Italy's Greatest Hits, No Filler
Hudson Yards · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list lands like a love letter to the Italian peninsula — specifically the parts that matter most. Piedmont and Tuscany dominate, and they should, because when your roster includes Giacomo Conterno and Biondi-Santi, you lean in. This isn't a list trying to be everything; it's a list that knows exactly what it is.
With 350 to 500 bottles and a clear Italian axis, Locanda Verde Hudson Yards goes deep where it counts. Barolo gets the full treatment — Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, and Gaja anchoring a Piedmont section that could hold its own against dedicated wine bars. Tuscany matches the ambition with Biondi-Santi and Poggio di Sotto on the Brunello side and the full Super Tuscan pantheon — Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Tignanello — for those with the budget and the occasion. There are smaller, quieter gems tucked in too: Pieropan's Soave and Produttori del Barbaresco adding balance and value alongside the headliners. Italy outside these two regions is thin, but when your coverage of the two best regions is this thorough, it's hard to complain.
Twenty to thirty options by the glass is generous, and the program here shows real thought — you're not stuck choosing between anonymous Pinot Grigio and house Chianti. Nebbiolo d'Alba selections and Vernaccia di San Gimignano show up to give the glass pour program some personality. Glasses run $14 to $25, which is honest for Hudson Yards without being punishing.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco — $14–$25 by the glass
Produttori is a co-op that consistently punches above its price point — structured, serious Nebbiolo without the Gaja tax. In a room full of trophy bottles, this is the one that makes you look smart.
Pieropan Soave Classico
Everyone's chasing Barolo and nobody's talking about the Soave, which is exactly why you should order it. Pieropan is the benchmark producer for the appellation — mineral, precise, and a fraction of the price of anything in the Piedmont section.
Sassicaia
It's a great wine — no argument there — but at a Hudson Yards restaurant with a prestige Italian list, the markup on a bottle this famous is going to be brutal. You're paying for the name recognition as much as the wine. The money goes further almost anywhere else on this list.
Fontodi Chianti Classico + Rigatoni all'Amatriciana
Fontodi's Chianti Classico has the acidity to cut through the guanciale fat and the Sangiovese fruit to mirror the tomato. It's a textbook match that doesn't feel like homework — just a very good dinner.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Three sommeliers, a 400-bottle Italian deep-dive, and proper glassware in one of New York's glossiest new developments — Locanda Verde Hudson Yards earns its Wine Spectator hardware. The markups get steep at the top end, but the depth and expertise here make it worth the trip.
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
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