St. Paul

Solo Vino Wine Shop

Cathedral Hill / Summit Avenue · St. Paul · Wine Bar / Retail with Food Pop-Ups

The Wild Card

Solo Vino is the kind of wine shop that moonlights as a destination, and the tasting bar makes it worth the trip even if you don't buy a bottle — though you will. Send your wine-curious friends here before they spend the same money on something forgettable at a restaurant down the street.

Yarusso Bros Italian Restaurant

Payne-Phalen · St. Paul · Italian

The Lazy List

Yarusso Bros is a St. Paul institution worth visiting for the food, the history, and the vibe — just don't make the wine the reason you go. Order a glass of whatever's cold, eat the meatballs, and enjoy it for what it is.

Shish Mediterranean Kitchen

Macalester-Groveland · St. Paul · Mediterranean and Middle Eastern

The Lazy List

Shish is a genuinely good casual Mediterranean spot — the food earns its reputation on Grand Avenue. But the wine list is strictly utilitarian, and you'd be better served ordering a beer or skipping the wine altogether until they decide to put in some effort.

Bon Vie Bistro

Macalester-Groveland · St. Paul · French Bistro

The Reliable

Bon Vie Bistro isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't pretend to be — but it gets the fundamentals right, keeps prices honest, and makes an easy case for a $10 Bordeaux with your quiche. Send your friends here when they want a relaxed weeknight pour without the markup guilt.

Citizen — The InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront

Downtown · St. Paul · New American

The Reliable

Citizen is a competent hotel wine list doing exactly what a hotel wine list is supposed to do — keep everyone comfortable and no one too excited. If you're here for the view and a pre-dinner glass, the rosé section will take care of you; just don't come expecting discovery.

Red Cow St. Paul

Cathedral Hill · St. Paul · American, gourmet burgers & pub fare

The Wild Card

Red Cow St. Paul has no business having a wine list this good, and that's exactly why we like it. Send a friend here — just make sure they know to skip the Bollinger and go straight for the Muscadet.

Buca di Beppo

Downtown · St. Paul · Italian

The Lazy List

Buca di Beppo's wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a corporate Italian chain: safe, familiar, and overpriced for what you get. Order the Chianti, enjoy the meatballs, and don't overthink it — but don't come here expecting the wine to be part of the experience.

Kincaid's Fish, Chop & Steakhouse

Downtown · St. Paul · Seafood and Steakhouse

The Reliable

Kincaid's is exactly what it is — a reliable business-dinner wine list that keeps the table happy without taking any risks. If Monday's half-price bottle promotion holds at this location, it becomes a legitimately solid deal; otherwise, manage expectations and lean into the Port.

Gus Gus

Cathedral Hill · St. Paul · Neighborhood bistro with eclectic American small plates and elevated bar food

The Wild Card

Gus Gus is what happens when someone who actually drinks interesting wine opens a neighborhood spot and resists the urge to play it safe. The list is small, the prices are fair, and it'll make you look smart in front of whoever you brought — send your friends here.

Estelle

Macalester-Groveland · St. Paul · Mediterranean- and Iberian-inspired New American

The Wild Card

Estelle is a cozy St. Paul neighborhood spot that's quietly running one of the more interesting by-the-glass programs in the Twin Cities — Iberian-leaning, fairly priced, and genuinely thoughtful. If you care about wine and you're in the area, the list alone is worth the stop.

Red Rabbit St. Paul

Downtown · St. Paul · Italian (pizza, pasta, oysters)

The Reliable

Red Rabbit isn't a destination wine spot, but it's a reliable neighborhood Italian that respects wine enough to stock Bollinger and Soave Classico alongside the wood-fired pies. The markups keep it from climbing higher, but for a lively Grand Avenue dinner, the list does its job well.

Mancini's Char House & Lounge

West Seventh · St. Paul · Classic American steakhouse / supper club

The Reliable

Mancini's is a St. Paul institution and the wine list reflects that — it's there, it's fine, and it's not trying to be anything other than a supporting player to one of the best steakhouse experiences in the Twin Cities. Order the house white, get the ribeye, and let the room do the rest.

The Lexington

Grand Avenue · St. Paul · Upscale American Steakhouse & Classic Supper Club

The Reliable

The Lexington is a reliable wine stop if you know the playlist and like the songs. It won't surprise you, but it won't let you down either — just go in with eyes open on the markup and order the Jordan.

Mario's

Merriam Park · St. Paul · East Coast Italian-American

The Wild Card

Mario's isn't a wine destination, but it's a wine-friendly one — and at these prices, ordering a glass feels like beating the system. Come for the sandwich, stay for the fact that your $8 Tuscan red isn't embarrassing anyone.

Hyacinth

Grand Avenue · St. Paul · Italian-inspired, seasonal New American

The Reliable

Hyacinth isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list it's built is thoughtful enough that wine drinkers won't feel like an afterthought. If you're eating pasta on Grand Avenue, this is where we'd want to be drinking.

Joan's in the Park

Highland Park · St. Paul · New American

The Reliable

Joan's in the Park is a reliable, well-run neighborhood wine bar that won't blow your mind but absolutely won't let you down. Send a friend here for a quiet date-night bottle with dinner — just don't send them expecting anything they haven't seen before.

Meritage

Downtown · St. Paul · French Brasserie / Seafood and Oyster Bar

The Rager

Meritage is the strongest wine program in downtown St. Paul and one of the more serious French-focused lists in the Twin Cities — the markups could loosen up, but the depth, staff knowledge, and by-the-glass Champagne program earn their keep. Send a friend here; just tell them to order by the glass.

The St. Paul Grill

Downtown St. Paul · St. Paul · American Steakhouse

The Reliable

The St. Paul Grill is exactly what it wants to be: a serious steakhouse with a serious California wine program, managed by real sommeliers who know the list cold. It won't surprise you, and it's not trying to — but if you want a flawless Napa Cab with a dry-aged strip in a room that feels like 1987 in the best possible way, this delivers every time.