Monday Nights Just Got a Lot More Italian
Showplace / South Naperville · Naperville · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 2, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Biaggi's reads like a greatest hits album you've heard a hundred times — Santa Margherita, Meiomi, Joel Gott. It's comfortable and familiar, which is either reassuring or a little deflating depending on what you came here for. The good news: Monday exists.
Forty to sixty labels spread across Italy, California, and a smattering of other regions — the geographic ambition is there, but the execution skews heavily toward brand-name crowd-pleasers. Italy gets its due with the Viberti 'La Gemella' standing out as the one producer that shows someone was paying attention when they built this list. Beyond that outlier, you're mostly navigating the same bottles you'd find at any mid-level Italian chain, which isn't a crime, just not particularly exciting. There are no real deep cuts from Campania, Sicilia, or lesser-known Piemonte producers — the list plays it safe and knows it.
Ten to fifteen options by the glass covering the usual bases: a Pinot Grigio, something bubbly, a Cab, a Pinot Noir. The price range of $8–$14 a glass is reasonable on its face, but when you clock the retail prices behind some of these pours, the math gets a little uncomfortable. If you're drinking by the glass on any night that isn't Monday, you're leaving money on the table.
Viberti 'La Gemella' — null
The one wine on this list that feels like a genuine find. Viberti is a respected Piemonte producer and 'La Gemella' — a Barbera d'Alba — brings real regional character to a list that otherwise plays it safe. It's the wine here that most rewards the curious drinker.
Viberti 'La Gemella'
Most tables at Biaggi's are reaching for the Santa Margherita on autopilot. Meanwhile, this Barbera from a solid Piemonte house is sitting there, underordered and underappreciated. Bright acidity, food-friendly structure — it's built for pasta and nobody's noticing.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
At $40 a bottle against a $16 retail price, you're paying a 150% markup for a non-vintage blended Pinot that's engineered for mass appeal. It's not a bad wine, but it's a bad deal — and there are better options on this very list.
Viberti 'La Gemella' + Housemade pasta with meat sauce
Barbera's high acidity and dark fruit cut right through rich, tomato-based meat sauces without overwhelming them. It's a classic Piemontese pairing and it works here just as well as it does anywhere in Italy.
Monday — Biaggi's corporate half-price wine promotion runs on Mondays — select bottles and by-the-glass pours at half price. Exact wines on the deal rotate, so ask your server what's included when you sit down. This is the single biggest reason to time your visit strategically.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Biaggi's isn't a destination wine list, but it's a functional one — and Monday's half-price wine night genuinely changes the math on an otherwise steep markup situation. Come in knowing what you want, order the Viberti, and let the pasta do the heavy lifting.
Downtown Naperville · Naperville · American pub / burgers
Jackson Avenue Pub is not a wine destination, but Wine Wednesdays at half-price make it a legitimately smart stop if you're already there for a burger and a game. Come for the beer, stay for the deal.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Freedom Commons / I-88 Corridor · Naperville · Seafood and Steakhouse
Hugo's Naperville is a reliable, well-run steakhouse wine program that will not let you down and will not excite you. Come for the prime beef and oysters, order the Jordan or the Duckhorn, and don't look too hard at the markup on the Pinot Grigio.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Naperville · Naperville · Mexican
Fat Rosie's is a genuinely fun taco and tequila spot that has no business being reviewed for its wine — and that's kind of the point. If your table wants wine, order cocktails instead and save everyone the disappointment.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Naperville · Naperville · Mediterranean
Vasili's isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the Greek-focused list has enough genuine producers and interesting grapes to reward curious drinkers — especially on Tuesdays when the bottles go half-price. Watch the markups on the Agiorgitiko, lean into the northern Greek reds and the Malagousia, and you'll eat and drink very well along that riverwalk.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Naperville · Naperville · Chicago-style pizzeria / Italian-American
Lou Malnati's is a legitimately iconic pizza destination — but the wine list is an afterthought, marked up on cheap bottles with zero curation or ambition. Come for the deep dish, drink beer, and save the wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hotel Arista / CityGate Centre · Naperville · Italian
Che Figata is the rare suburban hotel restaurant with a wine list worth actually engaging with — Italian-focused, sommelier-guided, and broad enough to reward exploration. The markups sting on a few bottles, but the range and program depth make this the best wine bet in Naperville's CityGate orbit.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Flowood · Jackson · Italian
Amerigo Flowood is exactly what it is: a reliable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that won't challenge you but won't fleece you either. Show up on a Wednesday, grab a half-price house bottle, and let the lasagna do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
East McAllen / Expressway 83 · McAllen · Italian
Macaroni Grill McAllen isn't a wine destination, but Thursday's half-price bottle night makes it a reasonable call if you're already going for the pasta. Show up on a Wednesday and order cocktails instead.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
North End · Bridgeport · Italian
Capri is doing the right things in the kitchen, but the wine list is coasting on name recognition and comfortable margins. Come for the Chicken Parm, order the Riesling, and keep your expectations in check.
Crowd Pleasers
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.