Midtown's Calm, Capable Wine Anchor
Midtown Manhattan · New York · American, French · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed April 19, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Butter’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Butter arrives feeling deliberate — not flashy, but put together. California and France anchor everything, which makes sense given the room: upscale Midtown, warm lighting, the kind of crowd that knows Caymus but might not know much past it. It's a list that respects its audience without challenging them.
At 150–200 bottles, Butter has enough range to reward a curious diner without overwhelming anyone. California leads the charge with recognizable heavyweights — Caymus, Stag's Leap, Opus One — while France fills in with Louis Jadot Burgundy doing solid, reliable work. Jordan Chardonnay rounds out a Cali whites section that's crowd-friendly but won't surprise anyone. There's a noticeable gap when it comes to anything off the beaten path: no real adventurous producers, no esoteric regions, and Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling is about as wild as it gets. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is well-earned for what this list is — a competently curated, California-and-France-focused program that matches the room.
Twelve to eighteen pours by the glass is a respectable range for Midtown, and Butter does make an effort to keep recognizable names in rotation. Expect the usual suspects — think California Cabs and French whites — though don't count on a lot of rotation or surprise additions. It gets the job done for a pre-theater crowd or a quick business dinner, even if the glass program won't have you lingering over a second pour out of pure excitement.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Chardonnay — $12
Jordan Chardonnay is one of California's most consistently overperforming bottles at its price point — creamy, well-made, and not trying to be Burgundy. If it's available by the glass at the low end of their range, it's the most honest spend on the list.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
It's the outlier on an otherwise California-and-France-heavy list, and most people at Butter walk right past it. Washington Riesling at this level is electric with acid and fruit, and it's almost certainly the most underpriced, underordered bottle in the room — especially next to the Butter Poached Lobster.
Opus One
Opus One is a trophy bottle, and Butter prices it like one. You're paying for the name and the bragging rights, not for a wine that dramatically outperforms everything else on the list. At a Midtown markup, the delta between what you spend and what you taste is steep — order the Stag's Leap and pocket the difference.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Wagyu Beef
Stag's Leap built its reputation on structured, elegant Cabs that don't bludgeon you — which is exactly what Wagyu needs. The beef's richness absorbs the tannin, and the wine's dark fruit plays off the fat without overwhelming the delicate texture. It's the most straightforward great call on the menu.
The Bottom Line
Butter is a reliable, well-intentioned wine list that earns its Award of Excellence without pushing any envelopes — if you're in Midtown and want a solid California or French bottle to go with serious food, you won't leave disappointed. Just don't come here looking for discovery; come here to eat well and drink confidently.
SoHo · New York · Italian
A long bottle list with Italian, Burgundy and Champagne sections, fronted by a 22-wine glass page. For a glass, try the Skerk Orange Wine from Friuli at 25/95, and for a bottle on a lighter budget, the Volpaia Vermentino at 60; upstairs in the café, the labeled list pours Palistorti di Valgiano's orange Tuscan blend at Glass $22. Confirm prices before you order, because the site's Upstairs Café dinner menu and the beverage PDF do not match. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Midtown East · New York · American, French
A Park Avenue restaurant whose posted wine list is a 21-wine glass list. Start with the $18 Leitz Riesling or the $19 Ogier Saint-Joseph. No bottle list is posted online, so ask the restaurant what is available by the bottle. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Hudson Yards · New York · American, Seasonal
A hotel restaurant whose list opens with a 13-pour glass page and then moves through Champagne, Burgundy, Austria and other regions. Start with the $29 Prager Grüner Veltliner or the $24 Do Ferreiro Albariño by the glass alongside the chilled oysters, and confirm current pricing since the list is dated 09.30.26. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
East Village · New York · Southern French, Wine Bar
A glass-only list of 15 Central and Eastern European pours from $18 to $26, with an orange wine section of five. Start with the Gal Tibor Egri Bikavér Superior at $18 or the Kapistoni Tavkveri at $23, and confirm prices because the list is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted by-the-glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Financial District · New York · American
A short posted wine selection, with the full list available by email. Start with the $17 Crafted Cava or the $18 Côte de Brouilly by the glass, and email ahead if you want the full list. This unrated guide covers only the nine posted wines, not service, storage or markups.
East Village · New York · American Steakhouse
A compact glass list at a beef-focused restaurant: 11 pours from $19 to $39 across France, Italy, Germany and California. Start with the $24 Domaine Perraud Chardonnay, or the $30 Signorello 'Edge' Cabernet if you're ordering steak, and confirm current pours because the page isn't dated. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
College Hill · Providence · American, French
A Cabernet-heavy list from autumn 2025, with glass pours from 10 and bottles up to a 450 Opus One. Start with the 10 Château du Petit Thouars Cabernet Franc, or the 16 Fontanafredda Nebbiolo if you want something from Piedmont, and check that the list is still current since it is marked September 2025. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Dupont Circle · Washington · American, French
Start with the Minuty Prestige rosé at 20 or the Château de Saint-Cosme Syrah at 22 by the glass, and save the Dagueneau for the table that wants a bottle. The glass page is the cheaper way in, with thirteen wines between 20 and 34. The file is linked as 9-26, so confirm today's pours and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
Washington · Washington · American, French
This is a deep list with a dedicated Virginia section, and the glass page is the practical way in. Start with the Domaine de la Milleranche Juliénas at 20 on the glass page, or ask about the Boxwood Estate Reserve at 130 if you want a Virginia bottle. Confirm pricing, because the list is dated October 7th, 2026. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
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