Europe in a Chapel Hill bowl of something delicious
Unknown · Chapel Hill · Asian-inspired New American · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Lantern’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Eleven wines, all by the glass, no bottle list in sight — Lantern is not trying to be a wine destination and isn't pretending to be one. But flip through what's here and something clicks: this isn't a lazy afterthought. Someone with actual taste put this together.
The list leans hard into Italy and Austria with detours through Spain and a lone Sancerre holding down France. You'll find Schloss Gobelsburg's Zweigelt rosé, a Visintini Ramato Pinot Grigio from Friuli, and a Tenuta Tavignano orange pet-nat — these aren't names you stumble onto at a typical Chapel Hill restaurant. There's also a non-alcoholic Fritz Muller Müller-Thurgau Secco on the list, which signals genuine thoughtfulness about who's at the table. The gap is obvious — no bottle list means no depth for special occasions, and red wine lovers have exactly two options — but what's here is genuinely well-chosen.
All eleven options are pours, which makes this essentially a wine-bar-by-stealth situation. Prices run $12–$16, which is honest money for the quality on offer. The range spans sparkling, orange, rosé, white, and red, so you can actually drink differently across courses.
Weingut Minkowitsch Grüner Veltliner Mannersdorf 2023 — $14
Austrian Grüner at this price point is a straight-up steal for what the variety delivers — white pepper, citrus, clean acid. Exactly what you want next to something bright and herby on the menu.
Visintini Pinot Grigio Ramato Friuli DOP 2023
Most people hear Pinot Grigio and picture something forgettable. Ramato is the copper-skinned old-school Friulian version — grippy, amber, textured, and nothing like the stuff at the airport. Order it before someone else at your table does.
Fritz Muller Muller Thurgau Non-Alc Secco
Unless you're not drinking alcohol, skip it. Not a criticism of non-alc wine in general — just that at a table full of interesting European pours, this one's a placeholder, not a destination.
Schloss Gobelsburg 'Cistercien' Zweigelt Rosé Austria 2024 + Crispy duck
Zweigelt rosé has the weight to hold up to duck fat and the acidity to cut through it. Austrian, a little wild, just structured enough — it's the move.
The Bottom Line
Lantern's wine list is tiny but punches well above its size — it's the kind of BTG program that makes you trust the kitchen before the food even arrives. If you're in Chapel Hill and want something more interesting than the usual suspects, this is your spot.
Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill · Contemporary American / Casual Fine Dining
Hawthorne & Wood isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's doing more than most comparable spots in the area — the list is curated, the glass selection is generous, and a few real gems are hiding in plain sight. Send your friends here with instructions to order the Txakolina and the Rioja and ignore the Cab.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill · Seafood and Oyster Bar
Squid's isn't a wine destination, but it's a very good seafood restaurant with a list that doesn't get in its own way — and that Tuesday half-price bottle deal makes it a legitimate reason to show up on a weeknight. Come for the oysters, order the Sauvignon Blanc, and enjoy yourself.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill · Seafood-focused American grill
Bonefish Grill Chapel Hill is a reliable spot if you want a decent glass of wine with your seafood and zero surprises. Don't come here expecting discovery — come here expecting competence, and you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill · Italian
Carrabba's Chapel Hill isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — and with $10 off bottles on Wednesdays, it earns its place as a dependable neighborhood dinner with a list that won't embarrass you. Come for the pasta, take the deal, order the Montepulciano.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Mount Moriah · Chapel Hill · Steakhouse, American
Outback's wine list is a chain-steakhouse placeholder — functional, familiar, and deeply uninspired. Order a cocktail, enjoy the Bloomin' Onion, and save your wine curiosity for a restaurant that shares it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westgate · Chapel Hill · Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi
Kanki is a great place for a birthday dinner, a family outing, or watching a chef flip a shrimp into your mouth — the wine list is not the reason you're here, and it doesn't pretend to be. Order the sake, enjoy the show, and save the serious wine drinking for another night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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