New York's Farm Table Gets Serious About Wine
Flatiron · New York · Farm to Table · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Union Square Cafe’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Union Square Cafe arrives looking like it means business — 400-plus selections anchored by California, Burgundy, Italy, and Bordeaux, with prices that don't immediately make you want to cry. This is a room that takes wine seriously without making you feel like you need a decoder ring to order a bottle.
The list earns its Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator honestly: Giacomo Conterno Barolo and Gaja Barbaresco anchor a strong Italian chapter, while the Burgundy section features serious names like Domaine Dujac Morey-St-Denis and Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet. California gets genuine love here — Kistler Chardonnay and Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon aren't just check-the-box tokens, they're wines worth ordering. The Rhône shows up with Chateau Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape and E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie, rounding out a list that covers the Old World and the New without feeling scattered.
With 20-30 options by the glass, this isn't a three-Chardonnay-and-a-Cabernet program — there's enough range here to let you build a multi-pour evening without committing to a full bottle. The glass list rotates seasonally, which is a good sign that someone in that wine office is actually paying attention.
Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir — $60
Au Bon Climat is one of California's most underrated Pinot producers and in a list stacked with trophy bottles, it's the one that drinks above its price tier. Honest, food-friendly, and won't give you sticker shock.
E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie
Most tables at USC are reaching for Burgundy or Italian reds. The Guigal Côte-Rôtie is the Northern Rhône move that almost nobody makes — smoky, meaty, and built for exactly the kind of food this kitchen sends out.
Antinori Tignanello
Tignanello is a great wine that every restaurant in America puts on their list at full freight. You'll find it here at a predictable markup, and there are far more interesting Italian bottles in the same price neighborhood on this very list.
Domaine Dujac Morey-St-Denis + Seasonal mushroom dishes
Dujac's earthy, forest-floor Morey-St-Denis is practically engineered for mushrooms — the umami bridge between that glass and whatever fungi the kitchen is working with that week is about as clean a pairing as you'll find in this city.
The Bottom Line
Union Square Cafe has been a New York institution for decades, and the wine program is one of the genuine reasons to keep coming back. A deep, well-curated list, a staff that actually knows it, and pricing that doesn't feel punitive — yes, send your friends here for wine.
Downtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Downtown is a place where people order Champagne to celebrate, not to drink — and the wine program is built accordingly. If you're here for the vibe and someone else is paying, pop the Dom and enjoy it; if you actually care about what's in your glass, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Upscale Seafood & Steakhouse
Three happy hour wines do not a wine program make. Ocean Prime is a place you eat well and drink safely — but if wine is a priority, this list will let you down before the bread basket arrives.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Midtown is a great place to see and be seen, but the wine list is there to pad the check, not to excite you. If you're here for the experience, lean on the cocktails or grab a glass of Bonanza at the bar — don't expect the bottle list to reward any real curiosity.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown West · New York · Russian-American
The Russian Tea Room treats wine as an afterthought dressed up in Champagne flutes — five famous labels at punishing prices with no range, no by-the-glass program, and no apparent curiosity about wine beyond what looks impressive on a table. Go for the spectacle, order the caviar, but don't come here expecting a wine list.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
David Burke Tavern's list is a Chardonnay lover's comfort zone with a solid sparkling section propping up the top — but the narrow focus and steep pricing mean you're paying for familiarity, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want California whites and a glass of Champagne; send them somewhere else if they want to explore.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Delafield · Delafield · Farm to Table
I.d. is a comfortable, well-credentialed choice for wine in the Delafield area — the Wine Spectator recognition is earned and the list does its job without embarrassing anyone. Just don't come here looking to be challenged; come here looking to drink something familiar and good with a solid farm-to-table meal.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Chetek · Chetek · Farm to Table
A remote Wisconsin retreat with a Wine Spectator credential, an on-staff wine pro, and a focused California list is exactly the kind of unexpected find we love flagging. If you're making the trip to Canoe Bay — and it's worth making — the wine program won't let you down.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Delavan · Delavan · Farm to Table
Opus is the wine overachiever in a room that wasn't expecting one — a thoughtfully curated list in a historic Wisconsin inn that earns its Wine Spectator badge without relying on it as a crutch. If you're driving out to Delavan for a tasting menu, the wine list is a genuine reason to stay the full night.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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