Pizza joint hiding serious Italian firepower
Bellevue · Italian / Pizza · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Mercato Stellina Pizzeria’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into a pizzeria and the wine list opens with Tignanello and three Brunellos. That's not something you expect, and it absolutely earns a second look. At 18 bottles, this isn't a long list — but someone clearly gave a damn about what went on it.
The list leans hard into Italian reds, and that's the right call for a pizza spot — Produttori del Barbaresco, Felsina Fontalloro, Il Poggione Brunello, and Casanova di Neri give you a legitimate tour of Tuscany and Piedmont without padding the list with filler. Washington State gets a solid nod too, with Betz, Gramercy Cellars, and Spring Valley holding their own alongside the Italian heavyweights. The white and sparkling selection is thin — Scarpetta Prosecco and a house white are essentially your options — so if you're a Chardonnay or Vermentino person, you're eating humble pie. The Ferghettina Brut Rosé at $125 adds a little fizz, but the list is clearly built for red wine drinkers.
The list is structured as bottles only — we see no explicit by-the-glass program noted on the menu. If you're coming for a glass and a slice situation, confirm with the staff before you sit down, because the format here appears to be all-in on bottles.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco 2019 — $100
Produttori is a co-op that punches far above its price class — this is a serious Nebbiolo from one of the most respected names in Piedmont, and at $100 on a restaurant list, it's the pick of the room. You'd pay this or more at retail for a great vintage.
Gramercy Cellars Lagniappe Syrah 2018
Gramercy is one of Washington's finest producers and Lagniappe is their top-tier Syrah — most tables will scroll right past it chasing the Brunellos, but this bottle is a legitimate showstopper and a testament to what Walla Walla can do with the grape.
House Red or White
At $40 for an unnamed house pour, you're one step above a mystery grab bag. With the Barbaresco at $100 and real producers on this list, there's no reason to spend $40 on something with no identity — stretch a little or go home.
Marchese Antinori Chianti Riserva 2020 + Margherita pizza
Sangiovese and tomato sauce is one of the great marriages in food and wine — the acidity mirrors the sauce, the earthy tannins handle the char, and Antinori's Chianti Riserva brings enough structure to stand up to the crust without overwhelming the simplicity of the pie.
The Bottom Line
Mercato Stellina is a pizza spot that accidentally built a wine list worth talking about — the Italian backbone is legit, the Washington State picks are well-chosen, and the pricing is honest. If you're expecting a deep white or sparkling program you'll be disappointed, but for a Nebbiolo or a Syrah with your Neapolitan, this place delivers.
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Angelo's built a short, focused, all-Italian by-the-glass list and priced it fairly — that's a genuinely uncommon combination in the suburbs. We don't have enough intel on the food menu or staff to give it a full Rager endorsement, but the wine program alone earns a detour. If you're eating Italian in Bellevue and want something better than the usual suspects, this list rewards the curious.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Bellevue · Bellevue · Wine Bar
Valentina's is a genuinely pleasant neighborhood wine bar that earns its place in Old Bellevue — it's not breaking ground, but it's doing the basics with intention. Send a friend here for a date night glass; just don't expect a rabbit hole of discovery.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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13 Coins Bellevue earns its Wild Card badge by being a late-night diner that actually cares enough about wine to stock a geographically diverse list — not groundbreaking, but genuinely unexpected for the format. If Sunday happy hour is your move, this place becomes a legitimately fun spot to drink Washington wine over a Caesar salad at 11pm, which is a sentence we didn't think we'd be writing.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Novilhos isn't a wine destination, but it's a fair, functional list that respects your wallet and doesn't embarrass itself next to the meat. Order the Rioja, finish with Port, and let the churrasco do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellevue · Steakhouse
STK Bellevue is a reliable place to drink wine you already know at prices you'd rather not think about. If you're entertaining clients or celebrating something and need a list that won't confuse anyone, it gets the job done — just don't come here looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Norcross · Norcross · Italian / Pizza
Paizanos doesn't pretend to be a wine destination, but the list earns more respect than the casual dining format might suggest — fair pricing, a thoughtful Italian focus, and enough half-bottle options to keep the evening interesting. If you're heading to downtown Norcross for a weeknight dinner or a low-key date night, you can drink well here without working too hard to find the right bottle.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Truckee · Italian / Pizza
Zano's wine list is the restaurant equivalent of a reliable friend — it won't surprise you, but it won't let you down either. Fair prices, familiar producers, and a local wine cameo from Truckee River Winery give it just enough personality to earn a pass. If you're skiing in Truckee and need a bottle of Rombauer Chardonnay with your margherita, this is your spot.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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LaScala's Fire Princeton offers a functional, crowd-friendly wine list that does the job without making any bold moves. The by-the-glass selection is genuinely broad and pricing stays reasonable at the lower end, but markups on recognizable names like Kim Crawford and Veuve Clicquot are steep enough to notice. Send a friend here for a casual pizza night — just point them toward the Vermentino or the Prosecco and away from the big-name bottles.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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