Minneapolis

Porzana punches above its class for a Minneapolis steakhouse — the Italian and Argentine selections show genuine curation, and the Fenocchio Barolo alone justifies a serious wine order. Just go in with eyes open on markups and skip the entry-level bottles unless you're pouring by the glass.

Burch has the bones of a genuinely great wine program — knowledgeable staff, proper storage, and a list that respects the classics — but the pricing strategy on the mid-tier and entry-level bottles will test your patience. Go big or go home: the value-to-quality ratio only really clicks once you're spending $200+.

112 Eatery's wine list is punching well above its weight for a Minneapolis neighborhood bistro, with a genuinely distinctive Old World focus and producers that belong on serious lists anywhere in the country. The markups sting on a few bottles, but the curation earns enough goodwill to keep us coming back.

Barbette is a wine list built by someone who actually drinks wine and wants you to as well — it's small, French, and surprisingly legit for a neighborhood bistro in Uptown. If you're a natural wine fan or just someone who wants good Beaujolais with steak frites, send your friends here.

Cafe Lurcat is a reliable, well-staffed wine program in one of Minneapolis's prettiest dining rooms — just know you're paying a premium for the address and the ambiance. Ask the sommelier for help navigating the list and you'll drink well; go on autopilot and order the obvious Napa Cab and you'll leave having spent more than you should have.

Broders' Pasta Bar isn't a wine destination, but it's exactly the kind of neighborhood spot that gets the wine list right by staying in its lane. Fair prices, Italian focus, solid glass pours — bring a friend who orders by the bottle and you're in good shape.

Terzo is the best Italian wine list in Minneapolis and genuinely competes with programs in much larger cities — the depth, the pricing, and the staff all earn it. Yes, send your friends here for wine, and tell them to skip the obvious Tuscan reds and go exploring.

Bar La Grassa is the Italian restaurant wine list Minneapolis deserves more of — Italy-focused, fairly priced, and with enough interesting picks that the wine enhances the meal instead of just accompanying it. Send your friends here and tell them to skip the Pinot Grigio.

Petite León has the taste and the instincts to build a genuinely great wine list — the producers are right, the regions are interesting, and the room deserves it. But until the markup math tightens up, this is a spot where you drink one good bottle and wish the second one cost less.

Oro by Nixta is the rare tasting-menu spot where the wine list was clearly built to match the food rather than just justify bottle prices — and it mostly works beautifully. The markups sting in a couple of spots, but the curation is sharp enough that we'd send any curious eater here without hesitation.

Spoon and Stable is the best wine list in Minneapolis that most people are too distracted by the roasted chicken to fully explore — the markups aren't gentle, but the depth, the staff knowledge, and the sheer ambition of the program earn it. Yes, send a friend here for wine.

Barcelona Wine Bar Minneapolis delivers a legitimate Spanish wine program in a city where that's rarer than it should be — fair prices, serious depth, and a by-the-glass list that rewards curiosity. Send your friends here, tell them to skip the Muga, and order the Sherry.

Demi is doing something rare in Minneapolis: running a wine program that's genuinely as ambitious as the food. Markups are steep and that's the honest truth, but the list's depth, the staff knowledge, and the overall intentionality make it the best reason in the Twin Cities to order wine with a tasting menu.

P.S. Steak is a reliable, handsome steakhouse wine list that does exactly what it promises — California Cabs, recognized producers, proper storage — without taking any real risks. Send your friend here if they love a good bottle of Silver Oak with a ribeye; don't send them if they're hoping to discover something new.

Cedar+Stone is the rare hotel restaurant where the wine list actually earns your attention — sommelier Victoria Rios keeps things honest, the pricing is fair for Minneapolis, and the California-France focus is executed with enough care to justify the WS credential. It's not a destination wine program, but it's a genuinely solid one, and in a hotel setting, that's worth something.

Maison Margaux is the real deal — a room with theatrical ambition backed by a wine list that actually delivers on the promise, anchored by a sommelier who clearly built this thing with intention. If you're in Minneapolis and serious about Bordeaux or California Cab, you come here.

Manny's is exactly what it is — a California Cab cathedral with a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence to prove it's serious. If you're coming for adventurous wine discovery, look elsewhere; if you're coming to eat a great steak and drink great Napa Cabernet in a room that feels like 1998 never ended, this is your place.

801 Fish is the rare downtown Minneapolis restaurant where wine is clearly not an afterthought — the California list is deep and well-kept, Alex White knows what's on it, and the glassware does the wines justice. Markups are real, but the overall experience earns that Wine Spectator badge.

Mara is doing something genuinely rare: running a hotel restaurant wine program that a serious wine person would actually seek out, not just tolerate. The Burgundy depth, the fair pours by the glass, and the Mediterranean variety make this one of the better lists in Minneapolis, full stop.

St. Paul Grill isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't pretend to be — it's a reliable hotel steakhouse pour that serves its clientele exactly what they came for. Bring a Cab drinker, order the filet, and don't expect the list to challenge you.

Fhima's has one of the most serious wine lists in Minneapolis — full stop. The markup runs steep as you'd expect at this level, but the depth, the sommelier presence, and the sheer ambition of the program make it worth the visit for anyone who takes the bottle as seriously as the plate.

The Lowbrow earns its Wild Card badge by being a no-frills neighborhood spot with pricing so honest it borders on suspicious — especially on Sundays when the bottles go half-price. If you live within ten blocks of Nicollet and 43rd, you should already know about this.

Parlour is a reliable, well-priced wine stop in a city where hotel bar wine lists can get lazy fast. It's not a destination for wine geeks, but if you're already there for the Parlour Burger and want a solid glass without getting gouged, you're in good hands.

Murray's wine list is exactly what a 1946 Minneapolis steakhouse should have: safe, serviceable, and a little overpriced — but with enough solid bottles that you're not stuck suffering through dinner. Go for the steak, pick the Chappellet or the Barbera, and let the room do the rest.

Barcelona Wine Bar is doing something genuinely ambitious for the North Loop — 500 bottles, 40 by the glass, and a geographic focus that actually matches the food. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation; just don't expect the staff to geek out alongside you.

Milly's is the kind of wine bar Minneapolis doesn't advertise loudly enough — fair pricing, a list with genuine reach beyond the usual suspects, and 18-plus glasses to explore on any given night. Send a friend here and tell them to skip the Cab.

Terzo is the kind of wine bar that makes you annoyed you didn't find it sooner — 450 Italian-focused bottles, a sommelier who gives a damn, and a room that makes the whole thing feel like a secret. If you live within ten miles of 50th Street and you care about wine, you should already have a reservation.

Ngon Bistro isn't a wine destination, but it's doing more than its genre requires — fair prices, a Gruner that earns its spot, and a list that at least tried to match the kitchen. Come for the pho burger, grab the Gruner, and be pleasantly surprised.

Red Cow is the rare burger spot where ordering wine is genuinely the right call — the list is thoughtful, the pricing is reasonable, and the Pinot selection alone would make some proper wine bars jealous. Send your friends here and tell them to skip the beer for once.

Christos is doing something genuinely rare in Minneapolis: building a wine list that matches the food's geography and actually teaches you something. If you've never explored Greek wine, this is the most approachable on-ramp in the city.