St. Paul

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 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 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 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'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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.