1,800 Bottles Deep and Worth Every Penny
Flatiron · New York · Italian and French · Visit Website ↗
Updated July 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Café Carmellini’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at Café Carmellini and it has weight — physically and philosophically. Nearly 2,000 bottles curated across France, Italy, Austria, and beyond tells you immediately that someone here actually cares. The sapphire velvet booths and neoclassical grandeur of the old 250 Fifth mansion set the stage; the wine list doesn't disappoint the room.
This is a serious cellar masquerading as a restaurant wine list. Burgundy gets real estate — Domaine Faiveley Mercurey Vieilles Vignes and Domaine De Villaine Bouzeron anchor the mid-range, while the list reaches back to gems like Château Cos d'Estournel Saint-Estèphe 1995 for the deep-pockets crowd. Austria gets a surprisingly thoughtful nod with both F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner and Tement Sauvignon Blanc on offer, and the inclusion of Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko from Santorini signals a list that isn't just chasing the usual suspects. The Italy representation feels appropriately proud without being provincial — Vajra's sparkling rosato from Piedmont is exactly the kind of discovery a list this size should deliver.
Eighteen by-the-glass options is a real program, not a token gesture. The range runs $22 to $55, which is Manhattan pricing but the selection earns it — you're not stuck choosing between a Pinot Grigio and a Malbec. Rotation and curation appear intentional, with pours like Pierre Paillard Grand Cru Les Parcelles Champagne available by the glass, which is the kind of decision that builds loyalty.
Domaine De Villaine 2021 Bouzeron — $40+
Aubert de Villaine's lesser-known Aligoté project in Bouzeron routinely punches above its price in a cellar context. At a restaurant of this caliber, finding it at entry-level bottle pricing is a quiet steal — it's Burgundy credibility without the Burgundy markup.
Vajra 'N.S. Della Neve' Rosato Extra Brut
A sparkling rosé from one of Barolo's most respected houses is easy to overlook on a list this size, but Vajra's extra brut style is electric — bone dry, precise, and wildly food-friendly. Most tables will walk right past it chasing Champagne. Don't be most tables.
Château Cos d'Estournel Saint-Estèphe 1995
A legendary bottle from a legendary vintage, and priced accordingly — then some. Unless you're celebrating something that warrants a truly splashy spend, the markup on trophy Bordeaux at a room like this will sting. The wine is great; the value proposition is not.
Domaine Sigalas 2022 Assyrtiko + Crab mille-feuille
Sigalas Assyrtiko brings volcanic minerality and citrus tension that cuts through the richness of the mille-feuille's buttery layers without overpowering the delicate crab. It's the kind of pairing that makes you slow down mid-bite.
The Bottom Line
Café Carmellini is the real deal — a wine program that matches the ambition of the room and then some, with staff who can actually navigate 2,000 bottles without breaking a sweat. The markups are steep, but this is the list you bring someone to impress, and it delivers.
NoHo · New York · Italian
Il Buco has one of the most compelling Italian wine lists in New York City — deep, principled, and staffed by people who actually care. The markup is real, so budget accordingly, but this is a room worth splurging in.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Downtown is a place where people order Champagne to celebrate, not to drink — and the wine program is built accordingly. If you're here for the vibe and someone else is paying, pop the Dom and enjoy it; if you actually care about what's in your glass, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Upscale Seafood & Steakhouse
Three happy hour wines do not a wine program make. Ocean Prime is a place you eat well and drink safely — but if wine is a priority, this list will let you down before the bread basket arrives.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Midtown is a great place to see and be seen, but the wine list is there to pad the check, not to excite you. If you're here for the experience, lean on the cocktails or grab a glass of Bonanza at the bar — don't expect the bottle list to reward any real curiosity.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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
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