Neapolitan Pizza Meets Predictable Italian Pours
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · February 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bavaro's Pizza Napoletana & Pastaria’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Bavaro's reads like a greatest hits compilation of Italian-American dining: Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Montepulciano. Nothing surprising, nothing offensive. It's the wine equivalent of their menu — familiar, safe, and designed not to scare anyone away from ordering a second bottle.
The selection leans heavily into crowd-friendly Italian reds and whites, with the occasional nod to California standards for those who don't want to commit to the Old World. You'll find the usual suspects from Tuscany and Veneto, a Lambrusco or two if you're lucky, and probably a Super Tuscan at the top end for anniversary dinners. The list doesn't venture into natural wine territory or explore lesser-known Italian regions like Campania or Sicily with any depth. It's built for volume and familiarity, not discovery.
Glass pours likely stick to the safest bets — a Pinot Grigio, a Chianti Classico, maybe a Prosecco to start. We're guessing four to six options that rotate about as often as the pizza oven gets replaced. The staff can tell you if it's red or white, but don't expect granular details on vintage or producer philosophy.
Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina — $38
If they stock this Campanian white, it's the move — crisp, mineral-driven, and pairs beautifully with their margherita without the Pinot Grigio snooze factor
Tommasi Ripasso Valpolicella
Often overlooked for its flashier Amarone sibling, this delivers dried cherry depth and works with everything from sausage pizza to pasta pomodoro
Any Super Tuscan over $80
Restaurant markups on these bottles tend to be aggressive, and you're paying for name recognition more than actual quality at this price point
Terredora Greco di Tufo + Linguine alle Vongole
The wine's citrus acidity and saline finish mirror the briny clams and garlic — a classic Southern Italian combination that works every time
The Bottom Line
Bavaro's won't blow your mind with adventurous selections or sommelier-level service, but it won't steer you wrong either. Order something Italian, keep it under $50, and focus on the pizza.
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Mediterranean
Ceviche is the best Spanish wine list you're likely to find on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and it earns its Wine Spectator credential without feeling stuffy about it. If you're eating Iberian food and drinking anything other than Spanish wine here, you're doing it wrong.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Seasonal, Steakhouse
Rococo Steak is the real deal for wine in St. Pete — a deep, curated list backed by credentialed sommeliers and a room that earns it. Markups run steep, as they do at every serious steakhouse, but the depth and intentionality here make it worth the splurge if you're going in with a plan.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · American Steakhouse
Birch & Vine is doing something genuinely rare for the Gulf Coast — running a world-class wine program in a city better known for beach bars and grouper sandwiches. The markups sting at the top end, but the depth, the staff, and the commitment to French and Italian classics make this worth a special trip if wine is part of the reason you're going out.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Italian
Osteria 617 isn't going to blow your mind, but it won't let you down either. It's the kind of place where you can get a solid Italian red with your pasta and not overthink it—and sometimes that's exactly what you need.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Asian Fusion
Mandarin Hide isn't a wine destination, and it's not pretending to be. It's one of the best cocktail bars in St. Petersburg—a genuine craft bar with a spirits collection and cocktail program that most bars only dream about. If you're here reading this hoping for a wine deep-dive, you're missing the point. Go for the cocktails, stay for the atmosphere, and save your wine ambitions for the restaurant next door. Sometimes the wildest card in your night out is knowing exactly what a place does best and letting them do it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Stemless Casual
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Mexican
Red Mesa won't blow your mind with wine, but they're not actively sabotaging your meal either. Order something Spanish, keep expectations modest, and save room in the budget for that second round of guac.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian
Bici's wine list won't knock you sideways, but it's honest, Italian-focused, and fairly priced — a reliable partner to the food. We'd send a friend here and tell them to skip the Sauvignon Blanc and go straight for the Greco.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Parkway / Elks Plaza · Gatlinburg · Italian
The Best Italian's wine list does exactly what it needs to do: keep casual diners happy, not drain wallets, and get out of the way of the garlic knots. We wouldn't drive to Gatlinburg for the wine, but if you're already there and want something decent with dinner, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail Village · Vail · Italian
La Nonna brings a legitimately serious Italian cellar to a town where most restaurants are content to coast on their ski-town captive audience — and that deserves real credit. The markups are steep across the board, but the bones of the list are strong enough that the right bottle makes the whole evening.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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