Italy's Greatest Hits, All Under One Roof
Greenwich Village · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 25, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Babbo lands on your table like a small novel — 800+ bottles deep, organized by region, and immediately communicating that Mario Batali's original vision for serious Italian wine was not a joke. This is a candlelit Greenwich Village carriage house playing classic rock, but the wine program plays it completely straight. Prepare yourself.
The Italian focus here is not just a theme — it's a thesis. Piedmont anchors the whole thing with a Barolo section that reads like a who's who: Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, Bartolo Mascarello. Tuscany shows up strong with the Super Tuscans (Tignanello makes an appearance, naturally) alongside serious Brunello representation. The Veneto and Sicily sections round things out and give you somewhere to go if you'd rather not spend your rent check. The only real gap is non-Italian wine — if you want a French or New World option, you're mostly out of luck, which is either a feature or a bug depending on who you are.
Twenty to thirty by-the-glass options is genuinely impressive at this level, and the pours rotate with enough intention that you're not just getting the lowest-margin bottles. Expect to find at least one solid Nebbiolo and a Sicilian white among the options on any given night. The glass program won't dazzle the way the bottle list does, but it gives casual diners a legitimate entry point into what Babbo is actually about.
Antinori Tignanello — $180
Tignanello retails around $90-110, so the markup stings less than some of the Barolo picks on this list. For a wine that defined the Super Tuscan category and still delivers, it's the move if you want to spend real money and feel good about it.
Gaja Barbaresco
Everyone goes straight for the Barolo names, but Gaja's Barbaresco is often overlooked at the table in favor of flashier picks. It's more approachable young, has stunning aromatics, and represents one of Piedmont's most important producers at a price that, relative to the full cellar here, feels almost reasonable.
Bruno Giacosa Barolo
Look, it's a legendary producer and the wine is exceptional — but at Babbo's pricing on top-tier Barolo, you're deep into four-times-retail territory. Unless you're celebrating something you'll tell your grandchildren about, the markup here is hard to justify when you could buy it at a shop and drink it for a fraction of the cost.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo + Beef Cheek Ravioli
Conterno's Barolo is built on structure, tar, and dried roses — exactly what braised beef fat needs to cut through the richness and elevate the whole plate. The savory depth of the beef cheek and the wine's grip on tannin make each bite and sip recalibrate the other. This is the pairing you come to Babbo for.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Babbo is one of the best Italian wine lists in the country, full stop — but you will pay for the privilege, and the markups on prestige Barolo are not for the faint of heart. Send your friends here if they love Italy and have a credit card they're not afraid to use.
Midtown West · New York · Russian-American
The Russian Tea Room treats wine as an afterthought dressed up in Champagne flutes — five famous labels at punishing prices with no range, no by-the-glass program, and no apparent curiosity about wine beyond what looks impressive on a table. Go for the spectacle, order the caviar, but don't come here expecting a wine list.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
David Burke Tavern's list is a Chardonnay lover's comfort zone with a solid sparkling section propping up the top — but the narrow focus and steep pricing mean you're paying for familiarity, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want California whites and a glass of Champagne; send them somewhere else if they want to explore.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Village · New York · American
Cecchi's is first and foremost a bar, but the wine list is more serious than the neon and noise suggest. Steep markups are the main ding — but if you know what to order, there's real pleasure here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Steak House, Small Plates
The Corner Store is a reliable, well-credentialed wine list doing exactly what a good SoHo steakhouse should — France and California, done with intention, in a room that makes you want to order another bottle. Just watch the markup on the big Bordeaux names and let the Rhône or Burgundy side show you a better time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Tribeca · New York · American
Farra is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood wine bar, and the Wine Spectator nod is earned — just know that the serious bottles come with serious prices, and the no-sommelier setup means you're doing some of the navigating yourself. Worth it for anyone who knows what they want; potentially overwhelming for those who don't.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Toledo / Reynolds Corner · Toledo · Italian
There's one reason to come here for wine: Thursday. Half-price bottles on a standing weekly basis is a genuinely good deal, especially on the Santa Margherita. Any other night, the markups are steep and the list doesn't justify them.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Toledo/Monroe Street · Toledo · Italian
Carrabba's Toledo isn't a destination for wine — but it's not an embarrassment either. The Ruffino Chianti Classico alone earns its keep, and if you stick to the Italian side of the list, you'll drink reasonably well without drama.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.