Italy's greatest hits, steps from Carnegie Hall
Upper West Side · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list arrives and it reads like a love letter to the Italian peninsula — specifically the parts that make collectors sweat. This is a serious book, the kind you flip through slowly while the Lincoln Center fountain glows outside the window. The setting sets expectations high, and the list mostly delivers.
Piedmont and Tuscany anchor everything here, and the depth in both regions is genuinely impressive for a restaurant rather than a dedicated wine bar. Barolo alone pulls names like Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, and Gaja — that's not a list, that's a flex. Tuscany counters with Biondi-Santi and Soldera on the Brunello side, plus the Super Tuscan holy trinity of Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and Tignanello if you want to go full showboat. The Chianti Classico Riserva section quietly earns its keep with Castello di Ama and Fontodi keeping things honest for those not dropping triple digits.
Twenty to thirty-five pours is a strong by-the-glass program for a room this focused on Italian. Prices start around $15-$20 a glass, which is reasonable for the zip code and the brand names on the bottle list. We'd love to see more rotation and a stated system for keeping opened bottles fresh, but the sheer volume of options means you can build a solid Italian flight without ordering a full bottle.
Chianti Classico Riserva, Fontodi — $60
In a list stacked with century-dollar Barolos, Fontodi's Chianti Classico Riserva is the smart play — a serious, structured Sangiovese from one of the appellation's best producers at a price that doesn't make you do math at the table.
Barbaresco, Produttori del Barbaresco
Everyone reaches for Gaja and pays for the name. Produttori del Barbaresco is a cooperative that consistently punches above its price, making wines that rival single-estate Barbaresco at a fraction of the fanfare. Easy to overlook next to the celebrity bottles — don't.
Tignanello, Antinori
Tignanello is a great wine. It's also one of the most widely distributed bottles in the world, which means you can find it at retail for considerably less than what a fine dining markup in Midtown will cost you. Save the budget for something with more list exclusivity.
Barolo, Bruno Giacosa + Osso buco
Giacosa's Barolo brings the tannic structure and dried rose-and-tar complexity that can stand up to braised veal shank without steamrolling it. The wine's acidity cuts the richness of the gremolata-laced braise in exactly the way you want it to.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Lincoln Ristorante's wine program is the real thing — a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence earned honestly, anchored by one of the more credible Italian lists in New York City. The markups sting, but if you're eating here, you came to play.
Midtown West · New York · Russian-American
The Russian Tea Room treats wine as an afterthought dressed up in Champagne flutes — five famous labels at punishing prices with no range, no by-the-glass program, and no apparent curiosity about wine beyond what looks impressive on a table. Go for the spectacle, order the caviar, but don't come here expecting a wine list.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
David Burke Tavern's list is a Chardonnay lover's comfort zone with a solid sparkling section propping up the top — but the narrow focus and steep pricing mean you're paying for familiarity, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want California whites and a glass of Champagne; send them somewhere else if they want to explore.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Village · New York · American
Cecchi's is first and foremost a bar, but the wine list is more serious than the neon and noise suggest. Steep markups are the main ding — but if you know what to order, there's real pleasure here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Steak House, Small Plates
The Corner Store is a reliable, well-credentialed wine list doing exactly what a good SoHo steakhouse should — France and California, done with intention, in a room that makes you want to order another bottle. Just watch the markup on the big Bordeaux names and let the Rhône or Burgundy side show you a better time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Tribeca · New York · American
Farra is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood wine bar, and the Wine Spectator nod is earned — just know that the serious bottles come with serious prices, and the no-sommelier setup means you're doing some of the navigating yourself. Worth it for anyone who knows what they want; potentially overwhelming for those who don't.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Toledo / Reynolds Corner · Toledo · Italian
There's one reason to come here for wine: Thursday. Half-price bottles on a standing weekly basis is a genuinely good deal, especially on the Santa Margherita. Any other night, the markups are steep and the list doesn't justify them.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Toledo/Monroe Street · Toledo · Italian
Carrabba's Toledo isn't a destination for wine — but it's not an embarrassment either. The Ruffino Chianti Classico alone earns its keep, and if you stick to the Italian side of the list, you'll drink reasonably well without drama.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.