Hell's Kitchen's Quiet Italian Wine Anchor
Hell's Kitchen · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 19, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Nizza’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Nizza reads like a love letter to the Italian peninsula — organized, confident, and not trying too hard to impress. For a cozy trattoria sandwiched between pre-theater tourists and Hell's Kitchen regulars, the depth here is a genuine surprise. Gabriel Richter's fingerprints are all over it: this is a list built by someone who actually cares.
Italy gets the full treatment — Piedmont anchors the list with serious Barolo and Barbaresco representation, while Tuscany brings the heavy hitters: Sassicaia, Tignanello, and Brunello di Montalcino all make appearances. Chianti Classico Riserva holds down the mid-tier with the kind of everyday-drinking credibility that makes Italian wine lists worth returning to. The north gets its moment too, with Alto Adige Pinot Grigio and Gavi di Gavi offering lighter alternatives that don't feel like afterthoughts. What's missing is anything outside Italy — but honestly, that focus is a feature, not a bug.
The by-the-glass program runs 10-20 options, which is more than enough to make a meal of it without committing to a bottle. Expect solid representation across reds and whites, likely pulling from the same Italian producers on the bottle list. Rotation feels consistent rather than adventurous — what's there is reliable, even if it doesn't change with the seasons.
Chianti Classico Riserva — $55
A well-made Chianti Classico Riserva in the $50s at a New York trattoria is a legitimate deal — expect Sangiovese with structure and restraint that punches well above its price point on a Manhattan wine list.
Gavi di Gavi
Most people reaching for an Italian white here will default to Pinot Grigio, but Gavi di Gavi — dry, mineral, with that distinctive almond finish — is the smarter play and usually the better value on lists like this.
Sassicaia
We love Sassicaia as much as anyone, but Super Tuscans at the top of a restaurant wine list carry serious markup. If you're paying for the name here, you're paying a lot for it — save the Sassicaia splurge for a restaurant where the markup is more honest.
Barbaresco + Grilled Broccolini
Barbaresco's earthy Nebbiolo character — roses, tar, dried herbs — finds a surprisingly natural counterpart in charred, bitter broccolini. The wine's tannins soften against the vegetable's slight sweetness, and the whole thing feels more intentional than it has any right to.
The Bottom Line
Nizza isn't trying to be a wine destination, but its Award of Excellence since 2009 is no accident — this is a thoughtful, Italy-focused list run by someone who knows what they're doing. Send a friend here if they want solid Italian wine without the Midtown markup or the fine-dining theatrics.
Downtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Downtown is a place where people order Champagne to celebrate, not to drink — and the wine program is built accordingly. If you're here for the vibe and someone else is paying, pop the Dom and enjoy it; if you actually care about what's in your glass, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Upscale Seafood & Steakhouse
Three happy hour wines do not a wine program make. Ocean Prime is a place you eat well and drink safely — but if wine is a priority, this list will let you down before the bread basket arrives.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Midtown is a great place to see and be seen, but the wine list is there to pad the check, not to excite you. If you're here for the experience, lean on the cocktails or grab a glass of Bonanza at the bar — don't expect the bottle list to reward any real curiosity.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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
· Lansing · Italian
Carrabba's Lansing isn't a wine destination — it's a chain with a four-bottle list that skews heavily toward one California region and ignores everything Italian about the menu. Come for the pasta, skip the wine program, or catch one of their Paso Robles wine dinners if the timing works out.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
· Las Cruces · Italian
La Bella Vita's wine list won't make a wine geek's heart race, but it's fairly priced, almost entirely available by the glass, and leans into its Italian identity in the right places. Send a friend here if they want a solid glass of Chianti without a lesson.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· West Palm Beach · Italian
Cafe Sapori's wine list is a reliable Italian-leaning companion — not adventurous, not cheap, but curated enough that the right picks reward you. Skip the Whispering Angel, dig into the Tuscans, and you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
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.
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