Fifty Pages of Serious Wine in the East Village
East Village · New York · Wine-Focused Restaurant · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Stars’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
A 50-page wine list lands on your table and it's immediately clear this place isn't playing around. The East Village doesn't exactly scream serious wine program, which is exactly what makes Stars so disarming. This is a list built by someone who actually loves wine, not someone who outsourced it to a distributor rep.
The real action is in France and Italy — Dard & Ribo and Thierry Allemand anchoring the Rhône side while Mascarellos and the Rinaldis hold down Piedmont with the kind of depth you'd expect from a dedicated wine bar. The 88-bottles-at-$88-or-less program is a genuine commitment, not a marketing gimmick — it signals that access to good wine here isn't reserved for expense accounts. That said, the top of the list climbs fast: a Dujac Clos de la Roche 2005 sitting at $2,550 is a legitimate trophy bottle, but at roughly 112% over retail, it's priced for people who aren't doing the math. California makes an appearance too, rounding out what is otherwise a firmly Old World-focused perspective.
More than 20 pours by the glass at $11–$19 is a genuinely impressive spread for New York, where most restaurants treat BTG as an afterthought. That price ceiling keeps things accessible without dumbing down the selection. We'd expect the pours to rotate with the same curatorial intent as the bottle list — if they're pulling from producers like Allemand and Dard & Ribo for the glass program, this is one of the better by-the-glass setups in the neighborhood.
88-bottle $88-or-less selection (any bottle from this tier) — $88
A standing commitment to 88 bottles priced at $88 or under from producers of this caliber is rare in New York. Pick almost anything from this tier and you're drinking well without the usual Manhattan premium.
Dard & Ribo (Rhône)
Most tables at a place like this will gravitate toward Piedmont or the trophy Burgundy. Dard & Ribo makes electric, terroir-driven Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph that most diners walk right past — their loss, your gain.
Dujac Clos de la Roche 2005
It's a stunning wine and yes, it's on the list. But at $2,550 against a ~$1,200 retail price, you're paying a serious collector's premium for the privilege of drinking it here. Save the splurge for a bottle you can't easily track down elsewhere.
Mascarello (Piedmont) + Pasta or braised meat dish
Mascarello's structured, earthy Barolo or Barbera cuts right through rich braised meat or a butter-forward pasta — the acidity does the work and the wine gets better with every bite.
The Bottom Line
Stars is the kind of place that makes you feel like you stumbled onto a secret, which is exactly how a great wine list should feel. The markup at the top end is real, but the depth of the list and the $88-and-under commitment mean there's serious drinking to be done at almost every budget.
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
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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