350 Labels of Natural Wine Chaos, Done Right
Rittenhouse Square · Philadelphia · American Small Plates · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed March 24, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You open the list at A.Kitchen and immediately realize this isn't a restaurant that picked wines to match the décor. Foradori, De Moor, Jamet, Ceritas — this is a list curated by someone who actually drinks wine and has opinions about it. It's the kind of list that makes you want to cancel your plans and stay for another bottle.
Three hundred and fifty labels is a serious commitment, and A.Kitchen fills that space with purpose. The Italian bench alone — Le Piane Nebbiolo, San Fereolo Dolcetto, Foradori Teroldego, De Fermo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo — reads like someone spent a very productive week in northern Italy. France holds its own with Yann Bertrand Gamays, De Moor's Chablis-adjacent Burgundy, and Jamet doing what Jamet does from the Collines Rhodaniennes. California isn't an afterthought either: Ceritas and Hirsch Pinots alongside Pax Mahle signal a kitchen that takes the West Coast seriously. The natural and biodynamic throughline is consistent without tipping into dogma.
At least six options in the $9–$20 range, which is a reasonable spread for a list this size. The Sottoilnoce Lambrusco Grasparossa at $9 by the glass is practically a gift, and seeing Mongarda Prosecco on the pour program keeps the entry point approachable. We'd love to see more rotation here — the by-the-glass program feels like it could punch harder given what's hiding in the bottle list.
Sottoilnoce 'Saldalama' Lambrusco Grasparossa — $9
This retails around $20 and they're pouring it for $9 a glass. Fizzy, dark, slightly earthy Lambrusco that makes everything on the small plates menu taste better — and at that price, you're ordering two.
Balansa 'La Vinhota' Lledoner Pelut Aude FR 2023
Lledoner Pelut is a mutation of Grenache Noir that almost nobody grows anymore, and here it is quietly sitting on a Philadelphia wine list. Most tables will walk right past it and order the Rhône. Don't be those tables.
Pax Mahle Sonoma Hillsides Sonoma CA 2019
We like Pax. We don't like paying $144 for a bottle that retails at $60. That's a 140% markup on a wine that's been available at your local shop for years. The rest of this list treats you better — go find something from Italy instead.
Jamet Collines Rhodaniennes Rhône FR 2020 + Duck Confit
Jamet's Collines Rhodaniennes is mostly Syrah with that signature Northern Rhône smoke and iron thread running through it. Duck confit has the fat and the funk to stand up to exactly that. It's not a complicated argument.
🎲 The Bottom Line
A.Kitchen is doing something genuinely rare in Philadelphia: a 350-label natural-leaning list with a sommelier who cares, mostly fair prices, and the range to reward anyone willing to explore. Yes, send your friends here for wine — just steer them away from the Pax.
Philadelphia · Philadelphia · American
Vernick Fish is a reliable wine destination for anyone who wants quality Chardonnay and Burgundy alongside serious seafood — just know you'll pay for the privilege. Send a friend here, but tell them to avoid the trophy bottles and lean into the French side of the list.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Rittenhouse Square · Philadelphia · French
Parc is a reliable, France-first wine list that fits the room perfectly — you won't discover anything new here, but you also won't go wrong. If you're eating onion soup and steak frites in a beautiful Parisian-style brasserie, this list does exactly what it should.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Rittenhouse Square · Philadelphia · American, French
a.kitchen+bar is the real deal — a deep, well-curated list run by sommeliers who actually know what's on it, earning that Wine Spectator badge honestly. The markups sting on the high end, but the depth and staff knowledge make this one of Philadelphia's best rooms to drink serious wine.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Center City · Philadelphia · Italian
Vetri Cucina is the Italian wine list Philadelphia deserves and rarely gets — stacked with producers that serious collectors chase, staffed by people who can actually talk you through it. Yes, the markup stings on the trophy bottles, but the depth here earns every bit of that Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Old City · Philadelphia · Italian
Panorama has been one of Philadelphia's most credible Italian wine programs for three decades and the list backs that up with producer-level specificity and fair pricing. If you're eating in Old City and wine matters to you, there's no better seat in the neighborhood.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Philadelphia · Philadelphia · Italian
Osteria is one of the best Italian wine programs in Philadelphia, full stop — the depth of producers alone earns the Rager badge. Budget for it, skip the obvious names, and let the list take you somewhere you haven't been.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.