Spain's Greatest Hits, Beach Drive Edition
St. Petersburg · Mediterranean · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 12, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ceviche’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walk into Ceviche on Beach Drive and the wine list reads like a love letter to the Iberian Peninsula — which is exactly what you want when gambas al ajillo is on the way. For St. Pete, this is a genuinely ambitious program: 150-200 bottles with a clear point of view and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence to back it up. It's not a destination wine bar, but it's doing something most coastal Florida restaurants aren't.
The Spain-first focus is real and it works. Rioja Reserva anchors the reds, Ribera del Duero Tempranillo gives it some muscle, and Priorat shows up for the serious drinkers who want something with teeth. On the white side, Albariño from Rías Baixas is the obvious call for a seafood-heavy menu — and they lean into it. The most interesting move is the inclusion of Manzanilla and Fino Sherries, which most restaurants still treat as an afterthought; here they get proper placement. Gaps exist — if you want to go off-Spain, the list thins out fast.
Twenty to thirty by-the-glass options is genuinely generous, and the $10-$18 range keeps it accessible. Cava is a strong opening move at the glass level, and having Albariño poured by the glass at a beach-adjacent restaurant is exactly right. We'd love to see Sherry by the glass get more prominent placement — it's on the list, and it deserves a spotlight.
Albariño from Rías Baixas — $10-$14 per glass
Crisp, saline, built for seafood — and at this price point by the glass, it's the move before your ceviche even hits the table. Rías Baixas Albariño at a fair pour price is the easiest yes on this list.
Manzanilla Sherry
Most people scroll right past it, which is a mistake. Manzanilla is bone-dry, briny, and wickedly good with anything from the sea. It's one of the most food-friendly wines on earth and it costs less than most glasses here — if you haven't tried it, this is a low-risk, high-reward introduction.
Priorat red
Big, tannic, and priced toward the top of the list — Priorat can be spectacular, but at a lively restaurant with seafood-forward plates, it's often the wrong call for the setting. Unless you're committed to the full cheese and charcuterie route, your money works harder elsewhere on this list.
Fino Sherry + Gambas al ajillo
Fino's nutty, dry, ultra-savory character cuts right through the garlic butter and amplifies the sweetness of the shrimp. It's one of the great classic pairings of Spanish cuisine and Ceviche is one of the few Florida restaurants where you can actually pull it off.
The Bottom Line
Ceviche is the best Spanish wine list you're likely to find on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and it earns its Wine Spectator credential without feeling stuffy about it. If you're eating Iberian food and drinking anything other than Spanish wine here, you're doing it wrong.
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Seasonal, Steakhouse
Rococo Steak is the real deal for wine in St. Pete — a deep, curated list backed by credentialed sommeliers and a room that earns it. Markups run steep, as they do at every serious steakhouse, but the depth and intentionality here make it worth the splurge if you're going in with a plan.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · American Steakhouse
Birch & Vine is doing something genuinely rare for the Gulf Coast — running a world-class wine program in a city better known for beach bars and grouper sandwiches. The markups sting at the top end, but the depth, the staff, and the commitment to French and Italian classics make this worth a special trip if wine is part of the reason you're going out.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Italian
Osteria 617 isn't going to blow your mind, but it won't let you down either. It's the kind of place where you can get a solid Italian red with your pasta and not overthink it—and sometimes that's exactly what you need.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Asian Fusion
Mandarin Hide isn't a wine destination, and it's not pretending to be. It's one of the best cocktail bars in St. Petersburg—a genuine craft bar with a spirits collection and cocktail program that most bars only dream about. If you're here reading this hoping for a wine deep-dive, you're missing the point. Go for the cocktails, stay for the atmosphere, and save your wine ambitions for the restaurant next door. Sometimes the wildest card in your night out is knowing exactly what a place does best and letting them do it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Stemless Casual
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · Mexican
Red Mesa won't blow your mind with wine, but they're not actively sabotaging your meal either. Order something Spanish, keep expectations modest, and save room in the budget for that second round of guac.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
St. Petersburg · St. Petersburg · American Pub
East Coast Ale House is exactly what it sounds like: a beer-focused pub where wine is an afterthought. Order a craft IPA, enjoy the wings, and save your wine drinking for literally anywhere else.
Grocery Store
Steep
Stemless Casual
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Mediterranean
Kitty Dare is punching well above its weight for an Atlanta restaurant wine list — fair prices, genuinely adventurous selections, and the rare willingness to pour all of it by the glass. We don't have visibility into service or food specifics, but the list alone is worth coming for. If you want a Lebanese white from 70-year-old vines for $13/glass, this is your place.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Mediterranean
Fia has the bones of a genuinely good wine program — thoughtful white selections, a few hidden gems, and a Champagne section that sets a mood — but steep markups and a list that doesn't stray far from the expected hold it back from greatness. Go for the Aligoté or the Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, skip the trophy bottles, and you'll drink well without feeling taken.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Monterey · Mediterranean
Dametra Cafe isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be one either — and that honesty is refreshing. The sparkling selection is genuinely fun, prices are fair across the board, and the few left-field picks like Chateau Musar Jeune give the list just enough personality. If you're in Monterey and want a bottle that doesn't feel like a markup shakedown, this is a safe call.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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