Comfort food, honest pours, no pretense
Near Campus · Bloomington · Southern / American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Southern Stone 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 Southern Stone isn't trying to impress anyone — and honestly, that's kind of refreshing. Nineteen options, all available by the glass, at prices that won't make you do a double-take when the bill arrives. This is a place where the wine exists to wash down fried chicken, not to anchor a tasting menu.
The list leans hard on familiar faces — Meiomi, Josh Cellars, Kim Crawford, La Marca — the kind of names that sell themselves at any casual spot near a college campus. There's a nod toward Argentina with the Cigar Box Malbec, which is about as adventurous as things get here. No deep regional exploration, no indie producers, no old-world depth. What the list lacks in range it compensates for with price discipline — markups across the board are genuinely modest, which is rare enough to deserve acknowledgment.
All 19 bottles are available by the glass, which is either a generous policy or a sign that the list wasn't designed with bottles in mind — probably both. Pours range from $7 to $14, which is hard to argue with in any context, let alone a college-adjacent neighborhood. Don't expect a rotating selection or anything seasonal; what you see is what you get.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon — $11
At $11 a glass with a retail of around $14, you're essentially drinking at near-retail price. It's an easy-drinking crowd-pleaser and the margin here is almost embarrassingly fair.
Cigar Box Malbec
It's the one wine on the list that steps outside the comfort zone. Argentine Malbec with some actual character, and in a sea of safe American supermarket staples, it stands out as the list's only real personality.
La Marca Prosecco
At $11 a glass for a bottle that retails around $16, the markup is the steepest on the list at 45%. It's fine bubbles, but if you're doing the math, this is where Southern Stone quietly recoups its losses elsewhere.
Cigar Box Malbec + BBQ Ribs
Malbec's dark fruit and underlying smokiness have an easy rapport with low-and-slow BBQ. The ribs bring the fat and char; the Malbec brings enough structure to cut through without overpowering.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Southern Stone is the rare casual restaurant where the wine pricing actually respects your wallet — the list is about as exciting as a supermarket aisle, but at these markups, we're not complaining. Send a friend here if they want an honest glass with their shrimp and grits and don't want to think too hard about it.
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Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Taste of India is clearly beloved for its food, and it should be — but the wine list is an afterthought that no one has revisited in a while. Order a mango lassi, a Kingfisher if they have it, or save the wine for a restaurant that's actually trying.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Side · Bloomington · Japanese (sushi, hibachi, and classic Japanese dishes)
Mori is swinging bigger on wine than any casual Japanese spot in Bloomington has a right to, and we respect the effort. The markups and the California-red tunnel vision hold it back from being a destination wine stop, but if you're already there for sushi, there's a genuinely interesting bottle or two worth finding.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Yuma · Yuma · Southern / American
Cracker Barrel is not a wine destination and has made absolutely no effort to be one. Order the biscuits, maybe get a mimosa if the mood strikes, and save your wine curiosity for literally anywhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Topeka · Topeka · Southern / American
You do not come to Cracker Barrel for the wine, and the wine program has fully accepted this reality. Fair prices on mediocre-to-forgettable pours means you won't feel robbed — just under-served. Order the biscuits, skip the bottle.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.