Downing Bites and Bottles (DBB)

Loved the outside seating and the day was perfect for it. Great service. The charcuterie board was nice and robust for the price.

Must see! Super cool “hole in the wall” place! Beautiful inside and cozy outdoor patio! Beer you can’t find elsewhere, wine list a mile long, gourmet cheeses & meats. We will be back! Loved this place!

Mekdela Tirfe

This place is a must in Rockwall. A MUST. I was hungry, and wanted something flavorful. Got on yelp and saw that they had some good things on the menu and decided to give it a try. What I loved most about this place was how local it was. People were dropping in, and everyone knew each other. We loved it. I highly recommend getting a reservation. We came in and sat at the bar, which wasn’t bad, but just a heads up! Bartender/server Russo - AMAZING! This space isn’t extremely spacious. They do have an outside, but it was really cold. We started off with a wine flight. Such a lovely poor for a flight, and the price was only 18. My man and I actually shared it. Will easily get this every time. For food - you can’t go wrong with anything. I mean anything. We were blown away. We started off with the seared tuna, the sauce was so tasty we dipped our toasted focaccia bread in it. Perfect combination. We couldn’t choose between the two pastas so we got both. The lamb gnocchi and ricotta lemon ravioli 🔥🔥🔥 everything was so perfect. Both great portions, both extremely flavorful. You have to get these. We ended the night with a desert and again, blown away. We got the chocolate mousse and cleaned the bowl. It had little bites of vanilla cake in it, so good. This place is fantastic. We are easily coming back, we need to try the sandwiches!

Dace Lucia Kidd

Fantastic local spot for incredibly delicious food and great wine selection. The New Orleans Shrimp and deviled eggs were fabulous as well as the chicken and dumplings and desserts. I look forward to coming back and trying other things on the menu. Cheers!

Tricia Claiborne

A while back I won a gift certificate for a cheese board and champagne at this adorable romantic restaurant right in the heart of downtown Rockwall. Today was the day I actually got to try it with my guy and let me tell you I was very impressed! The ambience the food the service such a wonderful experience. We went in just before 3 pm on a Saturday and were seated immediately! It was too hot for us today to try out the patio but it looked charming as well. This will definitely go on our list for return in the future! Thank you Denise for the excellent service and for answering all of our questions about the menu. @thedowningbottlesandbites #thedowningbottlesandbites #downtownrockwall #goodfood

Tait Lifto

The Downing Bottles & Bites is a splendid gem nestled into the charming downtown Rockwall town center. The street on one side has been paved over for walking which is great, the eclectic ambiance inside is fun, the wine selection (and other spirits too) are deep and carefully thought out, plus the food is just really interestingly designed and quite delicious! I had a martini which had some oysters involved (made in house) that is voodoo magic but quite delicious and my other guest had a wine flight - a fun flight serviced in a tree. We shared the salmon dip as an appetizer - I learned that Chef David Hauffman broke down and grinds the salmon by hand to create this spectacular dish. We then also shared the lamb (looked like a thick stew served with warm pita) and grilled salmon (cooked to perfection with a crunchy top shell, perfect inside). Denise was an attentive, friendly and helpful server as well. And, Jenni (one-half of the husband-wife ownership team) swung by to hang out for a bit. Honorable mention to the animal skull above the toilet in the bathroom (pic included - you're welcome) The Downing is absolutely splendid and should be visited, so go check it out

Nathan Pieratt

Our local non-profit organization, Children's Relief International, celebrated their 25th anniversary in April. We asked The Downing to cater the event and they did an amazing job. They provided outstanding service, from the first meeting to discuss the menu, to final clean-up. The menu was exquisite and the food was absolutely delicious. Jenni and David were a pleasure to work with. Thank you both! We highly recommend The Downing! Note: The photo shows the unique and delicious appetizers, and as you can see they were a huge hit with our guests. Well played DBB!

Lexie York

Absolutely blown away by this gem of a restaurant! The food was nothing short of spectacular. We started with a beer and a flight of espresso martinis—each one perfectly crafted and so delicious. The beef bowl was incredible, packed with flavor, and the turkey sandwich? Truly out of this world—probably the best I’ve ever had! My son had a hot dog, and not only was it delicious, but it’s the most he’s eaten in one sitting in over a month. That alone says so much about the quality here. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, thanks to the amazing owners who were so personable and friendly. And Zach, our waiter, was absolutely phenomenal—attentive, kind, and just made our experience even better. This is the kind of place that leaves a lasting impression. I can’t wait to come back! Thank you for such a memorable meal and wonderful service.

Danielle Chandler

Amazing food and atmosphere! I got the Chicken Tom Yum soup and Muffelleta sammich. Jordan was awesome with the drink menu, flavor profiles, and makes a good ole fashion!

Sinsay The Guru

My favorite spot in Rockwall. I love the cheese board with the honeycomb. Always pairs nicely with their wines. I haven't tried a dish here that wasn't delicious. My go to is the shrimp and grits.

LaNelle Renfro

Loved the outside seating and the day was perfect for it. Great service. The charcuterie board was nice and robust for the price.

Kimberly Kiernan

Eek. How have I not reviewed this place! We’ve been here a handful of times and just love it. I mean sandwiches, boards, and wine—what’s not to love! So the mussels are simply amazing. I absolutely love the ginger flavor. I love how unique they are and could drink the broth. Speaking of drinking the ginger broth—that’s where their sake cocktail comes in handy. The ginger smash is so good! I didn’t expect to like it since I’m not a sake fan, but the ginger flavor takes it to the next level. They have a fantastic sandwich selection. Seriously, you can’t go wrong. And their boards are great. I love the ambience as well. Such a cute outside courtyard area that’s like a hidden oasis. Everything about is warm and inviting. A wheel chair would have a hard time getting through to the back but should be fine up front. This is truly a great place— a gem of Rockwall not to be missed.

Spencer Sandy

Jessica provided amazing service! She was attentive, friendly, and made our experience truly enjoyable. We’ll definitely be coming back! And the food here was just delicious. Also please try the expresso martini flight!

Ellie

Love the vibes. Somewhat casual open kitchen and bar and delicious food. Unique menu items. Quality food.

I had an amazing lunch with my women's network. The staff took great care of us (a group of about 8 or 9) and didn't mind our holiday banter! The kale salad I ordered was delicious and I was salivating over the others' entrees but refrained from sneaking a bite of each - lol! I've been to this Rockwall favorite a handful of times and have always had a pleasant experience. I look forward to another visit in the future!

This was our 1st time here - we went with friends who are somewhat regulars. This was a Tuesday and we met at 11:45am - they open at 11:00- I wanted to try the sandwich and soup combo so I ordered the chicken salad sandwich and butternut squash soup. They were out of the chicken salad so I switched to Tuna - a little leary because tuna can be salty or fishy tasting (yes I know it's fish) but I was still hoping it was good. My husband ordered the muffeleta and it looked delicious (in comparison to Jason's Delia out half the size) but still packed with all the flavor. This place is quaint and the owner aner staff are very friendly. Will be back to try other menu options. I hear on Wednesdays they have a Wine down Wednesday ( I think this is what it's called) - wine and charcuterie board very reasonably priced- will have to check this out

Downing Bottles & Bites in Rockwall is hands down one of my favorite places to go. You can truly taste the difference because everything is made with fresh ingredients, and the food is consistently amazing. The customer service is top-tier, and I love that you’ll often see the owners there — it adds such a welcoming, personal touch. Their charcuterie boards are the best around (I honestly don’t know of a better one in the area), and their wine selection is incredible. And when the weather is nice, the patio is the perfect spot to sit back, relax, and enjoy a great meal. If you haven’t been yet, you’re missing out!

My wife and I visited on a Saturday afternoon and chose to sit at the bar. Jessica was very friendly and made an incredible Andes Mint Espresso Martini and a phenomenal Banana Bread Espresso Martini. I ordered the Jefe Cubano to go and let me tell you, from a Cuban born and raised in the 305, it was fantastic. Great flavor, bread was just right, pork portion was perfect, everything came together beautifully. I would've enjoyed it more with some plantain chips with some mojo sauce but still incredible, I can understand why it comes with Lays. They did offer a salad with it instead but I chose the chips. We'll definitely be back and may sit out in the patio, looks really cozy out there.

Been here many times and just realized I’ve never left a review! I love that they change up the menu frequently. Current favorite is the lamb gnocchi, baked bri, deviled eggs are great and they have one of the best wine selections in town! If you haven’t been. This cute little family owned restaurant is a must!

Doris Richards

Downing Bottles & Bites in Rockwall is hands down one of my favorite places to go. You can truly taste the difference because everything is made with fresh ingredients, and the food is consistently amazing. The customer service is top-tier, and I love that you’ll often see the owners there — it adds such a welcoming, personal touch. Their charcuterie boards are the best around (I honestly don’t know of a better one in the area), and their wine selection is incredible. And when the weather is nice, the patio is the perfect spot to sit back, relax, and enjoy a great meal. If you haven’t been yet, you’re missing out!

Alexis LeBlanc

I had an amazing lunch with my women's network. The staff took great care of us (a group of about 8 or 9) and didn't mind our holiday banter! The kale salad I ordered was delicious and I was salivating over the others' entrees but refrained from sneaking a bite of each - lol! I've been to this Rockwall favorite a handful of times and have always had a pleasant experience. I look forward to another visit in the future!

djb12

Been here many times and just realized I’ve never left a review! I love that they change up the menu frequently. Current favorite is the lamb gnocchi, baked bri, deviled eggs are great and they have one of the best wine selections in town! If you haven’t been. This cute little family owned restaurant is a must!

Alex Bustillo

My wife and I visited on a Saturday afternoon and chose to sit at the bar. Jessica was very friendly and made an incredible Andes Mint Espresso Martini and a phenomenal Banana Bread Espresso Martini. I ordered the Jefe Cubano to go and let me tell you, from a Cuban born and raised in the 305, it was fantastic. Great flavor, bread was just right, pork portion was perfect, everything came together beautifully. I would've enjoyed it more with some plantain chips with some mojo sauce but still incredible, I can understand why it comes with Lays. They did offer a salad with it instead but I chose the chips. We'll definitely be back and may sit out in the patio, looks really cozy out there.

Pamela Elder-schweers

This was our 1st time here - we went with friends who are somewhat regulars. This was a Tuesday and we met at 11:45am - they open at 11:00- I wanted to try the sandwich and soup combo so I ordered the chicken salad sandwich and butternut squash soup. They were out of the chicken salad so I switched to Tuna - a little leary because tuna can be salty or fishy tasting (yes I know it's fish) but I was still hoping it was good. My husband ordered the muffeleta and it looked delicious (in comparison to Jason's Delia out half the size) but still packed with all the flavor. This place is quaint and the owner aner staff are very friendly. Will be back to try other menu options. I hear on Wednesdays they have a Wine down Wednesday ( I think this is what it's called) - wine and charcuterie board very reasonably priced- will have to check this out

I love the space. Rustic, but bright. My Old Fashioned was a bit of a let down, to be honest, but the baked brie was delicious. My friends liked their cocktails. I perused their wine selection, and it looks like they have some interesting options. The staff was friendly and attentive. I think this is a great local spot.

My wife and I always enjoy eating at Downing Bottles and Bites. It’s been over six months since we have been. They have upgraded their menu and offer an expanded list of cocktails. I have to say, their cocktails were made very well and unique. Our entree’s were very good. I had the Turkey Melt and my wife had the Duck Confit. This is one of my wife’s favorite restaurants. While we truly love eating here, I gave it four stars because the menu is still somewhat limited. Their service is amazing and we love their ambiance of the restaurant. It feels like a little European restaurant.

Kaitlin B

I love the space. Rustic, but bright. My Old Fashioned was a bit of a let down, to be honest, but the baked brie was delicious. My friends liked their cocktails. I perused their wine selection, and it looks like they have some interesting options. The staff was friendly and attentive. I think this is a great local spot.

Benjamin Brown

My wife and I always enjoy eating at Downing Bottles and Bites. It’s been over six months since we have been. They have upgraded their menu and offer an expanded list of cocktails. I have to say, their cocktails were made very well and unique. Our entree’s were very good. I had the Turkey Melt and my wife had the Duck Confit. This is one of my wife’s favorite restaurants. While we truly love eating here, I gave it four stars because the menu is still somewhat limited. Their service is amazing and we love their ambiance of the restaurant. It feels like a little European restaurant.

My friends and I have been going here for several years often ordering the same menu items and drinks. Unfortunately, our last two visits were pretty unremarkable. Deviled eggs were boring, focaccia was hard as a rock and cut into slivers so you only had 4 pieces ( used to give us the whole thing and we cut it ourselves), and the drinks were awful. They had one of the most delicious sangria drinks around and it's gone. Bar said they could make one and it was the WORST sangria ever for $14! My friends and I all agreed things were far less unique and tasty than before. As for the service..we used to have stellar service but the hostess was pretty rude and seemed annoyed that we were disturbing her phone time and our waiter disappeared to never come back after service. Very disappointing..

Aprille Walker

My friends and I have been going here for several years often ordering the same menu items and drinks. Unfortunately, our last two visits were pretty unremarkable. Deviled eggs were boring, focaccia was hard as a rock and cut into slivers so you only had 4 pieces ( used to give us the whole thing and we cut it ourselves), and the drinks were awful. They had one of the most delicious sangria drinks around and it's gone. Bar said they could make one and it was the WORST sangria ever for $14! My friends and I all agreed things were far less unique and tasty than before. As for the service..we used to have stellar service but the hostess was pretty rude and seemed annoyed that we were disturbing her phone time and our waiter disappeared to never come back after service. Very disappointing..