Ithaca's Quirky Little Wine List Worth a Look
· Ithaca · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Rook’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Twelve bottles isn't a lot, but The Rook's list reads like someone actually thought about it — which is more than you can say for most casual spots in Ithaca. There's a deliberate lean toward esoteric and European-inflected picks that immediately signals this isn't a house-Pinot-Grigio-or-bust operation. The ceiling is high and the floor is low, and that spread tells you something.
The list skips the obvious and leans into the unusual: a Garnacha-based orange wine, a Txakoline, a Verdicchio, a Gewurztraminer, and even a Barolo rosé made from Malvasia. There's almost no mainstream California Cab or safe Bordeaux blend to be found, which is either thrilling or alienating depending on your comfort level. The sparkling section alone — Prosecco, a Blanc de Blancs, and a Champagne — takes up a quarter of the list, which feels deliberate. Gaps exist: no red wine from a classic region is apparent, which is a real omission for a dinner-forward restaurant.
By-the-glass options aren't documented in what we have, so we can't speak to pour selection or rotation with confidence. Given the tight bottle list, the BTG program is likely limited — which means you may be committing to a full bottle sooner than you'd like on a casual Tuesday.
The Bottom Line
The Rook is swinging for something more interesting than its size suggests, and the range of regions and styles — Txakoline, Verdicchio, Barolo rosé, orange Garnacha — earns genuine respect for a 12-bottle list. Pricing skews steep at the top end, and the lack of any documented reds from classic regions is a real hole. If you're an adventurous drinker who's tired of the same wine list at every New American spot, this is worth exploring — just go in knowing you'll probably land in the $45–$56 range to find the value.
· Ithaca · Brasserie / New American
Simeon's wine list does its job without breaking a sweat — it's approachable, reasonably priced, and quietly proud of the Finger Lakes producers it stocks. The by-the-glass selection is the real strength here; if you're in Ithaca and want to explore local wine without committing to a bottle, this is a perfectly decent place to do it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ithaca · Northern Italian
Mercato is a well-regarded local staple with the right regional instincts — Italian roots, Finger Lakes ambition, and a warm room that earns its reservations. We'd feel comfortable sending a friend here for a solid bottle of wine with dinner, but we'd tell them to ask questions at the table, because we can't yet confirm the specifics behind the list. Worth a visit; worth a deeper look once a full wine list is in hand.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Hill / Elmira Road corridor · Ithaca · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse Ithaca is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the list is short, the producers are supermarket-tier, and the markups on house pours are quietly aggressive. Come for the bread and the steak; if you need wine, order one glass and make peace with it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown / The Commons · Ithaca · Irish pub, Irish-American gastropub
Kilpatrick's is never going to make a wine list worth traveling to Ithaca for, but it's a fair, unpretentious pour program that respects your wallet and quietly sneaks in a Pouilly-Fuissé and a proper Hugel Riesling. Come for the shepherd's pie, stay for the Alsace.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / State Street · Ithaca · Cocktail Bar
The Watershed is a cocktail bar that accidentally has a decent wine list, and we mean that as a compliment. If you're in Ithaca and want a low-key glass of something thoughtfully chosen without paying downtown Manhattan prices, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West End / State Street · Ithaca · Wine Shop & Tasting Room
The Falls Wine Room is the kind of neighborhood spot that makes you realize how low the bar usually is — thoughtful list, honest prices, and a genuine point of view on what wine should be. If you're in Ithaca and you care even a little about what's in your glass, you owe this place a visit.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
· Paso Robles · New American
The Anderson Paso is doing something genuinely considered with a compact list — leaning into local producers, elevating overlooked white varieties, and keeping markups reasonable across most of the range. If you're in Paso and want a wine list that reflects where you actually are rather than a generic American steakhouse roster, this is worth your attention. Send a friend who likes white wine. Send yourself if you're tired of lists that phone it in.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northeast Portland · Portland · New American
OK Omens is doing something genuinely uncommon: running a focused, adventurous wine program in a neighborhood restaurant without making it feel precious or intimidating. If you're the kind of person who wants to drink something you've never heard of and trust that the staff knows why it's there, send yourself here immediately.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Harrisburg · New American
Home 231 is a solid neighborhood dinner spot where the wine list does its job without any drama — which is fine, as long as you're not expecting it to be the reason you showed up. Come for the food, order something simple off the list, and enjoy the room.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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