Sicily in Salt Lake, No Apologies Needed
Holladay · Salt Lake City · Sicilian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 1, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Sicilia Mia does exactly what it should — it stays in its lane. You open it and immediately see the mission: Sicily, top to bottom, with a few Southern Italian detours for good measure. It's not trying to be a wine bar, and that restraint is actually refreshing.
Thirty to sixty bottles sounds modest, but when almost every one of them comes from Sicily or the south, the focus starts to feel like a feature rather than a limitation. Nero d'Avola and Etna Rosso anchor the reds, which is exactly right — you've got the big, sun-drenched island workhorse alongside the volcanic, higher-acid Etna expression for contrast. Planeta's Santa Cecilia shows up as a reliable prestige pick, a wine that punches well above its price in most markets. The whites lean Grillo, which is the correct call for a seafood-forward menu like this one. Gaps? Sure — no real depth in older vintages, and Champagne or serious sparkling options appear to be an afterthought.
Six by-the-glass options at $9–$14 is a tight but functional lineup for a room where most people are ordering pasta and sharing a bottle anyway. The pricing is honest for the Salt Lake market — you're not being taxed for the neighborhood. We'd love to see the Etna Rosso make it onto the glass list more prominently, because that's the pour that would make people sit up straight.
Grillo — $35
At the low end of the bottle range, a well-sourced Grillo is the move with almost anything on this menu. It's bright, saline, and built for Sicilian seafood — order it with the Cioppino and thank us later.
Etna Rosso
Most tables are reaching for the familiar Nero d'Avola, which means the Etna Rosso gets overlooked. That's a mistake. It's leaner, more aromatic, and more interesting — volcanic soil does things to Nerello Mascalese that you won't get anywhere else on this list.
Planeta Santa Cecilia
It's a genuinely good wine — Planeta knows what they're doing — but the Santa Cecilia is widely distributed and easy to find retail for considerably less. You're paying a full restaurant markup on a bottle you could grab at the wine shop down the street. Save it for a special occasion or order something you can't easily replicate at home.
Grillo + Cioppino
The Grillo's citrus edge and natural salinity are basically designed for a tomato-and-shellfish broth situation. It cuts through the richness without fighting the seafood — this is the pairing the list was quietly built around.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Sicilia Mia isn't a destination wine experience, but it's a genuinely honest one — focused, fairly priced, and coherent with the food in a way that most Italian spots in this market never bother to attempt. Send your friends here, point them toward the Etna Rosso, and let the carbonara do the rest.
Sugar House · Salt Lake City · Steakhouse and Seafood with Scandinavian/European Influences
Kimi's earns its reputation as one of Salt Lake City's better nights out, and the wine program has real bones — a sommelier, a thoughtful Italian-leaning list, and proper glassware. Just go in knowing the markups are aggressive on the bubbles, anchor yourself to the Riesling if you're watching the spend, and let the room do the rest of the work.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
9th & 9th · Salt Lake City · Middle Eastern
Mazza isn't a wine destination, but it's doing something genuinely interesting by building a list around Lebanese producers that actually belong on the table with this food. If you're in Salt Lake City and want to drink something you won't find anywhere else in town, this is worth a detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Salt Lake City · Japanese and Sushi
Takashi is a great restaurant with a wine list that's just along for the ride — functional, safe, and a little overpriced relative to what you get. Go for the sushi, order the Cloudy Bay or the Oregon Pinot, and don't expect the wine program to keep pace with the kitchen.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Salt Lake City · Seafood and Raw Bar
Market Street Oyster Bar is a reliable spot for wine if you calibrate your expectations accordingly — this is a crowd-pleaser list built for a crowd-pleaser room, and it mostly delivers. Send a friend here for oysters and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, not for a wine education.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Cottonwood Heights · Salt Lake City · Seafood and Steakhouse
Market Street Grill Cottonwood is a dependable neighborhood anchor with a wine list that does exactly what it needs to — nothing more. Send a friend here for the oysters and the Sonoma-Cutrer; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Salt Lake City · Seafood and Steakhouse
Market Street Grill is a solid, dependable restaurant that deserves a more adventurous wine list — the oyster program alone could support something far more interesting than what's here. Come for the seafood, order the Sonoma-Cutrer, and don't spend too much time staring at the bottle list hoping it changes.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.