Neapolitan pies, serious Italian bottles
Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara · Italian, Pizza · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Olio Pizzeria’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Olio, you half-expect a laminated list with house red and house white — and then you see Barolo and Brunello sitting next to Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir and you recalibrate fast. This is a neighborhood pizza spot that takes its Italian heritage seriously on the bottle side. The list is compact but it's doing real work.
The 80-120 bottle list leans hard into Italy — Piedmont brings Barolo producers, Tuscany checks in with Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico, and the Italian white game is genuinely interesting with Vermentino and Falanghina showing up where most pizza joints would just slot in Pinot Grigio. California gets a seat at the table too, with Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir rounding out the local angle in a way that actually makes sense for the room. The gaps you'd notice are depth in southern Italian reds and a thin sparkling selection, but for a restaurant of this size, the curation punches above its weight. Holding a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2012 isn't an accident — someone here is paying attention.
Twelve to eighteen options by the glass is a strong showing for a casual pizzeria, and the $10-$18 range keeps things accessible without insulting the wines. The Italian regional whites by the glass are the real draw — ordering a Falanghina with your margherita instead of the default Pinot Grigio is the move every time.
Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir — $45
Local fruit, minimal markup, and it makes total sense in a room this casual — this is the bottle you order when you want something California without paying tourist prices for it.
Falanghina
Most people skip right past it for something familiar, but this southern Italian white is bright, saline, and genuinely fun — exactly what wood-fired pizza asks for and almost nobody orders it.
Chianti Classico
Chianti is the path of least resistance on an Italian list and restaurants know it — there's a good chance you're paying a premium for the name recognition when the Vermentino or a lesser-known regional red is doing more interesting things for less money.
Vermentino + Burrata
The citrusy, herbaceous bite of Vermentino cuts right through the rich cream of the burrata — it's a lighter touch than you'd expect and it works exactly because of that.
The Bottom Line
Olio is the kind of pizza spot that earns its Wine Spectator credential quietly — no flashy cellar, no tableside theater, just a focused Italian list at fair prices in a room where you actually want to drink it. Send your friends here and tell them to order off the Italian whites.
Montecito · Santa Barbara · Italian
Tre Lune isn't trying to reinvent anything — it's a well-loved Montecito Italian with a wine list that earns its Wine Spectator nod and leans intelligently on Margerum's local chops. Send a friend here knowing the wine will be fairly priced and thoughtfully chosen, even if the excitement ceiling is comfortable rather than thrilling.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Santa Barbara · New American / California Cuisine
Finch & Fork is a reliable pour in a great wine region — the list champions its Santa Barbara backyard with real conviction, even if the markups occasionally make you wince. Send a friend here if they want to drink local and drink well; just steer them toward the Foxen and away from the M5.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Santa Barbara · Italian Pizzeria
Ca' Dario Pizzeria isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the list does its job, the prices are fair, and the Santa Barbara rosé alone justifies looking past the cocktail menu. Send a friend here if they want solid Italian wine with their pizza and zero fuss.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waterfront / Cabrillo Blvd · Santa Barbara · Italian Steakhouse
Ca' Dario Steakhouse is a reliable wine destination for anyone who wants serious Italian bottles with their steak without having to navigate a 300-label monster list. The markups trend steep, especially on the celebrity bottles, but the Santa Barbara Syrah and Sicilian options give value-hunters a legitimate path.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waterfront / East Beach · Santa Barbara · Contemporary Oaxacan and Mexican
Flor De Maiz isn't a wine destination, but it's a Wild Card in the best sense — a waterfront Oaxacan spot that took the time to build a small, thoughtful list with local producers and a genuine Mexican anchor. Come for the mole, stay for the Barden Brut Rosé.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Public Market / Downtown · Santa Barbara · Thai and Taiwanese-inspired noodle bar
Empty Bowl is a genuinely excellent noodle bar that deserves a better wine program than this — come for the Khao Soi, grab a sake, and don't let the wine list talk you into a $36 Chardonnay. The kitchen is working hard; the wine list is not.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Akron · Akron · Italian, Pizza
Luigi's is a cash-only Akron legend that has no business having a wine list this thoughtful — and that's exactly why we like it. Don't sleep on the California Coastal producers hiding behind the checkered tablecloths.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Marshall · Marshall · Italian, Pizza
Pazzeria by Pietro's has no business being this good at wine for where it is, and that's exactly why it's worth the detour. If you're rolling through East Texas, eat here and order Italian.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
NW Ocala · Ocala · Italian, Pizza
Roma's wine list is a functional, no-fuss accompaniment to a solid casual Italian dinner — nothing you'll write home about, but nothing that'll ruin your night either. Stick to the Robert Mondavi Cab or the Trapiche Malbec, keep your expectations measured, and you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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