Hotel wine list that actually shows up
Downtown – Empire Mall area · Sioux Falls · American and Sushi · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 20, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at CRAVE lands exactly where you'd expect from a polished hotel restaurant doing double duty as a sushi bar and American grill — recognizable labels, clean layout, and absolutely zero surprises. It's not lazy, but it's not trying to impress anyone who reads back labels either. Think of it as the wine equivalent of a well-ironed button-down: dependable, inoffensive, gets the job done.
The list runs 30 to 50 bottles with a clear eye toward crowd-pleasing familiarity — Sonoma-Cutrer, Franciscan, La Crema, Whitehaven. There's a nod to global range with the Trivento Reserve White Malbec from Argentina and Da Vinci Pinot Grigio from Italy, but no single region really anchors the list with any conviction. Reds lean toward steak-friendly California and Super Tuscan territory, which makes sense given the menu, though the bottle data available skews heavily white and sparkling. The gap between what's interesting and what's safe is about three rows wide.
Fifteen by-the-glass options is genuinely solid for Sioux Falls, and the spread covers sparkling through red without forcing anyone into a corner. Highlights include the Mer Soleil Silver Chardonnay and Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, which are legitimate step-ups from the baseline pours. Rotation appears minimal — this reads like a set-and-forget program rather than something a manager is actively curating month to month.
Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc — $12
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at this price by the glass is hard to argue with — it's got the cut and citrus zip to handle both sushi and lighter American fare without flinching.
Mer Soleil Silver Chardonnay
Most people at CRAVE are going to reach for the Sonoma-Cutrer out of habit, but the Mer Soleil Silver is unoaked, which makes it a genuinely different and more food-flexible pour — especially alongside anything with soy or ginger on the sushi side of the menu.
Luccio Moscato d'Asti
Sweet, low-alcohol, and marked up like it's doing you a favor — Moscato d'Asti belongs at a dessert table, not as a $10-plus glass pour at a sushi bar. Pass.
A to Z Riesling + Specialty sushi rolls
Oregon Riesling's off-dry fruit and bright acidity cut through spicy mayo and soy-glazed rice without steamrolling the fish — this is the pairing the list is quietly built for, even if nobody's going to tell you that.
✔️ The Bottom Line
CRAVE is the rare hotel restaurant wine list that clears the bar rather than crawling under it — the by-the-glass selection is better than the room deserves, even if the markups could use some recalibration. Send a friend here for wine? Sure, as long as they're not expecting to geek out.
Southwest Sioux Falls (Lake Lorraine area) · Sioux Falls · Casual American bar bites and light fare
This is a lobby bar wine list at a business hotel — it was never trying to be more than that, and it isn't. Grab a beer or a cocktail, save the wine for dinner somewhere in town.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls · Hotel Restaurant / American
This is a wine list for people who aren't thinking about wine, and that's fine — the Holiday Inn City Centre isn't trying to be a wine destination. Order the Ste. Michelle Riesling, skip everything else, and save the real drinking for somewhere else in Sioux Falls.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southwest Sioux Falls (Empire Mall/85th & Western corridor) · Sioux Falls · Upscale American Steakhouse
Morrie's is a reliable steakhouse wine list in a city where that already puts it near the top of the pack — the Coravin program shows genuine ambition, but the core list plays it too safe to earn anything beyond a confident recommendation for a special-occasion dinner. Come for the Tomahawk, drink the Zinfandel, skip the house Chardonnay.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
South Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls · Italian · Steakhouse
Spezia is a reliable dinner option in Sioux Falls if you want a recognizable bottle with a nice steak and no surprises. Just don't expect the wine list to challenge you — it's here to comfort, not to excite.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Sioux Falls · Mexican, Enchilada-Focused
Mama's Ladas is a great little spot for enchiladas — the wine list just isn't why you're here, and it doesn't try to be. Order the sangria, enjoy your meal, and save the serious wine for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls · Seafood · Chain
Red Lobster's wine list is chain-restaurant boilerplate — it exists so the menu can say 'wine' and nothing more. Order a cocktail, drink water, or bring a flask: the food can be fun, but the wine program is completely on autopilot.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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