Italy-first wine list with an ocean view
Atlantic City Boardwalk · Atlantic City · Italian, Seafood
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 18, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Linguini by the Sea’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Linguini by the Sea, the Atlantic Ocean does a lot of the heavy lifting before you even open the wine list. But the list itself earns some attention too — it's focused, Italian all the way through, and priced in a range that won't make you choke on your oyster. This is a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence holder since 2021, and the Italian depth shows.
The list runs 150-250 bottles and stays almost exclusively in Italian territory, which is exactly the right call for a restaurant of this stripe. You've got serious producers like Gaja in Barbaresco, Antinori's Tignanello pulling weight in the Super Tuscan corner, and Mastroberardino's Taurasi representing Campania with authority. Southern Italy gets a real seat at the table — Feudi di San Gregorio's Fiano di Avellino and Planeta's Nero d'Avola are both legit inclusions that signal someone actually cares about the peninsula below Rome. The weak spot is everything outside Italy: it's basically not there, which is a fine choice as long as you came here for Italian, and you should have.
Ten to twenty by-the-glass options keeps things manageable without feeling like you're stuck choosing between two bad options. The $10-$18 glass price range is reasonable for a boardwalk fine dining spot in a casino market where operators can and do gouge freely. We'd love to see a little more rotation here — right now it reads more like a static menu than an active glass program.
Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino — $35–$50
Southern Italian whites are chronically underpriced relative to their quality, and Feudi's Fiano is a textbook example — mineral, structured, genuinely interesting — sitting at the low end of a list that goes much higher. Order it before the Blue Point Oysters and don't look back.
Mastroberardino Taurasi
Most tables at a boardwalk Italian spot are reaching for the Tignanello or the Amarone because the names ring a bell. Taurasi from Mastroberardino — the family that essentially preserved Campanian winemaking — is the serious drinker's pick. Aglianico-based, built for long haul, and routinely overlooked by anyone not already hunting for it.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
Santa Margherita is the wine that taught a generation of Americans that Pinot Grigio costs $40, and it's been coasting on that reputation ever since. It's fine — it's always fine — but on a list with Fiano di Avellino on it, spending money here is a missed opportunity dressed in a familiar label.
Planeta Nero d'Avola + Handcrafted Pasta
Nero d'Avola from Planeta is dark-fruited and warm without being heavy, which makes it a natural fit for a rich pasta — think something with a tomato-braised meat component. Sicily and Southern Italian pasta are essentially the same cultural conversation, and this pairing feels earned rather than engineered.
The Bottom Line
Linguini by the Sea isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's a genuinely solid Italian list in a setting where it could easily be much worse. If you're eating here — and the ocean view alone is reason enough — the wine program will take care of you.
· Atlantic City · Steakhouse
We wouldn't fly to Atlantic City for this wine list, but if you're already here, this is the last thing you expected and the best reason to sit down. Six bottles, zero safe choices — someone cares, and it shows.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Tennessee Avenue · Atlantic City · American / Beer Hall
Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall is exactly what it sounds like — come for the beer, and come for the atmosphere. If your crew insists on wine, the Bezel Pinot is a worthy pour, but don't come here expecting a wine program that keeps up with the rest of the experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Boardwalk/Park Place · Atlantic City · Steakhouse, Seafood, Contemporary American
Park Place Prime is exactly what a casino steakhouse wine list should be — familiar, functional, and tilted toward the crowd writing checks. It won't thrill anyone looking for discovery, but if you want a solid Cab with your dry-aged steak and don't mind paying casino prices for the privilege, it gets the job done.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Ocean Casino Resort · Atlantic City · Italian-American
Superfrico is a reliable wine program in a setting designed to get you to spend money — and it mostly delivers without being a total shakedown. Send a friend here for a fun night, not a wine education.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Chelsea · Atlantic City · Italian
Boca Coal Fired Bistro is a reliable neighborhood Italian with a wine list to match — nothing you haven't seen before, but nothing to embarrass yourself with either. Stick to the Chianti Classico, enjoy the pizza, and don't come here expecting to be wowed by what's in the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
The Walk/Tanger Outlets · Atlantic City · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Atlantic City is a reliable, well-executed steakhouse wine program that does exactly what it says on the label — deep California Cab selection, competent staff, proper storage, steep prices. Send a friend here if they want a sure thing, not if they're looking to be surprised.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Anthem/Seven Hills · Henderson · Italian, Seafood
Ventano is a reliable date-night option when you want a wine that sounds impressive to your table without requiring anyone to think too hard. The list won't challenge you, but it won't embarrass you either — just watch the markups.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Lamar · Austin · Italian, Seafood
A neighborhood Italian spot with a better wine list than it has any obligation to have — and Wednesday half-price wine night is one of the better deals in Austin. Come for the pasta, stay for the Barolo.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Jersey City · Jersey City · Italian, Seafood
Battello is a reliable destination for Italian wine done with genuine care — Carmine's Piedmont and Tuscany selections show real knowledge, even if the pricing on the prestige bottles requires deep pockets. Come for the Barbaresco and the view, skip the trophy bottles.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
