The Dining Room at Little Palm Island
Paradise Island Dining With a Serious Cellar
Little Torch Key · Little Torch Key · Floridian
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You take a boat or seaplane to get here, so the wine list better be worth the ride — and mostly it is. The list opens with a 200-plus selection spread that leans hard into California and France, which makes sense given the clientele willing to pay resort prices for a private island dinner. It's polished, purposeful, and clearly curated by someone who takes wine seriously even if no dedicated sommelier is walking the floor.
Selection Deep Dive
The anchors are exactly what you'd expect from a Best of Award of Excellence recipient: Chateau Margaux and Lynch-Bages holding down Bordeaux, Sassicaia and Tignanello flying the Italian flag, and a California roster that reads like a greatest-hits album — Opus One, Caymus, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Jordan, Stag's Leap, Far Niente, Rombauer. It's not adventurous, but it's executed with confidence. What's missing is any real depth beyond the headline names — no grower Champagne, no Rhône, no New World wildcards to excite the more curious drinker. The list plays to its audience: affluent guests who want to recognize names, not discover new ones.
By the Glass
With 12 to 20 pours available by the glass, there's enough range to drink well across a full meal without committing to a bottle. The program skews toward crowd-pleasing California staples — Rombauer Chardonnay almost certainly anchors the white side, which will make a lot of people very happy on a warm Keys evening. Rotation appears limited; this feels like a set-it list rather than one that changes with the seasons.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $90
Jordan consistently punches above its price point with polish and restraint, and in a list where bottles creep well past $200, it's the move for anyone who wants a serious California Cab without the Opus One bill at the end of the night.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Most guests are reaching for Caymus or Silver Oak by name recognition, but Stag's Leap brings genuine Napa Valley pedigree — the winery that famously bested top Bordeaux in the 1976 Paris Tasting. On a list this glamour-focused, it tends to get overlooked, which means it's often the best deal in the Cab section.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, and resort markup on a bottle this widely distributed means you're paying a serious premium for something you could find at any wine shop back home. The quality is fine but the value math doesn't work here — put that money toward something you can't get as easily.
Far Niente Chardonnay + Pan-seared yellowtail snapper
Far Niente brings enough oak and richness to stand up to the sear on the fish while staying fresh enough not to smother the delicate snapper. It's a textbook Florida Keys pairing — tropical setting, quality fish, serious Chardonnay — and it actually delivers.
🎲 The Bottom Line
The Dining Room at Little Palm Island earns its Wine Spectator recognition with a well-stocked, properly maintained list that fits the exclusive island-resort fantasy it's selling. Just know you're paying for the boat ride too — the markups are real, but so is the setting, and a glass of Far Niente on that veranda at sunset is genuinely hard to argue with.
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