Fast on the heels of Marble Brewery's new taproom and coffee bar on the top floor of the Santa Fe Arcade on the Plaza (60 E. San Francisco St., Suite 313), a new business offering on-site and takeaway libation has opened in the downtown Santa Fe area.

On Friday, July 3, the Vino Del Corazón Wine Room (235 Don Gaspar Ave., near the corner of Don Gaspar Avenue and Alameda Street) quietly opened its doors to the public after recent City Council approval of a Master Winegrower Liquor License. Co-owner Erica Hart told me recently that the small tasting room and cozy wine lounge will focus on wines and other products — including fine chocolates — made in the Land of Enchantment. Along with its own wines, Vino Del Corazón will initially feature selections from Anderson Valley Vineyards, located in the Northern Rio Grande Valley.

Glasses to consume on the premises and unopened bottles of wine to carry home can be purchased during full business hours. Comfy chairs and wireless Internet access are available for patrons who wish to stay a while, and plans for live music on some nights are in the works.

"Eventually," said Hart, "I'd like to see this place turn into a sort of wine café, an intimate space where, whether you're checking in with the office on the weekend or just taking in the sights, you walk in here knowing that you're allowed and encouraged to relax." Currently, the tasting room is open from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, and from 12:30 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Retail hours are noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, noon to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and noon to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays. A grand-opening celebration from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, will feature live opera and Native American music. A Web site is under construction (vinodelcorazon.com).

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When life gives you lemons: I recently hosted some visitors from Washington state, home of Amavi Cellars in the Walla Walla Valley. On a warm June evening, my guests and I found ourselves sitting at the cozy bar of Chef David Sellers' Amavi Restaurant (221 Shelby St., 988-2355). Although the Washington winery and the Santa Fe restaurant are completely unrelated, they share a knack for sustainability, seasonality, hospitality and attention to detail. After sipping on a glass of bubbly prosecco, I ordered dessert: a decadent chocolate semifreddo with chocolate shortbread cookies and Marsala caramel ($9). Although the dessert selection at Amavi changes frequently, this dish deserves permanent residency on the menu.

So, too, does Amavi's house-made limoncello, an Italian-origin lemon liqueur fashioned by Amavi's resident mixologist, Starr Clark. Tasting of sweet citrus and bold lemon rind, Clark's version should be dubbed the Amavi equivalent of the Amalfi Coast: a competent nod to Mediterranean tradition in the heart of the City Different. But don't expect a glass of cloudy yellow syrup, which most traditional Italian producers provide. Clark won't tell you how she creates a nearly clear liquid, and if you're a true limoncello purist, I encourage you — nay, dare you — to take a taste.

Because Amavi's cuisine is steeped in the traditions of France, Italy and Spain, the restaurant's wine list competently follows suit. You won't find any oak-laden California bottles on the list. To familiarize patrons with the restaurant's passion for Old World wines, the Sellers clan is offering Monday-evening wine classes at what could be considered a steal ($15 promises six different wines per class). At 5:45 p.m. on July 13, guest sommelier Mark C. Johnson presents an instructional tasting titled "Chianti vs. Rioja." On July 20, Johnson explores European dessert wines and late-harvest offerings. And on July 27, he provides insider liquid wisdom on Italian sparkling prosecco and France's sainted Champagne. To sweeten the pot, Amavi is offering a 15 percent discount off of dinner if you stay and dine after a class. To sign up for classes and to make dinner reservations, call 988-2355

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Let Sleeping Dogs wake: Sleeping Dog Tavern (114 W. San Francisco St., Suite 101, 982-4335) is breaking into the morning meal market. The American gastropub in the downstairs section of Plaza Mercado is perhaps best known for its truffled French fries, lamb and mushroom pie, cold pints of beer and lobster mac-and-cheese. But given the amount of foot traffic the chef and cooks see wandering by their sidewalk-level window during prep time, Sleeping Dog general manager Dave Readyhough and executive chef Russell Thornton are angling to become the early bird that gets the breakfast worm.

Breakfast at the Sleeping Dog Tavern is served from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. daily, and if it catches on, the restaurant hopes to extend the hours a bit on weekends. The menu includes waffles; pancakes (short or tall stack of sweet potato-pecan, blueberry, apple-cinnamon and chocolate chip flapjacks); fruit- and cream cheese-filled French toast; breakfast burritos; huevos rancheros; cage-free eggs to order with meat and bread sides; migas with house-made chorizo sausage; create-your-own omelettes; regionally harvested organic ribeye steak and cage-free eggs; and house-made granola with yogurt and fresh fruit. I stopped in with my partner for a late breakfast last weekend, and the place was jumping by 10 a.m. (visiting Pancakes on the Plaza + eating pancakes just off the Plaza = no more pancakes for me, at least for a while). It was the busiest breakfast service the restaurant had seen since it began morning service about two weeks ago. The wait staff and cooks worked double-time to keep things running smoothly — the GM even threw on an apron and grabbed a spatula. Sweet hustle, Dave!

I grabbed two fried eggs with griddled potatoes, two generous discs of house-made, slightly spicy, juicy chorizo, and warm flour tortillas. My partner loved his huevos rancheros with red and green — a huge plate of food, even for a hearty eater. We shared a stack of blueberry pancakes with brown-sugar syrup, and to toast the newest downtown breakfast destination, we raised a couple of mimosas. This Dog can hunt.

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Goodbye, Molly Ringwald: 8:15 Early, the popular breakfast and lunch spot on Early Street best known for its tasty sandwiches named after actors from the film The Breakfast Club, is now a thing of the past. The restaurant closed its doors last week, and I took in one last Reuben sandwich on the 8:15 Early patio to mark the sad news. Owners Alea Jensen and Robin Hardie explained that difficulties with their lease arrangement have left them without a restaurant space, but they are hopeful they can find a new spot soon to present their wonderful food and friendly service. I have signed-up on their e-mail list, so if they re-open in some fashion, I'll be sure to let you know. Long live the Emilio Estevez!

Are you running with a fork, too? Let TASTE know what's cooking in your culinary world, and send tips on what's happening in the local food and restaurant scenes to Rob DeWalt at rdewalt@sfnewmexican.com.