Two hundred bottles deep on Broome Street
Lower East Side · New York · Elevated small plates and seasonal cuisine · Visit Website ↗
Updated July 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 25, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Somm Time’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into a spot on Broome Street that looks like a cozy living room and get handed a list with over 200 labels, anchored by regions most New York wine bars wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. Macedonia, Hungary, Switzerland — this is not the Pinot Grigio and Malbec lineup you were bracing for. Someone here actually cares.
The list reads like a sommelier's personal cellar got democratized: Alsatian Riesling sitting next to Swiss Heida Paien, a Macedonian white holding its own next to Piedmontese Nebbiolo, and a Hungarian red that has no business being this affordable. The Greek Antonopoulos Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc is the kind of pick that makes you realize how much of the wine world you've been ignoring. Small producers dominate, Old World geography drives the selection, and the gaps are honestly hard to find. If you came here hoping for a Napa Cab at the top of the list, you are in the wrong zip code — and that's a compliment.
Glass pours run $15–$18, which is reasonable for New York and downright generous given the quality of what's being poured. The specific by-the-glass lineup isn't published in full, but given the depth of the bottle list and a sommelier on the floor, expect the pours to rotate with intention rather than just clearing slow-moving inventory. Ask what's open — you're likely to get something interesting.
Vinemind Riesling — $60
Retails around $25, so the restaurant markup lands at roughly 140% — tight for NYC standards. You're getting a genuinely interesting Riesling at a price that doesn't make you wince when you order a second bottle.
7 Radku Black Label
A Hungarian red at $70 that most tables will scroll past in favor of something familiar. Don't. This is exactly the kind of bottle this list was built for — obscure region, real character, and a price that reflects the producer's size rather than a marketing budget.
Lightwell Survey Hinterman
At $70 on a $28 retail bottle, it's the steepest relative markup on the list. Lightwell Survey is a fine producer out of Missouri, and the Hinterman is genuinely good — but at 150% markup you're paying a premium for the novelty factor. Everything else on this list offers better bang for that same spend.
Antonopoulos Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc + Seasonal small plates with roasted or braised meat
A Greek red with Cab Franc in the blend has structure and dark fruit without the weight of a big Napa pour — it plays well with rich, savory small plates without stomping on the food. This is the kind of pairing the staff here actually loves talking through.
The Bottom Line
Somm Time is what a wine bar looks like when a real sommelier builds the list and doesn't try to please everyone — over 200 bottles deep, fair prices, and a genuine point of view that makes every visit feel like a minor education. Send your wine-curious friends here immediately.
NoHo · New York · Italian
Il Buco has one of the most compelling Italian wine lists in New York City — deep, principled, and staffed by people who actually care. The markup is real, so budget accordingly, but this is a room worth splurging in.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Downtown is a place where people order Champagne to celebrate, not to drink — and the wine program is built accordingly. If you're here for the vibe and someone else is paying, pop the Dom and enjoy it; if you actually care about what's in your glass, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Upscale Seafood & Steakhouse
Three happy hour wines do not a wine program make. Ocean Prime is a place you eat well and drink safely — but if wine is a priority, this list will let you down before the bread basket arrives.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Midtown is a great place to see and be seen, but the wine list is there to pad the check, not to excite you. If you're here for the experience, lean on the cocktails or grab a glass of Bonanza at the bar — don't expect the bottle list to reward any real curiosity.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown West · New York · Russian-American
The Russian Tea Room treats wine as an afterthought dressed up in Champagne flutes — five famous labels at punishing prices with no range, no by-the-glass program, and no apparent curiosity about wine beyond what looks impressive on a table. Go for the spectacle, order the caviar, but don't come here expecting a wine list.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
David Burke Tavern's list is a Chardonnay lover's comfort zone with a solid sparkling section propping up the top — but the narrow focus and steep pricing mean you're paying for familiarity, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want California whites and a glass of Champagne; send them somewhere else if they want to explore.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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