Solid Sips on the Hilo Waterfront
Downtown Hilo · Hilo · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cafe Pesto’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 Cafe Pesto is short and familiar — you've seen these names before, probably at your local grocery store. That's not a knockout, but in downtown Hilo, it's also not a crime. Prices stay reasonable, and nothing here is going to embarrass you at the table.
The list runs 20-35 bottles leaning on Italian, California, and New Zealand producers — a logical enough lineup for a restaurant doing wood-fired pizzas and fresh catch. Santa Margherita and Kim Crawford are crowd-pleasing workhorses, not deep cuts, and there's no real regional adventure happening here. The Italian angle feels like a missed opportunity — a few more southern Italian or Sicilian options would actually complement the food better than a parade of Pinot Grigio. What you get is a list built for low friction, not discovery.
Six pours by the glass at $10-$15 is a reasonable spread for a spot like this — enough to cover the table without overthinking it. The selection mirrors the bottle list: approachable, predictable, nothing that'll make you lean in and ask questions. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority here, so don't expect seasonal surprises.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc — $13
At the lower end of the glass price range, Kim Crawford is a known quantity — bright, citrusy, and actually well-suited to the fresh catch of the day. You know what you're getting, and that's not always a bad thing when you're watching the boats roll in.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
Most people bypass Meiomi as a supermarket brand, and they're not wrong — but the rich, fruit-forward profile actually holds up against the heavier pasta specials and wood-fired pizzas. It's not subtle, but it works on this menu more than you'd expect.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
Santa Margherita is one of the most marked-up wines in restaurants across the country, and it rarely delivers enough to justify the premium over cheaper Pinot Grigios. You're paying for the name recognition here, not for what's in the glass.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc + Fresh Catch of the Day
The high acidity and citrus edge of the Sauvignon Blanc cuts through whatever preparation the kitchen throws at the day's fish — whether it's a light butter sauce or something with a little island heat. It's the most food-friendly option on the glass list.
The Bottom Line
Cafe Pesto isn't a wine destination, but it's a fair one — reasonable prices, an approachable list, and enough to keep the table happy while you focus on the view and the pizza. Send a friend here for the food and tell them to keep it simple on the wine.
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Nanea Lounge is a perfectly fine place to have a drink while you watch the sun go down over Hilo Bay — but the wine list is pure hotel autopilot, and nobody here is going to help you drink better. Order a mai tai and save the wine for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Hilo · Hilo · New American
Coco Cantina is almost certainly a fine place to eat, but it has opted out of the wine conversation entirely. Order the Cava, enjoy your meal, and don't come here expecting more than three options.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Plano · Italian
Palato is doing more with wine than anyone in its neighborhood is giving it credit for — the Enomatic system, the Italian label selection, and fair-to-reasonable pricing make this a genuine find in the Plano dining scene. If you're going for Italian food in the suburbs, this is where you want to drink.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Boca Raton · Italian
Josephine's is the kind of place where the wine list exists to complement a very good meal, not to be the reason you showed up — and that's fine, because it does its job without embarrassing itself. Send a friend here for a date night, just tell them to skip the obvious Napa Cab and dig a little deeper.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Boca Raton · Italian
Armando's has a wine list that actually reflects the food it's serving — Italian-centric, solid by the glass, and wide enough to satisfy most tables. The markups are South Florida standard (read: steep), but the selection quality keeps this squarely in reliable territory.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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