California classics done right, in Alaska
Anchorage · Anchorage · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Southside Bistro’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Southside Bistro reads like a greatest-hits album of California — comfortable, familiar, and well-curated for a neighborhood bistro in Anchorage that's been holding a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 1997. This is not a list trying to impress wine nerds; it's a list trying to make sure the table next to you is happy with their Cabernet. And honestly? It mostly succeeds.
With 100 to 150 bottles and a laser focus on California, the list leans hard into the recognizable: Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Duckhorn, Rombauer, Cakebread. These are brands your aunt knows, your boss orders, and your date appreciates. There's no real attempt to venture into Burgundy, the Rhône, or even Oregon's Willamette Valley — if you're hunting for a grower Champagne or a cheeky Jura Poulsard, keep walking. But what they do, they do consistently, and for a city where serious wine access can be genuinely limited by geography, landing reliable California names at reasonable prices is no small thing.
Twelve to eighteen by-the-glass options is a solid spread for this format and market, and the $10–$18 range is fair given Anchorage's remote logistics. Expect the usual suspects — a Chardonnay, a Cab, maybe a Merlot — poured without much ceremony but without embarrassing temperatures or oxidized leftovers either.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $60
Jordan punches well above its price tier in California Cab — elegant, not overblown, and often more fairly priced on restaurant lists than the hype names. In Anchorage, where markups on anything decent can quietly escalate, finding Jordan at a reasonable bottle price makes it the table's best friend.
Duckhorn Merlot
Merlot gets ignored at most tables, especially when Caymus and Silver Oak are on the same list. But Duckhorn built its name on this grape, and their Napa Merlot is genuinely serious — plush, structured, and worth ordering before your tablemates convince you to go Cab again.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, marked up everywhere, and has been coasting on its reputation for a while now. At most restaurants it's priced at a premium precisely because people will pay it without asking questions. At Southside Bistro you can almost certainly do better for less — or at least equal — with Jordan or Silver Oak.
Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay + Weathervane Scallops
Cakebread's Chardonnay is rich enough to stand up to buttery, seared scallops but has enough acidity to keep things from going heavy. It's the kind of pairing that feels obvious once you're eating it, which is exactly how a good bistro pairing should feel.
The Bottom Line
Southside Bistro isn't going to change how you think about wine, but in Anchorage it's a genuinely dependable spot where the California list is well-maintained, fairly priced, and matched to a kitchen that gives those bottles something worthwhile to work with. Send your friends here and tell them to skip the Caymus.
Downtown · Anchorage · New American
The Marx Brothers Café is the kind of place that makes you reconsider your assumptions about where serious wine lives. In a historic Anchorage bungalow, they've built a list that would hold its own in San Francisco — and that earns every bit of the Wild Card badge.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / G Street corridor · Anchorage · Wine Bar / Bistro
Crush earns its Wild Card badge not by being perfect, but by being genuinely surprising — a 600-bottle cellar and 40+ glass pours in Anchorage is an achievement worth acknowledging out loud. If you're passing through or living here, this is where you go when you actually care what's in your glass.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Girdwood · Anchorage · Winery Restaurant / Taproom
Bear Creek Winery Loft earns its Wild Card badge honestly — it's not trying to be a serious wine destination and doesn't need to be. If you're in Girdwood and you skip this in favor of a hotel bar pour, you've made a mistake you'll regret when you're back home explaining why you didn't try the rhubarb wine made in Alaska.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Anchorage · Modern Mexican / Latin Fusion
Tequila 61° is a genuinely fun downtown Anchorage spot — but the wine list is not the reason to come. Order the tequila, drink the margaritas, and if someone at the table insists on wine, steer them toward the Pinot Grigio and move on.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Anchorage · Brazilian Steakhouse (Churrascaria)
Texas de Brazil Anchorage is a reliable enough wine stop if you calibrate expectations to match the format — this is a chain steakhouse, not a wine destination, and the list behaves accordingly. Grab the Catena, eat a lot of picanha, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown / Spenard · Anchorage · Mexican / Pub / Pizza
Bear Tooth Grill is a legitimately great spot for beer, margaritas, pizza, and a movie — the wine list is just a formality. Order a craft beer, skip the wine entirely, and you'll have a fantastic time.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Eagle Ranch · Vail · American
The Wild Sage is your dependable neighborhood spot in Eagle Ranch — the wine list won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you at dinner either. Watch the markups on the top-shelf Napa bottles and stick to the mid-range, and you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Traverse City · American
Warehouse Kitchen + Cork won't win any awards for depth or ambition, but it plays its hand honestly — fair prices, solid local representation, and a full by-the-glass program that respects your wallet. If you're in Traverse City and want a glass of something local with a water view, this works.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Truckee · Truckee · American
Sunnyside is a casual lodge restaurant wearing a serious wine list under its flannel — the markup is steep and it won't win any awards for staff expertise, but the producer lineup is legitimately impressive for where you're sitting. If you're already at the lake, this is absolutely worth ordering a real bottle.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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