Greek Soul, Jersey Shore, Surprisingly Decent Pours
Atlantic City · Mediterranean / Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Sofia Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Sofia comes in at 73 labels — respectable for a Mediterranean spot on the Jersey Shore. There's a clear attempt to honor the Greek roots of the kitchen, with a handful of Greek producers scattered among the usual Italian and Californian suspects. It's more thoughtful than the average beach town restaurant, even if it doesn't always follow through on the promise.
The list splits its attention between crowd-pleasing California staples (La Crema, Kendall-Jackson, Kim Crawford) and a genuinely interesting Greek contingent featuring Boutari Moschofilero, Avantis Malagousia, and the divisive Kourtaki Retsina — a polarizing pine-resin white that most restaurants wouldn't dare put on a list. Sparkling coverage is broad, ranging from a $10 Zonin Prosecco split up to a $395 Dom Pérignon, which tells you they're catering to everyone from bachelorette parties to anniversary dinners. The Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé and Chevalier Premier Cru White Burgundy add some Old World credibility to a list that could otherwise lean too casual. What's missing: any real red depth — we only have visibility into the white and sparkling side of the list, and the reds appear to be the weaker half.
Twenty-six by-the-glass options is a genuinely strong number — most restaurants half this size offer ten and call it a day. Glass pours run $10–$16, which is reasonable for Atlantic City. The range mirrors the bottle list, so you can work your way through a Malagousia and a Pouilly-Fuissé in the same evening without committing to a full bottle.
Avantis Malagousia — $40
Malagousia is an aromatic Greek white that most American diners have never encountered — floral, citrusy, and genuinely interesting. At $40 a bottle in a Mediterranean restaurant, you're getting something that tastes specific and intentional for less than a generic California Chardonnay on the same list.
Kourtaki Retsina
Retsina is the wine everyone has a bad story about from a cheap taverna, but it belongs on a Greek-influenced list and Sofia earns points for stocking it. At $35, it's the most honest expression of Greek wine culture on the menu — herbal, bracing, and genuinely food-friendly with anything from the Mediterranean side of the kitchen. Most tables will walk right past it. Don't.
Kendall-Jackson "VR" Chardonnay
KJ Vintner's Reserve is a grocery store staple retailing around $15–$18. At $45 on the list, that's a markup north of 2.5x on a wine that already punches below its price in the wild. There are better Chardonnay options on this very list — including the La Crema Russian River Valley — that are worth the extra few dollars.
Boutari Moschofilero + Grilled Branzino
Moschofilero is light, bright, and carries a floral lift that doesn't compete with delicate fish — it amplifies it. A whole roasted or grilled branzino is the quintessential Mediterranean centerpiece, and this Greek white from Boutari is the natural counterpart. It's the kind of pairing the kitchen probably had in mind when they put it on the list.
The Bottom Line
Sofia isn't a wine destination, but it's a better-than-expected list for the Shore — especially if you lean into the Greek selections that nobody else around here is bothering with. The markups on the California staples will sting, so go Greek and drink smarter.
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Solid Range
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Basic Stemmed
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Acceptable
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Solid Range
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One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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