La Foresta Restaurant & Wine Bar

You're on Route 81 in Killingworth — not exactly a wine destination — and then you walk into La Foresta and the list is 300-plus bottles deep with Gaja Barbaresco and Sassicaia staring back at you. It hits differently. This is a serious wine program wearing a cozy neighborhood Italian's clothes.

The Italian spine here is the real deal: Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa on the Barolo side, Biondi-Santi and Banfi for Brunello, and the Super Tuscan holy trinity of Tignanello, Sassicaia, and Ornellaia all present. California gets a fair shake with Caymus and Silver Oak holding it down for the crowd-pleaser contingent, while Louis Jadot and a respectable run of Bordeaux châteaux round out the French chapter. The gaps are minor — Spain gets a nod but feels like a supporting character — but the Italian depth alone justifies the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence this place has held since 2016.

Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is generous for a restaurant this size, and the $12–$22 price window means you can actually explore without defaulting to the cheapest pour. With Francesco Lulaj working the floor, the glass program feels curated rather than just whatever needs to move — ask what's open.