The Centro
Downtown Cleveland's Safe Bet for Cab Drinkers
Gateway District · Cleveland · Italian, American, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The Centro's wine list reads like a greatest hits album of American wine — the kind where you already know every song before the first note plays. Caymus, Rombauer, Meiomi: all present, all accounted for, all priced accordingly. It's a fine dining room with a hotel wine list, and that tension is very much on display.
Selection Deep Dive
The list spans 100-200 bottles with a California-heavy backbone, supplemented by Italian and French options that nod to the kitchen's roots. What you won't find is any real adventurousness — this is a list built to sell, not to explore. There's nothing wrong with Jordan Cabernet or Duckhorn Merlot, but when your anchor producers are the same five names every upscale hotel restaurant leans on, you're not really curating anything. The Italian and French sections feel underdeveloped relative to the California dominance, which is a missed opportunity given the pasta and pizza program on the food side.
By the Glass
The by-the-glass program runs 10-20 options, which is a reasonable count for a room of this size and ambition. Expect the usual suspects — something from Rombauer's Chardonnay, likely a Meiomi Pinot for the crowd that wants fruit-forward and easy — but don't expect the pours to rotate with any urgency. This is a set-and-forget glass program dressed up in a fine dining setting.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Among the anchor names on this list, Jordan offers the most actual wine for the money — it's a polished, food-friendly Cab that doesn't demand your full attention the way Caymus does. If you're ordering a steak and want something that won't fight the food, this is the move. Pricing unknown, but Jordan generally lands more reasonably than its neighbors on lists like this.
Duckhorn Merlot
Merlot gets ignored at steakhouses because everyone's reaching for Cabernet, which means the Duckhorn often sits quietly on the list without much fanfare. It's a genuinely well-made wine — structured, plummy, with enough weight to handle a cut of beef — and the lack of hype around Merlot right now might mean it's priced a tick more reasonably than the Cabs.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus has become the default 'nice bottle' order for people who don't want to think too hard, and restaurants know it — which is exactly why it gets marked up aggressively at places like this. You're paying a premium for a brand name that's been coasting on reputation for years. The wine is fine. The markup is not.
Rombauer Chardonnay + House Made Pasta
Rombauer's butter-bomb Chardonnay is genuinely built for creamy pasta sauces — the oak and richness mirror what's in the bowl rather than fighting it. It's not a subtle pairing, but it works, and it's probably the most honest use of Rombauer on any restaurant list.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Centro is a reliable pour for downtown Cleveland — the list won't surprise you, the prices will sting a little, but it's a competent wine program for a hotel steakhouse anchored in a beautiful room. Send a friend here if they want familiar bottles and a good steak; steer them elsewhere if they're looking for anything off the beaten path.
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