The Middle East in Your Glass, Jersey City
Journal Square · Jersey City · Mediterranean and Middle Eastern · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Solaz Mediterranean Cuisine’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into Solaz expecting hummus and maybe a house Chianti, and then the wine list hits you with Assyrtiko from Santorini and Chateau Musar from Lebanon. It's a casual neighborhood spot that has no business being this interesting on the wine front — and that's exactly what makes it worth paying attention to.
The list spans Greece, Lebanon, Spain, Italy, Turkey, and Morocco, which sounds chaotic but actually reflects the food's heritage in a way that most Mediterranean spots never bother to execute. The Greek whites and Lebanese reds are the clear stars — Assyrtiko from Santorini is a legitimately serious wine, and having Chateau Musar and Chateau Ksara on a 40-70 bottle list in Jersey City is genuinely unexpected. The Spanish Rioja tempranillo section rounds things out for guests who want something familiar, and the Turkish and Moroccan selections give the list a sense of adventure that most neighborhood restaurants wouldn't even attempt. The gaps are real — Burgundy and Champagne fans will need to look elsewhere — but this list isn't trying to be everything, and it's better for it.
With 8-12 pours available by the glass, there's enough variety to navigate the whole menu without committing to a bottle. The glass program appears to mirror the bottle list's regional ambitions, which means you can actually order a Greek white with your mezze and a Lebanese red with your kebabs without feeling locked in.
Chateau Ksara (Lebanon) — $45
Lebanese reds are chronically undervalued in restaurant settings, and Ksara is one of the most food-friendly bottles on the list — structured enough for grilled meat but not so tannic that it fights the spice. At this price point in a restaurant context, it's a genuine bargain for what's in the glass.
Assyrtiko from Santorini (Greece)
Most tables here order red without thinking twice, but the Assyrtiko is the real reason to pay attention to this list. It's a volcanic-island white with serious backbone and salinity — it cuts through rich, olive-oil-forward dishes and mezze in a way that generic Pinot Grigio simply cannot.
Spanish Tempranillo / Rioja
Nothing wrong with Rioja, but it's the one part of this list that feels like it was added to make nervous guests comfortable rather than because it belongs here. You can get Spanish Tempranillo anywhere — come to Solaz for what you can't get down the street.
Chateau Musar (Lebanon) + Mixed Grill Kebabs
Musar is earthy, funky, and built on a blend of Cabernet, Cinsault, and Carignan — it has the spice and depth to go toe-to-toe with charred, herb-marinated meat without overwhelming it. This is the pairing that makes the whole list click.
The Bottom Line
Solaz is a casual neighborhood Mediterranean restaurant that quietly assembled a wine list with more regional ambition than most places twice its size — if you're willing to trust it and order off the beaten path, it pays off. Send a curious friend here and tell them to skip the Rioja.
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Jane Doe is a cocktail bar that quietly assembled a better wine list than most actual restaurants in the area. If you're in Jersey City and someone tells you to skip the wine here, they haven't seen the list.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Porto by Antonio delivers a credible Italian-forward wine list with genuine high points — Promis, Barbaresco, Brunello — and a by-the-glass program that actually gives people choices. Markups get aggressive at the top, and the Caymus pricing is frankly embarrassing, but if you stick to the Italian core and the smart mid-range picks, you'll drink well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · French-inspired / Cocktail Bar
Madame JC isn't a wine destination — it's a cocktail bar that happens to have one of the most focused and genuinely well-chosen dessert wine lists in Jersey City. Show up after dinner, order the 20-Year Tawny, and thank whoever put this menu together.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · New American
Mathews isn't a destination wine list, but it's honest, fairly priced, and more thoughtful than it looks at first glance. Send a friend here if they want a good glass without a lecture.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · American Bar
Ed & Mary's isn't trying to be a wine bar and doesn't need to be — but whoever put the Intérieur Carbonic Zinfandel and Delegati Sparkling Pinot Noir on a 13-bottle bar list deserves a nod. Prices are fair, the whole list pours by the glass, and two genuinely weird options make this worth more than a passing glance.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hamilton Park · Jersey City · Italian
GP's Hamilton Park isn't a destination wine list, but it's a fair one — honest prices, approachable options, and a by-the-glass program that covers the table without drama. Send your friend here if they want a solid neighborhood pour, not a wine education.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Las Colinas · Irving · Mediterranean and Middle Eastern
A counter-service Mediterranean spot with Lebanese wine on the list is not something you stumble into every day in the DFW suburbs — Andalous earns the Wild Card badge by simply caring enough to stock Chateau Ksara and Domaine des Tourelles while keeping prices honest. Come for the shawarma, order the Bekaa red, and feel slightly smug about it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Macalester-Groveland · St. Paul · Mediterranean and Middle Eastern
Shish is a genuinely good casual Mediterranean spot — the food earns its reputation on Grand Avenue. But the wine list is strictly utilitarian, and you'd be better served ordering a beer or skipping the wine altogether until they decide to put in some effort.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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