Sicily's volcanic soul hiding in SoHo
SoHo · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed April 8, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Piccola Cucina Estiatorio’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list at Piccola Cucina Estiatorio doesn't try to be everything to everyone — it's Italian through and through, with Sicily taking up more real estate than anywhere else on the peninsula. For a cozy SoHo spot with tight tables and a lively din, the wine list punches well above its weight class. Wine Spectator handed them a Best of Award of Excellence in 2024, and honestly, the Sicilian depth alone earns it.
The Etna section is the real draw here — Benanti, Cornelissen, and Passopisciaro all in one place is a Nerello Mascalese trifecta that most Italian restaurants in this city couldn't pull off. Nero d'Avola gets similarly serious treatment with Gulfi, COS, and Planeta representing the grape's range from earthy and structured to ripe and approachable. The mainland shows up with conviction too: Giacomo Conterno and Vietti for Barolo, Biondi-Santi and Poggio di Sotto for Brunello — these are names that belong on serious lists, not afterthoughts. Whites are lean but smart, with Benanti's Carricante and Grillo-based options giving the volcanic white wine crowd something to get excited about.
With 12-18 pours on rotation, the by-the-glass program gives you a real window into the list rather than a consolation prize. We'd expect Sicilian representation front and center — a Nerello or a Grillo would be the move here. The range of price points makes it workable whether you're splitting a quick pasta or settling in for the night.
Cerasuolo di Vittoria (COS or Valle dell'Acate) — $55
Cerasuolo di Vittoria is one of Italy's most undervalued DOCG wines — Nero d'Avola and Frappato together make something bright, food-friendly, and genuinely interesting. At this price point in SoHo, it's a relative steal compared to the Barolo crowd at the other end of the list.
Benanti Carricante (Etna Bianco)
Most people come here and immediately gravitate toward the reds, but Benanti's Carricante from the eastern slopes of Etna is a white wine with mineral tension and a saline edge that you don't find in many restaurant lists. It's the kind of bottle you remember.
Brunello di Montalcino (Biondi-Santi)
Biondi-Santi is a legendary producer and the Brunello is excellent — but SoHo restaurant markup on a bottle that's already expensive at retail means you're paying a serious premium for the privilege. Save it for a wine shop or a splurge dinner where the full experience around the bottle matches the price tag.
Passopisciaro Etna Rosso + Pasta
Etna Rosso's high-acid, volcanic-mineral backbone is built for tomato-driven pasta. Passopisciaro brings structure and a smoky depth that cuts through richness without fighting the dish — it's the kind of pairing that feels inevitable once you've had it.
The Bottom Line
Piccola Cucina Estiatorio is the rare SoHo restaurant where the wine list actually has a point of view — and that view is firmly planted on the slopes of Etna. If Sicily is your thing, or you want it to become your thing, this list is worth the trip.
Midtown · New York · French Brasserie
La Grande Boucherie earns its place as a reliable stop for wine in Midtown, especially if you're leaning French. The glass list is genuinely wide and has some smart picks buried in it — the Fleurie and the Wiemer Riesling both punch above their price points. Markups trend steep as you climb the bottle list, so your money works hardest in the by-the-glass section. If you're here for the brasserie experience, the wine program holds up its end of the deal.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Steakhouse
BLT Prime's wine program is glass-only, which limits your options if you came for a big bottle moment, but the pricing is honest and the selection is more thoughtful than most steakhouses bother with. If you're keeping it casual and ordering by the glass, you can drink well here without feeling taken advantage of — and that's not nothing in this city.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
The Palm Midtown is not where you'd expect to find Puzelat and Ruth Lewandowski sitting next to each other on a wine list — which is exactly what makes it worth a second look. Six bottles is a short menu, but all six are defensible picks at prices that don't insult you. If you're in the mood to trust the list and not overthink it, this works.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murray Hill · New York · Classic American Steakhouse
Wolfgang's is a reliable steakhouse wine experience in the sense that you know exactly what you're getting: a list built around the bottle you already know, priced for the room you're sitting in. If you're here to close a deal over a Porterhouse for Two, the wine list will do its job without embarrassing anyone — but it's not going to surprise you, and it's almost certainly going to cost more than it should. Go in with eyes open and a strong second-choice red in mind.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is a rare thing in New York: a focused, regionally coherent program that commits hard to Greek and Eastern Mediterranean varieties without making you feel like you need a flashcard to order. The by-the-glass selection alone — 18 options, all under $18, featuring producers most wine lists wouldn't touch — makes this worth visiting even before the food arrives. If you eat here and order a Cabernet, that's on you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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.
· Dacula · Italian
Antonetas isn't a wine destination, and it isn't trying to be — it's a family-friendly neighborhood Italian with a wine list that covers the basics and stays out of the way. If you're after a solid glass of something red with your Lasagna in a no-fuss setting, you won't be disappointed. Just don't show up expecting to geek out over the list.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Alpharetta · Italian
Crust is a solid neighborhood Italian spot where the wine list is a supporting player, not the headliner — and that's fine. Come for the rigatoni alla vodka and garlic knots; order a glass of whatever red they're pouring and don't overthink it. We'd send a friend here for dinner without hesitation, just not for the wine list alone.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Marietta · Italian
Vespucci's isn't a wine destination, but it doesn't pretend to be — and that honesty is refreshing. The one move that earns real respect here is the Monday half-price bottle deal, which turns an ordinary weeknight into a genuinely good value. Show up on a Monday, order the Eggplant Parmigiana, grab a bottle at half price, and you've had a solid dinner without thinking too hard about it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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