Italy Meets Napa, Jersey City Wins
Jersey City · Jersey City · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed April 18, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The list arrives and it means business — Italy front and center, California riding shotgun, and a price range that doesn't immediately make you regret coming. For a steakhouse in Jersey City, this is a serious wine effort, and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence it's held since 2023 is not just wall decoration.
The Italian backbone is legitimately strong: Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa representing Barolo, Biondi-Santi and Banfi holding down Brunello di Montalcino, and the Super Tuscan crowd-pleasers — Sassicaia, Tignanello — for the table that wants to spend and show it. Amarone della Valpolicella rounds out the northern Italian flank, which means you can drink your way through the peninsula without leaving your seat. California gets a respectable runway too, with Caymus and Jordan on the Cab side and Rombauer and Far Niente flying the Chardonnay flag. Gaps exist — there's no real presence from Burgundy, the Rhône, or anywhere outside Italy and California — but within those two lanes, the list is well-stocked and purposeful.
Twelve to twenty pours is a healthy spread for a room like this, with glass prices running $14–$22 — reasonable for the ambience and the neighborhood. We'd push staff to tell you what's actually rotating, because nothing here suggests an active program refreshing the BTG list with much urgency. Pick something Italian and you'll land well.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $60
Jordan consistently drinks above its price point — structured, food-friendly, and a natural match for the dry-aged ribeye. At a steakhouse with Sassicaia on the menu, Jordan is where the smart money goes.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Most tables here are hunting Barolo or Super Tuscans, which means the Amarone gets slept on. It's a bigger, richer wine with dried-fruit intensity that goes head-to-head with the osso buco in a way nothing else on this list can.
Rombauer Chardonnay
Rombauer is a fine wine but it's also one of the most marked-up labels in American restaurants. You can find it at retail everywhere — paying steakhouse prices here for a bottle this familiar doesn't add up.
Bruno Giacosa Barolo + Dry-aged ribeye
Giacosa's Barolo brings the tar, roses, and firm tannins that a well-marbled dry-aged ribeye was basically born to meet. This is the pairing you came to a place like Felina for — don't overthink it.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Felina Steak isn't going to surprise a serious wine drinker, but it's going to satisfy one — and that's not nothing. If you're crossing the Hudson for an Italian steak dinner, the wine list earns its keep.
Downtown · Jersey City · Australian-influenced, Natural Wine Bar
Frankie is a genuinely surprising wine program hiding inside a casual downtown spot, and the Italian-leaning natural wine list punches well above the Grove Street zip code. If you're in Jersey City and care about what's in your glass, this is where you go.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Hoboken Waterfront · Jersey City · Barbecue
House of 'Que is a genuinely fun spot for barbecue and live music — just don't come here expecting wine to be part of the experience. Order a beer, eat the brisket, and save your wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Jersey City Waterfront · Jersey City · Steakhouse, Seafood, American
Edward's is a reliable steakhouse wine list for guests who want Napa Cabs with their dry-aged beef and aren't looking to be challenged. Send a friend here who loves Jordan and Stag's Leap; don't send the one who's been on a natural wine kick.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Jersey City · Jersey City · Mexican
Orale isn't a wine destination, but it's a casual Mexican spot that earned a Wild Card badge by putting a Bonny Doon orange wine and a proper Albariño on a short, accessible, fairly priced list. Send a friend here who thinks Mexican restaurants don't do wine — they'll leave surprised.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Grove Street · Jersey City · American
Mathews is a reliable neighborhood pour — fair prices, familiar bottles, and a by-the-glass selection that works well enough for a casual dinner on Grove Street. Don't come here to geek out on wine, but don't skip the Montepulciano either.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Exchange Place · Jersey City · New American / Bar Food
Come for the skyline, order a cocktail, and if you're committed to wine, the Il Poggione is your move and the Louis Jadot at $118 is your warning sign. This list has the energy of a hotel bar that knows guests are too distracted by the view to notice.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Toledo / Reynolds Corner · Toledo · Italian
There's one reason to come here for wine: Thursday. Half-price bottles on a standing weekly basis is a genuinely good deal, especially on the Santa Margherita. Any other night, the markups are steep and the list doesn't justify them.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Toledo/Monroe Street · Toledo · Italian
Carrabba's Toledo isn't a destination for wine — but it's not an embarrassment either. The Ruffino Chianti Classico alone earns its keep, and if you stick to the Italian side of the list, you'll drink reasonably well without drama.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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