Red-Sauce Athens with Italian Backbone
Downtown Athens · Athens · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed DePalma's Italian Cafe’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
DePalma's keeps it straightforward: a 60-80 bottle list that leans into its Italian-American identity without pretension. The 18 glass pours at $6-$15 tell you this is a neighborhood spot that wants you to drink wine with your lasagna, not overthink it.
The list reads like a tour through Italy's greatest hits—Tuscany, Veneto, Piemonte—with smart picks like Vietti Barbera d'Asti ($44) and Tommasi Ripasso ($55) that show someone cares. They also throw in California standards (Francis Coppola Rosso, Silver Oak Cab) for the crowd that wants familiar territory. The Zenato Amarone Classico at $130 and Silver Oak at $190-$250 anchor the high end, though the real action is in the $36-$55 range where Italian producers shine. It's not breaking new ground, but it's competent and focused.
Eighteen pours is generous for a casual Italian spot, and the $6-$15 range means you're not gambling much to try something new. The Chianti Classico Castello d'Albola at $10/glass is solid everyday drinking, and the Francis Coppola Rosso at $7 is an easy starter. The selection covers the basics without much rotation—this isn't a by-the-glass adventure, but it gets the job done.
Vietti Barbera d'Asti — $44
Piemonte quality at a fair markup—bright acidity cuts through red sauce like it was born for the job
Pieropan Soave Classico
Most people skip white at Italian-American spots, but this $36 Veneto classic is exactly what your Eggplant Florentine needs
Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon
At $190-$250, you're paying Athens steakhouse prices for a California cab in a casual red-sauce joint—save it for somewhere with proper stemware
Tommasi Ripasso + House made lasagna
The dried-grape richness and cherry depth of this $55 Valpolicella can stand up to layers of cheese, meat, and tomato without getting buried
The Bottom Line
DePalma's delivers exactly what an Italian cafe in a college town should: fair prices, Italian-focused selection, and wines that pair with comfort food. Not flashy, but honest.
Gilbert · Gilbert · Italian
North Italia Gilbert is a chain that does the bare minimum of interesting things — and sometimes that's exactly what you need on a Tuesday in Gilbert. The Italian regional whites are the real reason to open this list; everything else is serviceable.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Nob Hill · San Francisco · Italian
Seven Hills is doing something most Italian restaurants in this city won't — building a wine list that actually reflects the breadth of Italian winemaking rather than the highlights reel. If you're even mildly curious about obscure Italian whites, this is one of the better places in SF to take the leap.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Plano · Italian
Roma has enough wine on the list to get you through a good dinner, but it leans hard on California crowd-pleasers and marks them up accordingly. Stick to the Italian reds, avoid the Napa trophies, and you'll drink well enough — just don't expect the list to match the ambition of the cuisine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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