Dependable Italian pours, no surprises needed
· Princeton · Italian / Pizza · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed September 18, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed LaScala's Fire Princeton’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at LaScala's Fire reads like a greatest-hits compilation of recognizable names — Kim Crawford, Santa Margherita, Veuve Clicquot — assembled for the guest who wants something familiar without having to think too hard. Thirty-four labels across the full list keeps things manageable, but don't come expecting to be surprised. This is a pizza and Italian spot that treats wine as a supporting act, not a headliner.
The list leans heavily Italian in spirit — Ruffino Chianti, Mezzacorona, Santa Margherita, Barone Fini — but the whites venture into California (Napa Cellars, Benziger Running Wild) and New Zealand (Kim Crawford) to keep the crowd happy. There's a Tenuta Campo al Mare Vermentino that actually shows some regional curiosity, and the sparkling section earns a nod for covering Prosecco, sparkling rosé, and Champagne bases. Reds, though, are thin — Ruffino Chianti and house Cab and Pinot are doing most of the heavy lifting, and anything adventurous in that category simply doesn't exist here. If you're hunting for a Barolo or even a solid Montepulciano, this list isn't your friend.
Twenty by-the-glass options is genuinely strong for a restaurant of this type, and running $10–$15 per glass keeps it accessible. The house pours anchor everything at $10, and options like the Fleurs de Prairie Rosé ($14/glass) and Benziger Running Wild Chardonnay ($14/glass) give you a step up without a painful price jump. The rotation doesn't appear to change frequently, so what you see is what you get — reliably.
The Bottom Line
LaScala's Fire Princeton offers a functional, crowd-friendly wine list that does the job without making any bold moves. The by-the-glass selection is genuinely broad and pricing stays reasonable at the lower end, but markups on recognizable names like Kim Crawford and Veuve Clicquot are steep enough to notice. Send a friend here for a casual pizza night — just point them toward the Vermentino or the Prosecco and away from the big-name bottles.
· Princeton · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Princeton delivers a competent, corporately assembled wine program that covers the bases without taking any real swings. Markups are steep across the board — this is not the place to drop serious money on a bottle — but the all-by-the-glass format and the Trimbach and Catena Zapata picks give you room to drink well if you choose carefully. Come for the steak; drink strategically.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Palmer Square · Princeton · Italian / Pizza & Wine Bar
Teresa's has the bones of something genuinely good — a wine-bar concept in a charming Princeton setting, with an Italian-leaning list and the kind of casual-but-intentional vibe that makes you want to linger over a second glass. We'd call it a Wild Card because the setup is promising and the concept is right, but without a fully sourced list in hand, we're betting on potential as much as proof. Worth a walk-in to find out.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Princeton · Wine Shop with Tastings
Princeton Corkscrew is doing something genuinely useful: shop-floor pricing on a focused, mostly Old World list that punishes nobody for wanting to drink well without a restaurant markup. The Dubreuil-Fontaine Beaune Premier Cru at $67.50 and the Tardieu-Laurent Rhône Blanc at $19 both represent the kind of value that makes a wine list worth paying attention to. If you're in Princeton and care about what's in your glass, this deserves a stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Princeton · Italian / American
Metro North's wine program is honest, approachable, and priced fairly for what it is — a crowd-pleasing list that gets out of the way and lets you eat dinner. If you're looking for discovery or depth, you won't find it here, but if you want a glass of something reliable at a fair price, the Nebbiolo and the Rosso di Montalcino are quietly doing the real work on this list.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Princeton · Farm-to-Table / New American
Brick Farm Tavern has no business having a wine list this interesting, and that's exactly the point. The markups are real — this isn't a value destination — but the curation earns genuine respect, especially with the local Unionville pours and the Slovenian Rebula Brut as curveballs. If you're driving out to Princeton for the farm-to-table experience anyway, the wine list is a legitimate reason not to skip it.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Princeton · Italian / Pizza
Nino's is almost certainly a solid neighborhood pizza spot, but the 'Wine Bar' tag is doing a lot of heavy lifting on a list this thin and this anonymous. If you're here for a slice and something to wash it down, you'll survive — but don't come expecting anything beyond the basics. Order the Lambrusco if you're feeling Italian, or just get a beer.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Gainesville · Italian / Pizza
Piesanos isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. The pricing is at least fair for what it is, and the Banfi Chianti or Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling will serve you better than defaulting to Canyon Road on autopilot. If wine matters to you, this is a beer-and-pizza night disguised as an Italian restaurant.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Norcross · Norcross · Italian / Pizza
Paizanos doesn't pretend to be a wine destination, but the list earns more respect than the casual dining format might suggest — fair pricing, a thoughtful Italian focus, and enough half-bottle options to keep the evening interesting. If you're heading to downtown Norcross for a weeknight dinner or a low-key date night, you can drink well here without working too hard to find the right bottle.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Truckee · Italian / Pizza
Zano's wine list is the restaurant equivalent of a reliable friend — it won't surprise you, but it won't let you down either. Fair prices, familiar producers, and a local wine cameo from Truckee River Winery give it just enough personality to earn a pass. If you're skiing in Truckee and need a bottle of Rombauer Chardonnay with your margherita, this is your spot.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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