was extremely enjoyable. The atmosphere was unique but still casual and approachable. Our server was attentive and not overbearing. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the wines. Most if not all of which are ideal for pairing with food. Lastly, the pasta dishes are on point. Honestly, no bs, it's what I think pasta should taste like. I want more. Overall it's just a fantastic place to have dinner and drink delicious wine. Great job to all involved and I applaud the business owner on another successful endeavor. Keep creating good stuff, Maynard. Cheers.

Cortney Wonder

My wife and I drove specifically from Casa Grande to Cottonwood to visit this winery. We love the funny meaning behind the name. To our pleasant surprise, we loved the food as well. The pesto pasta was the best I have ever had. The meat and cheese platter was awesome. The roast beef sandwich was nice and spicy. They do not shy away with flavor, like most restaurants. The wine was excellent and although we initially had no intention of buying a bottle, we ended up buying two. We look forward to visiting them again and again.

darrell rublee

Not really a tasting room. Just sit at bar, pay $10, get 5 small samples of wine. Offered a glass of water but no crackers and no explanation of wine or history.

Christine Brennan

My new favorite place in Old Town Cottonwood. Beautiful, cool decor, friendly and knowledgeable staff, delicious food and great wines. My first visit was memorable and I can't wait to return! Definitely try this place out!!!

Cristina Dugi

Enjoyed Anniversary dinner tonight with husband and kids. Chef Chris treated us great. Food was superb!

Eric Haizdizzle

My first time here warranted 5 stars, but every time since has solidified the Merkin Osteria as one of the top restaurants in the region. The consistent quality will continue to impress you every visit, and I'm here whenever I'm (regularly) in town. Virtually everything on the menu is hand-made in-house, their wines are from Jerome. Whatever else is proudly sourced from within Arizona. The wines are top notch, with my personal love for the Malvasia grape being shown off exceptionally well. The pasta makes your grandma jealous. And I certainly cannot forget the fantastic employees who are always friendly and helpful. Check it out.

Jared S

Best food in the area, and some of the best in the state. They grow all their own grapes and make all their own wine. They also built greenhouses, gardens, and orchards specifically for their restaurant. The pastas get made from scratch by hand, the sauces get made from scratch when you order them, and the bread gets baked in house too. Arizona flour is used in all of these processes. This place is a permanent favorite.

Arvel Bird

Excellent! The food was perfectly prepared, the veggies were roasted to a golden brown, the waiter was so prepared, fun, knowledgeable and a great sport.

Luke Terry

Great atmosphere, friendly and educated staffed well versed in the art of all things wine. Food is excellent, the Gnocchi with chicken is AMAZING!!! The wine is unforgettable.

Monika Piazza

A great new industrial-vibe addition to the old town cottonwood strip. The wines are great. The food is also great. The charcuterie plate is super tasty and varied. The service is fast and friendly. We always try to stop here when we are in town.

Nicole Sarah

Seriously amazing. You can tell every aspect of the experience here was carefully thought out and well executed. The staff was friendly and our server had a great sense of humor. This would be in my top three dining experiences. The atmosphere was relaxed, approachable and comfortable, particulalry for us as a young couple. We started with a couple of flights which were excellent and well explained. The charcuterie was superb, the apple butter was to die for! The prosciutto has a wonderful smoke to it as well (in my opinion). Was delightfully surprised and enchanted with the wines. You can taste and feel Arizona in them and the pastas were unbelievably fresh, with fabulous portion sizes. This was an excellent dining experience overall and I will have to make the drive again.

Richard Ridenour

The food here is amazing. Paired with some incredible local wines it's worth the drive from Phoenix.

Rodger Johnson

Nice place for Ital. food and wine tasting. Fresh pasta.

Alison Yano

We went to Merkins in downtown cottonwood and were very disappointed. The service was extremely slow and when the food arrived, it was mediocre at best. My husband had the daily special, which had almost no flavor. I had the mac and cheese (my third choice, since they were out of the first two things I tried to order) and it also had almost no flavor - so much for the fresh, farm-to-table flavor they promised. With so many other great restaurants in cottonwood, don’t waste your time and money here.

Ron Peoples

Food and service were excellent

Eric Shrode

I would like to be able to rate this venue higher, however I am unable to do so as WE NEVER GOT TO TASTE THE FOOD OR WINE. We asked to sit at the bar and were given menus. The offerings looked promising and we selected the food and wine we would order. 10 minutes later one of the 3-5 people walking bshind the bar said "someone will be with you in a minute " Well, I guess it was someone's day off as none of the people behind the bar was "someone". They continued to walk back and forth in front of us but not so much as a glass of water. After waiting another 10 minutes we finally just got up and left. The hostes ar the door gave us a puzzeled look and I said "poor service", then corrected myself and said you have to get service to be able to rate it good or poor, so I stand corrected, "no service". We had a nice lunch further down the block. Cannot recommend this establishment.

Joe Filoseta

First visit since the soft opening. Wine is good and small plates choices are made by chef Chris who I have followed for three years. Presentation is good and food is made fresh from quality ingredients. Restaurant buildout is clean and creative retro, especially the lighting over the old bar. Background music was pleasant and service was crisp. I would like to see an improvement in the breads served with some of the small plates. The kitchen is in the back and up an open flight of stairs and is illuminated with fluorescent bulbs that introduce a dissonance with the soft yellow lighting in the dining room below. Keep your back to the kitchen until they shield the bad white lights!

David Sterne

Such a great place. The atmosphere was inviting, and relaxing. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable about the wine and menu. The wine is pretty good stuff, which I've had before from total wine. But what I was most impressed with was the pasta. My friends and I went there for lunch and a wine tasting. I ate the mac and cheese, which was some of the best I've ever had. We liked it so much we went back for dinner, and the place was packed. Even with loaded tables, the staff were still very attentive. They informed me of a dish that was not on the menu that night: a ravioli with an egg in the center and covered in a pesto sauce. It was so good. The place is a little pricey, but I felt it was worth it since the majority of the ingredients are from local Arizona producers. I liked the pasta so much I bought a bag of the prickly pear, wine infused noodles to attempt to make my own mac and cheese.

Michael Walters

The staff was very friendly and nice we got a wine tasting flight and they explained what everything was which is nice cause I'm not a wine guy and the wine was amazing and it was probably the best pasta I ever had.

Robyn Schumacher

As always, wonderful wines and dinner! Most of all, we love our waitress Beth, she is consistently pleasant and knowledgeable.

Elizabeth Wilcox

I thought I'd come for the food, but really what I fell in love with was the pasta. Seriously delightful, and the sirloin was cooked to perfection as well.

LES

My husband and I have been coming up to visit this Gem from Phoenix for the last 2 1/2 years. We LOVE this place! The food is FANTASTIC, the employees are both gracious and kind, and the ambiance is unlike anything else in Phoenix - hence why we drive to Cottonwood just for this experience! Seriously though, you can't go wrong with Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room & Osteria! Our favorite dish is the Gnocchi! Personally, I have had this dish many times and it's always delicious and consistent. I love to pair it with any of the Rosé wines that are in house or the newly released Queen B Hard Cider. The housemade bread and butter is also such a treasure. We love to support local businesses and this joint has never disappointed! MVTR&O - we love you!

Daryl McClain

Food was great! Wine is pretty good.

Sean Markey

Exceptional...best place for miles.

Robert Irwin

Had a red tasting and a bruschetta. Unique and tasty!! Ordered bottles to ship home. Pleasant staff, attractive building.

Mariah Palmer

Loved the food and the wine and staff. Such a cool place!

Jennifer Lane, DPT

Great wines, great food.5-6 pastas, some bruschetta, salads and antipasto. No kids menu, but great food. Handmade fresh pasta with stellar ingredients. We had great service, unlike the tasting room in Jerome earlier today, where they seemed somewhat annoyed we were there. Overall, good experience, would definitely recommend the Osteria in cottonwood.

Olivia N Tucson

We loved this place! The wine is excellent. Service very good - fast and friendly. And the pasta... OMG!!

Vanessa Hemmer

The staff was very knowledgeable and the was tasty and food was amazing; a colorful explosion of flavors!

Candace Mary

There was nothing we didn't love about this place. Service was awesome. Everyone was friendly, even the ones who were not our servers conversed with us. Wine was great, definitely up to expectation of Maynard's wines. Now let's talk about the pasta..... I had the Cavatelli Pesto and I wanted to lick the plate clean. It was SO delicious! Our fantastic server gave us fresh ciabatta out of the oven to scoop up the rest of the pesto from the plate. Had the Casa Verde salad with grilled chicken skewer -- also fantastic. It was perfectly dressed with vinaigrette. All of the food is also farm to table, locally sourced. Can't beat that! They hand make the pasta in house.

tod kayak

Great food and wine. Adult setting and very relaxed.

Sarah C.

Great atmosphere! Very clean and hip. This place may have the best pasta ever. I believe they make it fresh every day and you can definitely tell. My boyfriend actually drives out of his way to eat here because he likes their pasta so much. The pesto is soooo good. The menu doesn't have a large selection, but if you want pasta, this is the place to go.

Alma Bocanegra

The food, the service, the wines and the desserts were amazing. Heavenly!