Restaurant Review: Smashing Grapes in Gambrills

Freshly vaccinated and in need of a change of scenery, the Josh Shapiro Team’s own Melissa (agent) and Sarah (transaction coordinator) ventured out to try the new much-hyped Smashing Grapes location at Waugh Chapel Towne Center. 

Though it was tough to choose a wine from the extensive wine menu (with accompanying tablet for detailed information!), Melissa started off with the Trinity Oaks Chardonnay, while Sarah was in a rosé mood, and tried the Argyle Pinot Noir Rosé. We both opted for the Villa Creek Rosé afterwards, but preferred our respective first wines. Due to the large, varied selection, though, we are both willing to conduct some more field research down the line to decide which wines on the list are the best.

For food, we shared the Crispy Calamari, which also came with fresh sliced fresno chilis and fried summer squash. It was light, fresh and flavorful, and the chilis added a nice kick. We also shared the Margharita Flatbread, which boasted fresh mozzarella topped with homemade pesto, and was the perfect size for a shared appetizer.

The star of the visit, however, was the Buffalo Cauliflower. It’s hard to overstate how delicious these were. The seasoning on the cauliflower and breading was perfect, and the accompanying homemade blue cheese dip was fantastic. These are so good, you’ll find yourself wondering if you can just get 3 orders of it and call it a meal!

All in all, this was a lovely outing, with good ambiance, great food options, and a very impressive wine selection. The food was simple but enjoyable, the wines were fantastic, and the service was attentive. We recommend it for a casual night out with friends, particularly for its Happy Hour offerings!