Retro Salon Vibes, Surprisingly Legit Wine List
Midtown · Memphis · New American · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed March 21, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You walk into a converted 1950s beauty salon — dryer chairs, vintage mirrors, the whole bit — and then someone hands you a wine list with Willamette Valley Pinot Gris and Sardinian Vermentino on it. That disconnect is exactly what makes this place interesting. The list punches well above what the setting suggests.
For a quirky Midtown Memphis restaurant that could easily coast on atmosphere alone, the wine program shows genuine curiosity. France anchors the list with Loire Sauvignon, Beaujolais-Villages, and a Bordeaux Blanc, while Oregon shows up via Iris Vineyards and Chemistry. California gets the most real estate — Lioco, Trefethen, Ultraviolet, Banshee — and there's even a Sardinian Vermentino for the adventurous. The gaps are real though: no Spanish or South American presence, and the red selection leans heavily on crowd-friendly Pinot Noir and Cab with not much in between.
Eighteen-plus pours by the glass is genuinely impressive for a restaurant of this size and type — that's almost the entire list available without committing to a bottle. The range runs from $12 to just under $15, which is reasonable for Memphis, though the markup math on the bottles suggests you're paying for the room as much as the wine. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority here; what's on the list seems to stay on the list.
Sella & Mosca Vermentino di Sardegna 2021 — $12
Sardinian Vermentino at $12 a glass is a genuine find — this is a food-friendly, aromatic white that most Memphis wine lists wouldn't touch. It's priced honestly and it's different enough to be worth ordering twice.
AA Aegerter Les Enfants Terribles Pinot Noir 2021 Vin de France
A Vin de France Pinot from Aegerter is the kind of thing you'd expect at a natural wine bar, not a converted salon in Memphis. Most people will walk right past it for the Chemistry or House of Brown. Don't. This is the most interesting red on the list.
Banshee Ten-Of-Cups Brut California
At $52 a bottle, you're paying nearly three times retail for a California sparkling wine that's perfectly fine but nothing special. If you want bubbles, the Adami Prosecco at $46 is a better deal, and the Henri Donson Champagne at $110 is at least the real thing.
Lioco Wine Company Chardonnay 2021 Sonoma County + Lobster Bisque
Lioco makes restrained, lower-oak Chardonnay that won't fight the richness of a lobster bisque — it complements it. This isn't a butter-bomb Chard that doubles down on cream; it's bright enough to cut through and keep things interesting.
🎲 The Bottom Line
The Beauty Shop is a Wild Card in the best possible way — a funky, retro-cool restaurant with a wine list that has no business being this thoughtful. Markups keep it from greatness, but the glass pour selection and genuine regional variety make it worth ordering a bottle or three.
Midtown · Memphis · Steak House
Porch and Parlor is a reliable Southern steakhouse wine list that plays to its crowd — if you love California Cabernet with your dry-aged beef, you're in the right place. It won't challenge you, but it'll take care of you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Memphis · Memphis · American
Flight is the most wine-serious restaurant in downtown Memphis, and it earns that title without being stuffy about it. If you want California confidence with a sommelier who actually knows the list, this is your spot.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Memphis · Memphis · American, French
Chez Philippe is the wine list of a well-run fine dining institution that has been doing this right for 30 years — not a revelation, but reliably good and properly stored in a room that knows how to use it. Send a friend here if they want California Cab with a French menu inside one of Memphis's great hotels; don't send them if they're looking for anything off the beaten path.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Memphis · Memphis · Steak House
Char is a dependable, well-executed steakhouse wine list that earned its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence by doing the classics right — but it's not trying to surprise you, and it won't. Send a friend here for a special occasion Cab and a steak; just don't expect the list to spark any new obsessions.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Cooper-Young · Memphis · Italian
Bari is the kind of Italian wine program Memphis deserves more of — specific, serious, and fairly priced for what you're getting. If you're anywhere near Cooper-Young and want to drink real Italian wine with real Italian food, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Unknown · Memphis · Bistro
Hu. Bistro isn't trying to be a wine destination, but its by-the-glass list is priced fairly and built with more care than you'd expect from a hotel rooftop. If you're in Memphis and want a decent glass without getting gouged for the privilege, this works.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Columbia · Columbia · New American
Sycamore is doing something genuinely unusual in Columbia: running a tight, thoughtful wine list with real producers and fair prices, backed by someone on staff who knows what they're talking about. Come on a Wednesday and it's a no-brainer.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Acceptable
Elizabeth Park area · Hartford · New American
Pond House Cafe is a lovely spot where the wine list exists to support the experience, not define it — and that's fine, as long as you keep your expectations calibrated. Come for the setting, order the Campofiorin or the Santa Marina, and let the park do the rest of the work.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Upscale McAllen · McAllen · New American
Ambra is a nice room with a lazy wine list — one that coasts on brand familiarity and banks on diners not noticing the markup. Order a cocktail, or bring a bottle if corkage is an option.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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