Lidia's Italy, Transplanted to Kansas City
Crossroads Arts District · Kansas City · Italian-American · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 29, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Lidia's Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Lidia's KC arrives with the confidence of a Bastianich family name behind it — and it mostly delivers. Italy leads the charge, which makes sense, and the 150-plus label count feels substantial without being overwhelming. What tempers the excitement is the pricing, which trends toward the generous side of restaurant math throughout.
The Italian backbone is legitimately good: Friuli gets proper representation through Bastianich's own house labels, Tuscany shows up with the Antinori Il Bruciato, and there's a Barolo from La Spinona for anyone ready to go deep. Napa sneaks in with a Paul Hobbs 2019 Cabernet and an Antinori Napa Cab from 2016, which feels a little like the kitchen hedging toward crowd-pleasing American palates. France makes a quiet appearance via Philipponnat Champagne, which is a thoughtful inclusion. The gaps are in the Southern Italian and natural wine directions — if you're hunting Campania, Sicilia, or anything skin-contact, you'll come up short.
Eighteen by-the-glass options is a genuinely strong number for Kansas City, running $11 to $24 a pour. The Bastianich Prosecco Flor Rosé anchors the sparkling end and is an easy opener. We'd like to see more rotation through the Italian regions — right now the glass program feels like it could be doing more work for the list.
Antinori Il Bruciato — $45
At 80% over retail, it's not a steal, but it's the most reasonable markup on the list and it's a genuinely crowd-pleasing Bolgheri red that drinks well above its price class. Order this before the Vespa Rosso.
Langhe Nebbiolo Andrea Oberto
Baby Barolo energy at a fraction of the cost. Most tables walk right past this and head straight for the big Barolo — don't be most tables. This is where the real QPR lives on the Italian side of the list.
Prosecco Baldi
117% markup on a $18 retail bottle is hard to swallow. At $39 you're paying for bubbles that have no business being that expensive. The Bastianich Flor Rosé is only a few dollars more and is a meaningfully better pour.
Vespa Rosso Bastianich + Pappardelle Bolognese
The Vespa Rosso is a Friulian blend built around Refosco and Merlot — earthy, dark-fruited, and structured enough to stand up to a rich, long-braised Bolognese without steamrolling it. It's the most Italian handshake on the menu.
The Bottom Line
Lidia's KC is a reliable, Italian-forward list with enough depth to keep a wine-curious table busy — just know that you're paying a premium for the name and the room. Go in with a target bottle in mind and you'll eat and drink very well.
Kansas City · Kansas City · Italian
Osteria Il Centro punches well above its neighborhood bistro billing — this is a serious Italian wine list in a city that doesn't always get serious Italian wine lists. The markup stings and there's no sommelier to guide you through the depth, but if you know what you want or ask the right questions, you'll eat and drink very well here.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Crossroads / Westside border (Southwest Boulevard) · Kansas City · Spanish tapas / small plates
La Bodega is the Wild Card Kansas City didn't know it needed — a genuinely Spain-focused wine list with fair pricing and a half-price Monday that should be on everyone's weekly calendar. Send your friends here, especially on a Wednesday when the paella and a Rioja Reserva are waiting.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Columbus Park / Downtown Fringe · Kansas City · Classic Italian-American
Garozzo's is a Kansas City institution, and the wine list knows its lane — Italian classics, middle-of-the-road pricing, and zero pretension. Send a friend here for the Spiedini and a Chianti; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Brookside / East Brookside · Kansas City · Seafood-focused American / Oyster Bar
Earl's Premier is a wild card in the best possible way: a thoughtfully curated, seafood-focused wine list hiding in a Kansas City neighborhood spot. Send your oyster-loving friends here and tell them to start with bubbles.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Country Club Plaza · Kansas City · Seafood / Oyster Bar
Jax KC isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't need to be — but the list is smarter than the room might suggest, with a few genuine standouts that reward paying attention. Send a friend here for oysters and Sancerre, and tell them to skip the markups on anything California.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Freight House / Crossroads · Kansas City · Italian
Lidia's is a reliable Italian wine destination with a focused list and real sommelier knowledge behind it — the markups sting on the entry-level bottles, but Wednesday half-price wine night changes the math entirely. If you're going any other night, aim high on the list where the value is better.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Venice · Los Angeles · Italian-American
Ospi keeps it tight and keeps it fair — 13 wines, honest markups, and enough Italian backbone to match the menu without turning into a wine bar that forgot to serve food. If you're after depth or discovery, you'll outgrow this list quickly, but for a relaxed Venice dinner where you just want something good in your glass without overthinking it, the Cascina Barbera or the Montepeloso will do exactly what you need.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Branson · Italian-American
Pasghetti's isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. If you're here for the pasta and the family-friendly Branson vibe, grab a Lambrusco and call it a night — but don't expect the wine program to be part of the reason you come back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Portsmouth · Italian-American
The Rosa isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to serve its room well, and largely succeeds. Twenty-five by-the-glass options with Italian producers mixed alongside California staples makes this one of the more thoughtful pours in Portsmouth. If you're after wine-bar ambition, look elsewhere; if you want a reliable glass with your gnocchi without any drama, The Rosa delivers.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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