Paradiso

A 200-plus bottle list at an Italian steakhouse in San Leandro is not what you expect walking down Bancroft Ave — and that's exactly the point. Wine Spectator handed these folks a Best of Award of Excellence in 2023, and one look at the list tells you why. France, California, and Italy are all pulling real weight here.

The California Cab section reads like a greatest hits album — Caymus, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, and Opus One all make appearances, which will thrill the steakhouse crowd. But the Italian side is where Paradiso earns its stripes: Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa representing Barolo, Biondi-Santi and Banfi holding it down for Brunello di Montalcino. Throw in Louis Jadot anchoring a respectable French Burgundy section alongside Chateau Margaux on the Bordeaux side, and this list has genuine depth across three major regions. The gaps are minor — we'd love to see more Southern Italian representation and a few natural wine wildcards — but the foundation is hard to argue with.

With 20-35 options by the glass, Paradiso is clearly committed to letting guests explore without committing to a full bottle. That's a meaningful range for a neighborhood restaurant, and it suggests the kitchen and floor are thinking about wine as a real part of the meal. We'd push for more rotation and a few by-the-glass pours from the Italian tier, but the sheer volume of options keeps things interesting.