Old World Royalty on the Upper East Side
Upper East Side · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Caravaggio lands like a greatest-hits album for Italian wine nerds — Giacomo Conterno Barolo, Biondi-Santi Brunello, Gaja Barbaresco, all in one place, all under one roof on East 74th Street. This is a serious list built by people who take Italy seriously. Wine Spectator has handed them a Best of Award of Excellence every year since 2010, and one look at the cellar tells you why.
Tuscany and Piedmont are the twin engines here, and they run hot. You've got the full Super Tuscan murderers' row — Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Solaia, Tignanello — alongside Brunello heavyweights from Biondi-Santi and Casanova di Neri. The Piedmont contingent is just as formidable, with Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa Barolo sitting alongside Gaja Barbaresco. Beyond Italy, they've rounded out the list with Champagne (Krug, Cristal), Bordeaux (Château Margaux), Burgundy (Domaine de la Romanée-Conti), and California (Opus One, Caymus Special Selection) — smart additions that make this a full-service cellar without losing its Italian identity. The 400-600 bottle depth means there's real discovery to be had, not just the same ten trophy bottles every UES Italian trot out.
With 15-25 pours available, the by-the-glass program is genuinely generous for a room this formal. You're not getting DRC by the glass, but the Italian selections rotate through quality producers that let you taste the list without committing to a full bottle at trophy-wine prices. Ask Giuseppe Bruno or Manny Parades what's open — these two know their stuff and won't steer you wrong.
Amarone della Valpolicella, Allegrini — $130
Allegrini's Amarone is a legitimate powerhouse — rich, structured, age-worthy — and in a list full of four-figure bottles, it's the one that lets you drink at the level of the room without the credit card guilt. Order it with anything braised on the menu.
Brunello di Montalcino, Casanova di Neri
Everyone reaching for Biondi-Santi is paying for the legend. Casanova di Neri is making some of the most consistent, layered Brunello in Montalcino right now — it's in the same conversation and frequently overlooked next to the famous names on this list.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus Special Selection is a fine wine, but it's also one of the most marked-up bottles in the country at restaurants like this. You're at a serious Italian cellar — drink Italian. There are a dozen bottles on this list that will outperform Caymus at this price point and actually fit the room.
Barolo, Bruno Giacosa + Bucatini all'Amatriciana
Giacosa's Barolo brings tar, roses, and serious tannic structure that cuts right through the guanciale fat and tomato richness in the Amatriciana. It's a classicist move that works every time — old-school Italian wine meeting old-school Italian pasta.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Caravaggio is the real deal — a genuinely deep Italian cellar staffed by people who give a damn, in a setting that earns its formal reputation. Markups are what you'd expect for the Upper East Side, so come with a plan and lean hard into the Italian selections where the list truly shines.
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
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Village · New York · American
Cecchi's is first and foremost a bar, but the wine list is more serious than the neon and noise suggest. Steep markups are the main ding — but if you know what to order, there's real pleasure here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Steak House, Small Plates
The Corner Store is a reliable, well-credentialed wine list doing exactly what a good SoHo steakhouse should — France and California, done with intention, in a room that makes you want to order another bottle. Just watch the markup on the big Bordeaux names and let the Rhône or Burgundy side show you a better time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Tribeca · New York · American
Farra is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood wine bar, and the Wine Spectator nod is earned — just know that the serious bottles come with serious prices, and the no-sommelier setup means you're doing some of the navigating yourself. Worth it for anyone who knows what they want; potentially overwhelming for those who don't.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Toledo / Reynolds Corner · Toledo · Italian
There's one reason to come here for wine: Thursday. Half-price bottles on a standing weekly basis is a genuinely good deal, especially on the Santa Margherita. Any other night, the markups are steep and the list doesn't justify them.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Toledo/Monroe Street · Toledo · Italian
Carrabba's Toledo isn't a destination for wine — but it's not an embarrassment either. The Ruffino Chianti Classico alone earns its keep, and if you stick to the Italian side of the list, you'll drink reasonably well without drama.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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