Shapiro's Delicatessen
Great Corned Beef, Forget the Wine List
Downtown · Indianapolis · Deli, Israeli · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Shapiro's is less a list and more a footnote — four wines from a single producer, all priced at $3.70 a glass. It's functional in the same way a plastic spork is functional: technically does the job, but nobody's impressed.
Selection Deep Dive
The entire wine program is Salmon Creek Winery, full stop. You get two whites (Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay) and two reds (Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon) — the four-wine starter pack of every grocery store wine aisle in America. There's no regional storytelling, no depth, no surprises. To be fair, Shapiro's is a legendary deli institution, not a wine destination, and the list reflects that prioritization completely.
By the Glass
All four wines are available by the glass at $3.70 each, which is genuinely cheap — we'll give them that. Rotation is nonexistent; this list has the energy of something that hasn't changed since the Clinton administration.
Salmon Creek Winery Pinot Noir — $3.70
At $3.70 a glass, you're not drinking great wine — but you're drinking cheap wine at a fair markup. The Pinot Noir retails around $12, and the restaurant markup is under 3x, which is actually reasonable by industry standards. If you must, this is your move.
Salmon Creek Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
Nobody comes to Shapiro's thinking about wine, which means the Cab gets zero attention — and at $3.70, it's a throwaway add-on that won't hurt your wallet. Low bar, but it clears it.
Salmon Creek Winery Chardonnay
It's a $10 retail Chardonnay from a mass-market label. At a deli famous for its pastrami and fried chicken, an oaky grocery-store Chard is just a sad choice all around. Get a Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray instead — it'll actually make your food taste better.
Salmon Creek Winery Pinot Noir + Corned Beef
The Pinot Noir is light enough not to bulldoze the briny, fatty corned beef, and at $3.70 it won't make you feel guilty about the meal you just ordered. It's a low-stakes match that works better than it has any right to.
❌ The Bottom Line
Come to Shapiro's for the corned beef, the nostalgia, and the cafeteria chaos — not the wine. Order a beer or a soda, save the wine night for somewhere else.
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