Casbah

The wine list at Casbah hits differently than what you expect from Pittsburgh. This is a 150-200 bottle program with genuine range — France, Italy, Germany, Chile, California — and it's clear someone with actual opinions built this thing. It's not trying to impress you with trophy bottles; it's trying to get you drinking something good.

The list leans old-world in spirit even when it ventures into California. You've got Saint-Véran from Mâconnais sitting alongside Trefethen from Napa, Aglianico del Vulture from Basilicata showing up next to Grand Cru Saint-Émilion — this is a buyer who knows their way around a map. The Italian section punches above its weight, and the presence of Nik Weis Riesling and Domaine Guy Mardon Touraine signals that someone here actually likes wine, not just wine sales. Gaps exist — more depth in Spain and the Southern Hemisphere would round this out — but for a Pittsburgh neighborhood restaurant, this list is genuinely impressive.

Eighteen-plus options by the glass is a serious commitment, and the range here backs it up — you can go from an $11 Mosel Riesling to a $22 Gaston Chiquet Premier Cru Champagne without feeling like you're being steered into a corner. The glass program covers all the major bases: white Burgundy, Italian reds, a Sangiovese rosé, California Pinot Noir — real choices, not afterthoughts. Rotation data isn't available, but with this many options, there's no excuse to default to the house pour.