HAMPTON-Three military veterans are hoping to bring the European wine experience to Phoebus with the opening of their new establishment Fox Tail Wine Bar.
Owner Chris Fox, Executive Chef Dave Martell, and Chef Justin Ramos are the masterminds behind Fox Tail Wine Bar, which opened on Mellen Street in October. Fox, a U.S. Army vet, decided to open the restaurant in part based on his time frequenting wine bars throughout Europe while he was stationed in Italy.
“When I left active duty and came back to Virginia, I missed the European wine bars,” Fox said. “I kept looking for one here and couldn’t find one anywhere, so I decided why not open one up on my own.”
Fox Tail Wine Bar was set to open in March 2020 just as the covid-19 pandemic hit. The wine bar, which was initially slated to open as a wine tasting room, shifted gears due to the new safety regulations and delayed its opening to October. Fox Tail Wine Bar opened as a restaurant with a limited menu of mostly small plates including the popular charcuterie board. The restaurant recently expanded its food options and now offers a full dinner menu.
“Our American Wagyu Burger and Wagyu steaks have been flying out of the door,” Fox said. “The best part about our burger is that everything is hand cut and prepared and all of our breads are handmade just for us. The bread maker mills all of his own grains and you can really taste the love and time that goes into the food here at Fox Tail Wine Bar.”
Despite the challenges of starting off the ground during a pandemic, response from the community has been nothing but supportive and Fox is looking forward to continuing to grow his establishment.
“It’s been an adventure,” Fox said. “I really love when customers come in and fall in love with the wine and the food and compliment my staff. When customers come in and everyone feels welcomed and they feel like they belong it makes all of the long hour’s hard work and stress worth it.”
