Alex Wheatley Bell
Aviary Wine & Kitchen | Austin
NOVEMBER 2023
While attending Temple University in Philadelphia, Alex Wheatley Bell had the opportunity to study abroad in Rome, and it was there, sipping wine with every meal, that his obsession with the beverage began. He started visiting a wine shop down the street from where he was living, and would chat with the owner, eager to pick up whatever knowledge he could. After graduating, Wheatley Bell joined the team at wine bar Tria while studying for his certifications. Eventually, he made his way down to Austin and began working at Lasco Enterprises, training staff for the group and assisting with restaurant openings across the country, before accepting a sommelier position at fine dining destination Counter 3.Five.VII.
While living in Austin, one of Wheatley Bell’s favorite spots was Aviary Shop & Lounge, a furniture store turned speakeasy. When the owners decided to pivot to a more traditional restaurant model, they asked him to come on as beverage director. They spent the next year renovating the space while Wheatley Bell revamped the wine list, and officially opened Aviary Wine & Kitchen in 2017. There, he has tapped into his years of management and training experience to provide education for his staff. Wheatley Bell focuses on low-intervention wines, while making the list more approachable by organizing the beverages into categories based on pop culture icons, from Frank Zappa (wild and challenging) to Robin Williams (lively and bright). He has also launched his own project, Midnight in the Garden, a rotating chef’s table that he hosts across Austin.
