Italian comfort, wine list keeps pace
Downtown Princeton · Princeton · Casual Italian café and trattoria · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Teresa Caffé’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Fourteen bottles, fourteen glasses — Teresa Caffé isn't hiding behind a sprawling list it can't back up. Everything is by the glass, which is either a bold move or a practical one for a cozy café on Palmer Square. Either way, we're here for it.
The list leans Italian, as you'd expect, but doesn't get lazy about it — there's a Sardinian Vermentino, a Sicilian Insolia, and a Portuguese Touriga Nacional that shows someone was paying at least some attention when building this. The California and Chile entries (Benoni Chardonnay, Leyla Sauvignon Blanc) feel a little safe, like they're there to keep the table happy rather than to make a point. Gaps are real: no Nebbiolo, no Sangiovese, nothing from Tuscany or Piedmont is a curious omission for an Italian restaurant. But for 14 labels, the range punches above its weight.
Every wine on the list is available by the glass, which we love — no one's stuck ordering a bottle of something they're not sure about. Prices run $12–$18 a pour, which is reasonable for Princeton without being a giveaway. The rotation doesn't appear to change much, so don't expect seasonal surprises.
Basile 'Arteteca' Vermentino, Italy 2024 — $13/glass
Vermentino is chronically underordered, which means Teresa gets to pour a genuinely interesting Italian white at a price that doesn't sting. Herb-driven, coastal, and exactly what you want with a brick-oven margherita.
Quinta dos Roques Touriga Nacional, Portugal 2021
Most people at a casual Italian café are going to reach for the Pinot Grigio without a second thought. The Touriga Nacional from Quinta dos Roques is the interesting answer — structured, dark-fruited, and from one of the Dão's most respected producers. Worth every penny of the $18 ask.
LC Villa Pinot Grigio, Veneto 2024
Nothing wrong with it, but nothing right about it either. It's the default order for people who aren't really thinking about wine. With a Vermentino and an Insolia on the same list for similar money, there's no reason to land here.
Allegrini Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy 2022 + House-made pasta
Allegrini's Valpolicella is light enough not to bulldoze a plate of pasta, but has the cherry fruit and earthy backbone to actually complement it. Classic Veneto match — no overthinking required.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Teresa Caffé isn't trying to be a wine destination, but its 100% by-the-glass format, fair pricing, and a few genuinely interesting Italian picks make it more than an afterthought. Order the Vermentino, skip the Pinot Grigio, and enjoy the square.
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Nomad Princeton earns its reputation on the pizza, not the pour — and that's fine, but know what you're walking into. If the wine matters to you, bring a bottle and pay the corkage, or stick to whatever Thomas Henry has on tap.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Princeton · Princeton · Italian
La Mezzaluna isn't where you go to discover wine — it's where you go to drink something Italian and not think too hard about it. That's a perfectly valid reason to visit, as long as you know what you're signing up for.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Forrestal Village / Route 1 · Princeton · Steakhouse, American, Seafood
Salt Creek Grille isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it doesn't need to be — it's a reliable steakhouse with a California-heavy list that gets the job done at a slight premium. Send a friend here if they want a comfortable, familiar bottle with a solid meal; don't send them if they're hoping for something to talk about on the drive home.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Route 1 / MarketFair · Princeton · New American / Wine Bar
Seasons 52 Princeton is a reliable wine stop for anyone who wants a wide-open by-the-glass menu, fair pricing, and zero surprises — in a good way and a bad way. Send a friend here if they're still figuring out what they like; send a wine nerd somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Forrestal Village · Princeton · Italian / Mediterranean
Tre Piani is exactly what a neighborhood Italian wine bar should be: honest, Italian-leaning, and priced for people who actually live nearby. It's not going to change your relationship with wine, but it's a reliable call when you want a decent Barolo and a bowl of mussels on a Monday.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Kingston / Princeton Area · Princeton · Italian / Farm-to-Table
Eno Terra punches above its suburban-Italian weight class with a by-the-glass list that actually takes some swings — Schioppettino, Mencía, Nebbiolo rosé — at prices that don't make you do math at the table. It's not a destination wine program, but it's the kind of list that rewards the curious diner who bothers to read past the Pinot Grigio.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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