Lebanese wine country, right on Fifth Avenue
Flatiron/NoMad · New York · Lebanese · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed March 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Ilili NYC’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open a wine list at a Lebanese restaurant in Flatiron and expect the usual suspects — a Sancerre, a California Cab, maybe a token rosé. What you get instead is 470 bottles, a dedicated section of Lebanese producers, and the creeping feeling that you've been underestimating this cuisine's relationship with wine for years. It's a genuine gut-check moment.
The Lebanese section anchors the whole thing, and it's not a novelty — Chateau Musar alone could justify a visit, and ilili even hosts dedicated Musar wine dinners. Beyond Lebanon, the list pulls from France, Italy, and California with enough depth to satisfy the old-world purists and the new-world explorers at the same table. At 470 selections, there's real range here, and it doesn't feel padded — this list has a point of view. The only gap worth noting is that Eastern Mediterranean coverage beyond Lebanon could go deeper, but that's a stretch complaint given what's already here.
Fifteen to twenty pours by the glass is a healthy number for a list this focused, and the glass program appears to rotate enough that you won't find the same tired Chardonnay every visit. The presence of Lebanese producers by the glass — not just buried in the bottle list — is the differentiator; that's a commitment most restaurants wouldn't bother making. Pour prices are reasonable given the NYC context.
Paul Buisse Cremant de Loire NV — $17
A 68% markup on a solid sparkling wine in Manhattan is practically an act of charity. This is your aperitif opener — bright, food-friendly, and priced like they want you to actually order it.
Ixsir Altitudes White 2018
Most tables walk right past Lebanese whites and reach for the Chablis out of habit. The Ixsir Altitudes is a high-elevation Lebanese white that holds its own against anything French on this list — and at $14 a glass, it's the kind of discovery that makes a dinner memorable.
Laurent Perrier Champagne Brut NV
A hundred percent markup lands it at $25 a glass, which is technically 'fair for NYC Champagne' — but Laurent Perrier Brut is a grocery store splurge bottle dressed up in restaurant clothes. When the Cremant de Loire is right there at $17, this one doesn't earn its keep.
Chateau Musar Red + Lamb chops with garlic sauce
Musar's signature blend of Cabernet, Cinsault, and Carignan has that savory, slightly oxidative character that was basically made to sit next to charred lamb and aggressive garlic. It's a regional handshake — both the wine and the dish come from the same culinary tradition, and it shows.
The Bottom Line
Ilili is the rare restaurant where the wine list actually teaches you something — specifically that Lebanon makes serious wine and you've been sleeping on it. With fair markups, a sommelier who clearly cares, and 470 bottles anchored by one of New York's best Lebanese selections, this is absolutely worth a detour.
Midtown · New York · French Brasserie
La Grande Boucherie earns its place as a reliable stop for wine in Midtown, especially if you're leaning French. The glass list is genuinely wide and has some smart picks buried in it — the Fleurie and the Wiemer Riesling both punch above their price points. Markups trend steep as you climb the bottle list, so your money works hardest in the by-the-glass section. If you're here for the brasserie experience, the wine program holds up its end of the deal.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Steakhouse
BLT Prime's wine program is glass-only, which limits your options if you came for a big bottle moment, but the pricing is honest and the selection is more thoughtful than most steakhouses bother with. If you're keeping it casual and ordering by the glass, you can drink well here without feeling taken advantage of — and that's not nothing in this city.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
The Palm Midtown is not where you'd expect to find Puzelat and Ruth Lewandowski sitting next to each other on a wine list — which is exactly what makes it worth a second look. Six bottles is a short menu, but all six are defensible picks at prices that don't insult you. If you're in the mood to trust the list and not overthink it, this works.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murray Hill · New York · Classic American Steakhouse
Wolfgang's is a reliable steakhouse wine experience in the sense that you know exactly what you're getting: a list built around the bottle you already know, priced for the room you're sitting in. If you're here to close a deal over a Porterhouse for Two, the wine list will do its job without embarrassing anyone — but it's not going to surprise you, and it's almost certainly going to cost more than it should. Go in with eyes open and a strong second-choice red in mind.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is a rare thing in New York: a focused, regionally coherent program that commits hard to Greek and Eastern Mediterranean varieties without making you feel like you need a flashcard to order. The by-the-glass selection alone — 18 options, all under $18, featuring producers most wine lists wouldn't touch — makes this worth visiting even before the food arrives. If you eat here and order a Cabernet, that's on you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Italian
A long bottle list with Italian, Burgundy and Champagne sections, fronted by a 22-wine glass page. For a glass, try the Skerk Orange Wine from Friuli at 25/95, and for a bottle on a lighter budget, the Volpaia Vermentino at 60; upstairs in the café, the labeled list pours Palistorti di Valgiano's orange Tuscan blend at Glass $22. Confirm prices before you order, because the site's Upstairs Café dinner menu and the beverage PDF do not match. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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