Hell's Kitchen's Quiet Italian Wine Anchor
Hell's Kitchen · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed April 19, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Nizza’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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.
SoHo · New York · Italian
A long bottle list with Italian, Burgundy and Champagne sections, fronted by a 22-wine glass page. For a glass, try the Skerk Orange Wine from Friuli at 25/95, and for a bottle on a lighter budget, the Volpaia Vermentino at 60; upstairs in the café, the labeled list pours Palistorti di Valgiano's orange Tuscan blend at Glass $22. Confirm prices before you order, because the site's Upstairs Café dinner menu and the beverage PDF do not match. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Midtown East · New York · American, French
A Park Avenue restaurant whose posted wine list is a 21-wine glass list. Start with the $18 Leitz Riesling or the $19 Ogier Saint-Joseph. No bottle list is posted online, so ask the restaurant what is available by the bottle. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Hudson Yards · New York · American, Seasonal
A hotel restaurant whose list opens with a 13-pour glass page and then moves through Champagne, Burgundy, Austria and other regions. Start with the $29 Prager Grüner Veltliner or the $24 Do Ferreiro Albariño by the glass alongside the chilled oysters, and confirm current pricing since the list is dated 09.30.26. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
East Village · New York · Southern French, Wine Bar
A glass-only list of 15 Central and Eastern European pours from $18 to $26, with an orange wine section of five. Start with the Gal Tibor Egri Bikavér Superior at $18 or the Kapistoni Tavkveri at $23, and confirm prices because the list is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted by-the-glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Financial District · New York · American
A short posted wine selection, with the full list available by email. Start with the $17 Crafted Cava or the $18 Côte de Brouilly by the glass, and email ahead if you want the full list. This unrated guide covers only the nine posted wines, not service, storage or markups.
East Village · New York · American Steakhouse
A compact glass list at a beef-focused restaurant: 11 pours from $19 to $39 across France, Italy, Germany and California. Start with the $24 Domaine Perraud Chardonnay, or the $30 Signorello 'Edge' Cabernet if you're ordering steak, and confirm current pours because the page isn't dated. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Locust Point · Baltimore · Italian
An Italian list that leads with Campania, then works region by region through the rest of Italy. Start with the La Passera Greco di Tufo at 50 for white or the Terredora Aglianico at 48 for red, and if you want Chianti, the Banfi Riserva is 45. Prices come from the wine list linked as "Wine List 24" and post no unit, so confirm what is available. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Naperville · Italian
Piccolo Buco is a Cooper's Hawk restaurant wearing Italian clothes, and the wine list makes no attempt to hide that. If you're already a Cooper's Hawk member and enjoy their wines, this is a comfortable, predictable experience with fair glass pricing and decent variety within the brand. If you came hoping for a Sicilian white or a Piedmontese red to go with your pasta, you're in the wrong place — order a cocktail.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Harbor East · Baltimore · Italian
Cinghiale's glass list is built for exploring Italy, with 23 pours, each offered in three or six ounces. Try a three-ounce Donelli Lambrusco at $4.50 or Gini Soave Classico 2024 at $6 before committing to a larger pour, then ask about the regional bottle list. Confirm the current list before ordering.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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