St. Louis

801 Local

Clayton · St. Louis · Upscale American pub fare with English and French influences

The Reliable

801 Local has put in real work on this list — more work than most suburban pubs bother with — but the markup on recognizable bottles undercuts the goodwill. Come for the Vietti and the Frank Family; leave The Prisoner for someone else's table.

Vito's Sicilian Pizzeria & Ristorante

Grand Center · St. Louis · Italian

The Lazy List

Vito's earns its Sicilian stripes in the kitchen, but the wine list is an afterthought — overpriced grocery brands with zero connection to the cuisine they're supposed to accompany. Order a beer or a soft drink, save the wine for a place that cares.

Napoli 2

Town and Country · St. Louis · Italian

The Reliable

Napoli 2 is a reliable, if pricey, wine experience for fans of Italian classics and California comfort pours — just know you're paying a Town and Country premium for the privilege. Send your friends here for the Barolo and the bubbles, and steer them away from the Caymus.

Café Napoli

Clayton · St. Louis · Italian

The Reliable

Café Napoli is a dependable destination for Italian wine in Clayton — just go in with eyes open on the pricing and steer hard toward the Italian side of the list. The California section is a trap and the markups on crowd-pleasers are rough, but the underlying Italian bones are solid enough to make this worth your time.

Herbie's

Clayton · St. Louis · American, European

The Reliable

Herbie's isn't going to blow any wine nerd's mind, but it delivers a well-curated, fairly priced list that genuinely supports a great meal. If you're in Clayton and ordering the Beef Wellington, you're in good hands.

Casa Don Alfonso

Clayton · St. Louis · Italian

The Rager

Casa Don Alfonso is the rare Italian restaurant that backs up its Amalfi aesthetic with a wine list serious enough to match. If Italy is your thing — or you want it to become your thing — this is worth the trip to Clayton.

Truffles Restaurant

Clayton · St. Louis · American

The Rager

Truffles has held a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence since 2004, and the list earns that credential every year — this is one of the most serious wine programs in St. Louis, full stop. Markups are real, but if you know where to look on this list, you'll drink very well.

Annie Gunn's

Chesterfield · St. Louis · American, Steakhouse

The Rager

Annie Gunn's is the rare steakhouse that takes wine seriously enough to embarrass most dedicated wine bars. If you're driving out to Chesterfield and not ordering wine, you're doing it wrong.

Blood & Sand

Saint Louis · St. Louis · American

The Rager

Blood & Sand is the kind of wine list that makes you proud of a city — serious without being stuffy, deep without being overwhelming, and guided by a sommelier who clearly cares. If you're passing through Saint Louis, this is the reason to make a reservation.

Cinder House

Downtown · St. Louis · South American / Brazilian

The Reliable

Cinder House is a reliable, well-run hotel wine program — the sommelier keeps things dialed in and the glassware is genuinely good. But if you're coming for the wine list rather than the view and the feijoada, you might leave a little underwhelmed.

801 Chophouse

Clayton · St. Louis · Steakhouse

The Reliable

801 Chophouse in St. Louis earns its reputation — fair pours, a thoughtful list that goes beyond the obvious, and a sommelier who's actually there. This is where you take someone you want to impress without worrying the wine list will embarrass you.

Mango Peruvian Kitchen

Unknown · St. Louis · Peruvian

The Reliable

Mango isn't a wine destination, but it's doing the right things for a casual Peruvian spot — leaning into Argentine bottles that actually make sense with the food. Show up, order the Malbec, eat the lomo saltado, and don't overthink it.

The Crossing

Clayton · St. Louis · European, Italian, French Farm-to-Table

The Rager

The Crossing is the best wine list in Clayton and makes a genuine argument for top-five in St. Louis. Markup creep on the trophy bottles is real, but the depth, the staff, and the sheer range of what's available make it worth the trip across town.

Spencer's for Steaks and Chops

Downtown · St. Louis · Steakhouse

The Rager

Spencer's is the rare hotel steakhouse that actually deserves its wine reputation — fair pricing on serious bottles, a sommelier who clearly influences the list, and enough depth to reward the curious diner willing to look past the Napa section. If you're eating steak in St. Louis and you care about what's in your glass, this is where you go.

Dominic's Trattoria

Watson Road · St. Louis · Italian

The Reliable

Dominic's Trattoria is the kind of wine list that takes care of you without taking chances — reliable, a little steep on markups, but never embarrassing. Send your parents here; maybe order the Schramsberg instead of the Veuve.

Charlie Gitto's on the Hill

The Hill · St. Louis · Italian-American

The Reliable

Charlie Gitto's is a St. Louis legend that earns its reputation on food and history, not its wine program — the list is safe, a little overpriced in spots, and unlikely to thrill anyone hunting for discovery. Come for the toasted ravioli, order the Averaen or the Nebbiolo, and don't expect the wine to be the story.

Eleven Eleven Mississippi

Lafayette Square · St. Louis · Tuscan & Northern California

The Reliable

Eleven Eleven Mississippi is a genuinely enjoyable place to drink wine — the setting is great, the list is thoughtful enough, and the glass count is above average for the market. Just know you're paying a St. Louis premium for some very recognizable labels, and the real value hides in the bottles most people won't order.

City Winery St. Louis

Midtown · St. Louis · American

The Wild Card

City Winery St. Louis isn't where you go to geek out on obscure Jura producers — it's where you go to drink something made in-house, eat well, and catch a show all in one shot. For what it is, the wine program punches above its lane, and that's worth something.

The Capital Grille

Clayton · St. Louis · Steakhouse, American

The Reliable

The Capital Grille Clayton is exactly what it promises — a polished, expensive, reliable wine experience that won't surprise you but won't let you down either. Send a friend here if they want a safe, impressive bottle with a great steak; send them somewhere else if they want to discover something new.

801 Fish

Clayton · St. Louis · Seafood

The Reliable

801 Fish is a reliable, well-run wine program that plays to its audience — upscale Clayton diners who want familiarity with a few thoughtful detours. If you stick to the French whites and ignore the celebrity California Chardonnays, you'll eat and drink very well here.

Wild Crush

Town and Country · St. Louis · Wine Bar

The Wild Card

Wild Crush is a smart, low-stakes wine bar concept that delivers on its core promise — fresh pours, fair prices on some bottles, and no intimidation factor. It's not a deep cellar experience, but for a casual glass of something good in Town and Country, it earns its spot.

Acero

Maplewood · St. Louis · Italian

The Reliable

Acero is a reliable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that keeps things tidy and Italian-focused — just don't expect fair pricing or adventurous pours. If you're here, order the Etna Rosso and focus on the food.