Mars Wine Bar & Kitchen Will Softly Open in June

Mikey Lynch says his new wine bar, Mars Wine Bar & Kitchen, should be softly open for the weekend of June 3.

Lynch says Mars' enormous space, located in the old brick building known as Lyon Court in the Alameda neighborhood, will appear "rustic casual," with lots of reclaimed wood, a 25-foot ceiling, a mezzanine, and a private upstairs banquet room that will seat up to 30.

For the pours, Lynch says half of his inventory will be dedicated to "underrepresented neighborhood wines that you can't find anywhere else," with old world reds and whites—including some "exotic" imports from Lebanon and Croatia—rounding out the menu.

Eventually, 13 of those wines will be poured from a custom-made Cruvinet draft system, but Lynch is still waiting for its construction and assembly to be completed.

His wine menu, he adds, is designed to appeal to both "experts and explorers," in an effort to bridge their shared knowledge gap.

Mars will also dedicate a few taps to Oregon craft beer, and the rest of the bar will be stocked with bottled beer and a handful of carefully selected whiskeys.

On the eats side of things, think pairable "meats, cheeses, breads, and spreads," as well as a few heartier items like pork tenderloin dishes and panini.

Mars Wine Bar & Kitchen: 2393 NE Fremont St.; Hours: noon to midnight every day but Tuesday