Cocktails First, Wine Very Much Second
Downtown · New Haven · New American Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 3, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Nine bottles. That's it. The wine list at Elm City Social fits on a napkin, and honestly, it reads like someone grabbed a case from a regional distributor and called it a day. This place is clearly built around cocktails and the rooftop buzz, and the wine list doesn't pretend otherwise.
The list covers the expected global checklist — California, Marlborough, Mendoza, Veneto, Languedoc — but there's no thread connecting any of it beyond 'wines people have heard of.' The Felines Jourdan Chardonnay from Languedoc-Roussillon is a small bright spot, a southern French white that at least breaks from the Napa-or-nothing mold. Beyond that, you're looking at entry-level crowd-pleasers: Backhouse, Killka, Peter Yealands — all perfectly drinkable, none of them interesting. Two Prosecco options on a nine-bottle list tells you everything about where the priorities are.
Here's the twist: every bottle on the list is also available by the glass, which makes the whole program feel more like a by-the-glass bar that never evolved into something bigger. At $8–$10 a pour, the prices are honest and approachable — no one's getting gouged here. Rotation appears nonexistent; what's on the list is what's on the list.
Felines Jourdan Chardonnay Languedoc-Roussillon — $9/glass
A southern French Chardonnay at a gastropub price point is quietly the most interesting pour on this list. Languedoc Chardonnay tends to be leaner and less oaky than California counterparts — you're getting more wine for the money than the Backhouse alternatives.
Killka Malbec Mendoza Argentina
Killka is the wine label from Salentein, a serious Mendoza producer with actual vineyard cred. Most people will scroll past it assuming it's generic bulk Argentine Malbec — it isn't. At $10 a glass, it's the most wine-for-your-dollar on the list.
Wycliff Brut Prosecco California
Wycliff is a budget sparkling wine that retails for well under $10 a bottle. Charging $9 a glass for it — when the Italian Mionetto Prosecco is sitting right next to it — is a swing and a miss. Order the Mionetto instead or skip bubbles entirely.
Killka Malbec Mendoza Argentina + Gourmet Burger
Malbec and a proper burger is one of those pairings that just works without needing explanation. The fruit and structure in the Killka cut right through the fat, and at $10 a glass next to a $20 burger, the math makes sense.
❌ The Bottom Line
Elm City Social is a great spot for cocktails, a rooftop, and fried chicken and waffles — the wine list is an afterthought, and it knows it. If you're coming here for wine, recalibrate; if you're coming here for a good time and happen to want a glass of something red, the Killka will do the job.
Ninth Square / Downtown · New Haven · Chilean-inspired wine bar with Chilean, Mexican and Spanish-style tapas
Viñas is punching well above its weight class for a downtown wine bar, and the Chilean-focused list is genuinely worth your attention. If you care about South American wine at all, this is the most interesting pour in New Haven right now.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · New Haven · Japanese, Sushi, Asian Fusion
Miso is a sushi restaurant first and a wine destination never — but the Monday half-price bottle program and a well-placed Riesling keep it from falling into Lazy List territory. Come for the food, drink the Riesling, and show up on a Monday if you can.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · New Haven · Japanese / Sushi
Kamakura Sushi is a solid neighborhood sushi spot and you should absolutely go — just order sake, beer, or a soft drink and leave the wine list alone. The wine program exists in name only, and no amount of goodwill toward the kitchen changes that.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
City Point / Waterfront · New Haven · Outdoor Seafood Grill
Shell & Bones is a reliable wine destination by New Haven waterfront standards — solid list, a sommelier on staff, and a happy hour that rewards the early arrivals. The markup stings a bit at full price, but the setting forgives a lot.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Downtown / Yale · New Haven · New American Hotel Restaurant
Heirloom is a hotel restaurant that quietly decided fortified and dessert wines were worth caring about, and that instinct alone makes it worth a detour. Don't come for a deep red wine list — come for the Tawnies, the Ben Rye, and the Madeira, and let the kitchen take care of the rest.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · New Haven · Italian / Umbrian
Skappo Merkato earns its Wild Card badge by doing something rare: committing fully to a region most restaurants ignore and making it work. If you're eating here anyway, skip the cocktail and let someone walk you through the Umbrian side of the list.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.