Italy's Best, Hidden in South Minneapolis
Fulton / 50th & France · Minneapolis · Italian Small Plates & Wine Bar
Reviewed March 29, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Four hundred and fifty bottles deep in a cozy neighborhood spot on 50th Street — that's not what you expect when you pull up to this corner of South Minneapolis. Terzo arrives with serious Italian credentials and a list that would make sense in a Milanese enoteca, not a Fulton wine bar. The intimacy of the room only makes it more disarming.
The list is unapologetically Italian and proud of it. Barolos anchor the north, Tuscan reds hold the center, and the whites — Friulian and Alto Adige bottlings — are where things get genuinely exciting for anyone who thinks Italian white wine starts and ends with Pinot Grigio. The Sicily section features Frank Cornelissen, a cult producer whose volcanic, minimal-intervention wines rarely make it onto Minnesota restaurant lists at all. Champagne rounds out the program for those who want bubbles without going Italian, and it's curated rather than padded.
Specific by-the-glass counts aren't published, but given the depth of the cellar and sommelier oversight, the pours skew thoughtful rather than generic. Expect a rotating slate that punches above what you'd normally find by the glass in this zip code. Ask the staff what's open — they'll steer you somewhere good.
Northern Italian whites from Friuli Venezia Giulia — null
Friulian whites — Ribolla Gialla, Tocai Friulano, skin-contact offerings — consistently represent the best drinking-per-dollar on Italian-focused lists, and Terzo's northern Italian white section is where you should be anchoring your evening. Rich, textural, food-friendly, and still undervalued compared to French equivalents.
Frank Cornelissen (Sicily)
Cornelissen is one of the most polarizing and sought-after producers working on Etna right now — volcanic soils, no additions, almost no intervention. Finding his bottles on a Minneapolis wine list is genuinely surprising. Most tables walk right past it for something familiar. Don't be those people.
Champagne
The Champagne section exists and it's fine, but it's not where Terzo shines. You're in a deeply Italian wine bar with a sommelier who knows the peninsula cold — Champagne here feels like ordering a burger at a sushi counter. Pivot to an Alta Langa or a Franciacorta if you want bubbles that match the room's identity.
Barolo + Charcuterie board
Barolo's tannin structure and tar-and-rose character cut through cured meat fat in a way that feels inevitable. A proper Barolo alongside a well-built charcuterie spread is the reason this place exists — it's the pairing Terzo was built around.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Terzo is the kind of wine bar that makes you annoyed you didn't find it sooner — 450 Italian-focused bottles, a sommelier who gives a damn, and a room that makes the whole thing feel like a secret. If you live within ten miles of 50th Street and you care about wine, you should already have a reservation.
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Porzana punches above its class for a Minneapolis steakhouse — the Italian and Argentine selections show genuine curation, and the Fenocchio Barolo alone justifies a serious wine order. Just go in with eyes open on markups and skip the entry-level bottles unless you're pouring by the glass.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lowry Hill · Minneapolis · Steakhouse and Wood-Fired Pizza
Burch has the bones of a genuinely great wine program — knowledgeable staff, proper storage, and a list that respects the classics — but the pricing strategy on the mid-tier and entry-level bottles will test your patience. Go big or go home: the value-to-quality ratio only really clicks once you're spending $200+.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / North Loop · Minneapolis · New American / Contemporary American
112 Eatery's wine list is punching well above its weight for a Minneapolis neighborhood bistro, with a genuinely distinctive Old World focus and producers that belong on serious lists anywhere in the country. The markups sting on a few bottles, but the curation earns enough goodwill to keep us coming back.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown · Minneapolis · French Bistro
Barbette is a wine list built by someone who actually drinks wine and wants you to as well — it's small, French, and surprisingly legit for a neighborhood bistro in Uptown. If you're a natural wine fan or just someone who wants good Beaujolais with steak frites, send your friends here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Loring Park · Minneapolis · New American
Cafe Lurcat is a reliable, well-staffed wine program in one of Minneapolis's prettiest dining rooms — just know you're paying a premium for the address and the ambiance. Ask the sommelier for help navigating the list and you'll drink well; go on autopilot and order the obvious Napa Cab and you'll leave having spent more than you should have.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Southwest Minneapolis (Fulton) · Minneapolis · Italian, fresh housemade pasta
Broders' Pasta Bar isn't a wine destination, but it's exactly the kind of neighborhood spot that gets the wine list right by staying in its lane. Fair prices, Italian focus, solid glass pours — bring a friend who orders by the bottle and you're in good shape.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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