Classic Italian Comfort With Serious Wine Cred
Midtown · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed April 19, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Pasta Lovers Trattoria’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Pasta Lovers reads like it was built by someone who actually likes wine — California and Italy, done with intention, no filler regions bolted on to look ambitious. For a mid-block Midtown trattoria, that kind of focus is refreshing. The $40–$120 bottle range keeps things accessible without feeling like a tourist trap.
The list leans hard into the Italy–California axis, which makes total sense given the menu and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence they've held since 2019. On the Italian side, you've got real heavyweights: Antinori Tignanello, Gaja Barbaresco, and Banfi's Brunello di Montalcino give the list genuine depth, not just Chianti Classico filler. Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva rounds out the approachable end. California holds its own with Caymus Cab, Far Niente Chardonnay, and Stag's Leap — crowd-pleasing names, yes, but they're crowd-pleasing for a reason. The list won't surprise wine geeks, but it's genuinely well-matched to the food.
Ten to twenty options by the glass is a solid spread for this format, and the $12–$18 range is reasonable for Midtown Manhattan. We'd like to see more rotation to keep regulars engaged, but what's here covers the bases without forcing anyone into a full bottle commitment.
Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva — $40
Sits at the lower end of the bottle range and punches well above it — Sangiovese backbone, real structure, and it's built for exactly the kind of red-sauce and braised-meat cooking that defines this menu. Easy call.
Banfi Brunello di Montalcino
Most tables order the Tignanello because it sounds impressive, but the Banfi Brunello is the sleeper. It's a more patient wine — earthy, structured, and a genuine expression of Montalcino that most diners walk right past.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is fine, but it's also everywhere — and Midtown markup on a brand this recognizable means you're paying a premium for a label, not a discovery. You're in an Italian trattoria. Order Italian.
Antinori Tignanello + Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragù
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has the weight and dark fruit to stand up to a rich wild boar ragù without steamrolling the pasta. It's a textbook match — and one of those rare cases where the obvious answer is actually the right one.
The Bottom Line
Pasta Lovers isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to feed you well and pour something worth drinking alongside it, and it largely succeeds. Send a friend here if they want a reliable Italian night in Midtown without worrying about the wine.
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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