Popular Heights Wine Bar Signing Lease for Permanent Space on Kavanaugh

The concept — which has been operating under the name Forty-Eight Wine since late 2025 through pop-up events at local venues — is taking over a 1,400-square-foot space at 5813 Kavanaugh Boulevard. The space was previously a boutique retail shop and will be converted into a bar format with counter seating, a short communal table, and an interior that the owners describe as 'wine bar without the pretension.'

What to Expect

The menu will center on natural, low-intervention, and small-producer wines with roughly 30 bottles on the list at any given time, rotating seasonally. Food will be minimal on purpose — a cheese and charcuterie program, a few rotating small plates. The hours model is evening-focused: Wednesday through Sunday, 4 PM to close. No reservations for bar seating; a small table section will take same-day bookings.

Neighborhood Context

Kavanaugh has added several new food and drink options in recent years — the corridor now anchors the Heights' dining identity alongside the cross-streets near the old Pulaski Heights streetcar route. A dedicated wine bar has been absent from the immediate neighborhood. The closest comparable experience has been the bar programs at existing restaurants, which tend toward cocktails first. Forty-Eight would be the first place in the 72205 zip code where wine is the primary offering.