King Umberto
Long Island's Serious Italian Wine Secret
Elmont · Elmont · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You're pulling into a strip on Hempstead Turnpike and the last thing you expect is Sassicaia and Biondi-Santi on the same list. King Umberto's wine program hits differently than its suburban Long Island surroundings suggest — this is a white-tablecloth room that takes its bottles seriously enough to earn a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2025. The list lands on the table with real weight.
Selection Deep Dive
The program runs 300 to 500 bottles deep with a clear Italian spine — Tuscany and Piedmont are the stars here. You've got the Super Tuscan murderer's row: Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and Tignanello all present, alongside Barolo from Gaja and Marchesi di Barolo and Brunello from Biondi-Santi and Banfi. California gets its own serious section with Opus One, Silver Oak, and Caymus showing up for the red-meat crowd. The gaps are real — if you're hunting Burgundy, Loire, or anything from the Southern Hemisphere, you'll come up short — but within its lane, this list is genuinely deep.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is an unusually robust program for a neighborhood Italian, and it means you can actually explore the list without committing to a full bottle. The glass selection tracks the bottle list's strengths — expect Italian varietals to anchor the options. Rotation appears limited, so don't count on surprises week to week.
Marchesi di Barolo Barolo — $90
Barolo from a legitimate Piedmontese producer at a price point that likely sits below what comparable bottles cost nearby — and it's built to cut through the kitchen's richest plates.
Banfi Brunello di Montalcino
Banfi gets overlooked because it's widely distributed and considered unglamorous next to Biondi-Santi, but the wine itself is consistent, food-friendly, and a smarter order for the table than its reputation suggests.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is marked up aggressively everywhere it appears, and this is not the exception. At an Italian restaurant with Barolo and Brunello on the same list, ordering Caymus is leaving the interesting stuff behind for a wine you've had before.
Tignanello + Veal Chop
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has the structure and dark fruit to stand up to a bone-in veal chop without bullying it — the acidity keeps each bite tasting fresh.
🎲 The Bottom Line
King Umberto is the kind of place that sneaks up on you — a Long Island Italian-American institution with a wine list serious enough to make you reconsider what you thought this room was. No sommelier, no flashy programming, but real bottles at a real depth, and that's enough to earn the drive.
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