Grato

Walking into Grato, we're greeted by a polished Italian menu and a wine list that feels like it was assembled by someone who attended one Italian wine seminar and called it a day. The vibe suggests the restaurant focuses on food first, wine second — which isn't necessarily bad, but it shows.

The list leans heavily on Tuscany and Piedmont crowd-pleasers with predictable pricing that reflects the Palm Beach zip code more than the actual bottles. You'll find your Barolos and Brunellos, likely a Super Tuscan or two, and probably a safe Pinot Grigio for those who order white wine but don't really want to think about it. Given the Italian focus, we'd expect to see some interesting regional deep cuts — Etna Rosso, Friuli whites, maybe a Lambrusco for fun — but the evidence suggests they're playing it safer than a trust fund. The selection does what it needs to do for the tourist crowd and local regulars who want recognizable names, but it won't surprise anyone who's spent time drinking in Italy.

Glass pours are likely limited to the usual suspects: a Pinot Grigio, a Chianti, maybe a Prosecco. Nothing rotates, nothing challenges, nothing makes you want to order a second glass just to explore. The program feels set-and-forget, which means you're drinking the same pours in January that were on the list in July — and probably will be next year too.