Greek Wine in Chicago? Finally, Someone Gets It.
Fulton Market · Chicago · Greek · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 13, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You walk into Lyra's moody, buzzy Fulton Market dining room and the wine list feels like it actually belongs here — not an afterthought bolted onto a pretty restaurant. The Greek focus is real and committed, not a token Assyrtiko dropped in next to a wall of California Cabs. This is one of the few spots in Chicago where you can actually explore Greek wine with intention.
The list runs 120-180 bottles and leans hard into Greece, which is exactly what it should do. Santorini is well represented with Domaine Sigalas and Hatzidakis both showing up for Assyrtiko — two of the island's benchmark producers — alongside Gaia's Thalassitis, which is a serious third option in the same grape. Northern Greece gets love too: Boutari Naoussa and Alpha Estate both bring Xinomavro to the table, the grape that deserves to be talked about the way people talk about Nebbiolo. Domaine Gerovassiliou's Malagousia rounds out the white side nicely. California fills out the gaps with crowd-pleasing anchors like Kosta Browne and Ridge, keeping the list accessible without being lazy.
With 12-18 pours running $12-$22, the by-the-glass program has real range for a cuisine-focused restaurant. The hope is that Greek bottles rotate through the glass program — an Assyrtiko by the glass at a Greek restaurant in Chicago is exactly what the city needs more of. The pricing ceiling at $22 is reasonable for the Fulton Market zip code.
Boutari Naoussa Xinomavro — $45–$65
Xinomavro is the Nebbiolo of Greece — high acid, savory, structured — and Boutari is the accessible entry point into the grape. At the lower end of Lyra's price range, you're getting a wine that would command serious attention in a blind tasting. Order this before the table defaults to something familiar.
Domaine Gerovassiliou Malagousia
Most people at this table are reaching for the Assyrtiko, and understandably so. But Malagousia is the white grape that Greek wine geeks actually get excited about — floral, aromatic, lower acid than Assyrtiko, and genuinely distinctive. Gerovassiliou basically rescued the variety from near-extinction. Skip past it and you're missing something.
Kosta Browne Pinot Noir
Kosta Browne is fine wine, no argument there, but you didn't come to a Greek restaurant in Fulton Market to drink a $90+ Sonoma Pinot that you could order at a hundred other places in Chicago. The markup on well-known California names rarely favors the diner, and the opportunity cost here is real — that money goes much further on the Greek side of this list.
Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko + Whole Roasted Fish
Sigalas Assyrtiko is high-acid, mineral, and saline in a way that almost tastes like it was designed to sit next to fish pulled from the Aegean. The whole roasted fish at Lyra is the move anyway, and this pairing is about as culinarily honest as it gets — same soil, same sea, same table.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Lyra earns its Wine Spectator nod by doing something genuinely rare in Chicago: building a wine list that takes Greek producers seriously and prices them fairly. If you've been sleeping on Greek wine, this is the restaurant that will change that.
West Loop · Chicago · Californian
The Oakville Grill earns its Wine Spectator credential and the sommelier duo makes this list accessible, not intimidating. Wednesday half-price wine night alone is reason enough to get a reservation — just let go of the idea that anything other than California is on the agenda.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Lincoln Park · Chicago · American
John's is a neighborhood spot that punches well above its casual format — two sommeliers, a thoughtful France-and-California list, fair prices, and half-price bottles every Monday. Send your friends here, especially on a Monday.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
River North · Chicago · American, Seafood
Terrace 16 earns its Wine Spectator badge and delivers a respectable, California-and-France-focused list in one of Chicago's most dramatic dining rooms. Just don't expect to be surprised — the wine is as reliable as the skyline view, and nearly as expensive.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
River North · Chicago · French, Indian
Indienne is the Wild Card in the truest sense — a fusion kitchen with a genuinely considered wine program that earns its Wine Spectator nod. Yes, send a friend here for wine, but make sure they skip the Napa Cab and lead with Riesling.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Loop · Chicago · Steak house
BLVD Steakhouse doesn't reinvent the steakhouse wine list, but it executes the formula competently — solid producers, proper storage, and enough range to keep a table of Cab loyalists happy all night. Just go in with your eyes open on the markups and skip the trophy-bottle trap.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Magnificent Mile · Chicago · American
Adorn is a reliable, well-staffed wine program in a high-overhead setting — you're paying for the view and the address, but the list itself is legitimate. Send a friend here who wants solid French and California bottles without doing homework first.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Central City · Salt Lake City · Greek
Manoli's wine list is doing something most restaurants in Salt Lake City won't bother trying — it's actually teaching you something about Greek wine without making you feel like you're in a classroom. If you're even mildly curious about Old World grapes beyond the usual suspects, this is worth your time.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Greenpoint · Brooklyn · Greek
Nerina is doing something genuinely rare in New York: building a focused, serious Greek wine program in a neighborhood that could coast on vibes alone. If you've ever wanted a guided tour of Greek wine without booking a flight to Athens, this is your table.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Seaport District · Boston · Greek
Trade is doing something genuinely rare in Boston: taking Greek wine seriously and giving diners the tools to explore it without a lecture. If you're eating anywhere near the Seaport and curious about what's actually in your glass, this is the move.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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