Finger Lakes Roots, Familiar Sips, Solid Execution
· Ithaca · Brasserie / New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Simeon's on the Commons’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list at Simeon's is compact — 22 labels total — and leans hard into accessibility. It's not trying to impress anyone with obscure growers or deep cellar cuts, but it does make a genuine nod to its Finger Lakes backyard, which earns it some goodwill right out of the gate.
About a third of the list is local: Château LaFayette Reneau, Lamoreaux Landing, Ryan Williams Vineyard, Hermann J. Wiemer, and Damiani Wine Cellars all show up, which is a meaningful commitment to the region for a brasserie-style spot. The rest of the list fills in with crowd-pleasing safe bets — Frog's Leap, Louis Jadot Chablis, Famille Perrin Côtes-du-Rhône — competent selections that won't surprise anyone but won't embarrass anyone either. Red wine drinkers get the short end here: Barton & Guestier Bistro Pinot Noir and Maddalena Cab are not exactly inspiring anchors. Bubbles are well-represented with Zonin, Lunetta, Damiani's Bollicine, and the full Champagne trifecta of Laurent Perrier, Moët, and Veuve.
Seventeen of the 22 labels pour by the glass, which is a genuinely strong conversion rate and makes this a real by-the-glass program rather than an afterthought. Prices run $9–$30/glass, with most options clustering in the $9–$13 range — reasonable for a sit-down restaurant in Ithaca. The Moët & Chandon Impérial at $30/glass is the outlier, but that's in line with what you'd expect anywhere.
The Bottom Line
Simeon's wine list does its job without breaking a sweat — it's approachable, reasonably priced, and quietly proud of the Finger Lakes producers it stocks. The by-the-glass selection is the real strength here; if you're in Ithaca and want to explore local wine without committing to a bottle, this is a perfectly decent place to do it.
· Ithaca · New American
The Rook is swinging for something more interesting than its size suggests, and the range of regions and styles — Txakoline, Verdicchio, Barolo rosé, orange Garnacha — earns genuine respect for a 12-bottle list. Pricing skews steep at the top end, and the lack of any documented reds from classic regions is a real hole. If you're an adventurous drinker who's tired of the same wine list at every New American spot, this is worth exploring — just go in knowing you'll probably land in the $45–$56 range to find the value.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ithaca · Northern Italian
Mercato is a well-regarded local staple with the right regional instincts — Italian roots, Finger Lakes ambition, and a warm room that earns its reservations. We'd feel comfortable sending a friend here for a solid bottle of wine with dinner, but we'd tell them to ask questions at the table, because we can't yet confirm the specifics behind the list. Worth a visit; worth a deeper look once a full wine list is in hand.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Hill / Elmira Road corridor · Ithaca · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse Ithaca is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the list is short, the producers are supermarket-tier, and the markups on house pours are quietly aggressive. Come for the bread and the steak; if you need wine, order one glass and make peace with it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown / The Commons · Ithaca · Irish pub, Irish-American gastropub
Kilpatrick's is never going to make a wine list worth traveling to Ithaca for, but it's a fair, unpretentious pour program that respects your wallet and quietly sneaks in a Pouilly-Fuissé and a proper Hugel Riesling. Come for the shepherd's pie, stay for the Alsace.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / State Street · Ithaca · Cocktail Bar
The Watershed is a cocktail bar that accidentally has a decent wine list, and we mean that as a compliment. If you're in Ithaca and want a low-key glass of something thoughtfully chosen without paying downtown Manhattan prices, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West End / State Street · Ithaca · Wine Shop & Tasting Room
The Falls Wine Room is the kind of neighborhood spot that makes you realize how low the bar usually is — thoughtful list, honest prices, and a genuine point of view on what wine should be. If you're in Ithaca and you care even a little about what's in your glass, you owe this place a visit.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
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