Harlem's best-kept Old World secret
Harlem · New York · Italian, Spanish · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Vinateria’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
You're on Frederick Douglass Boulevard, not in some tucked-away West Village wine bar, and yet the list that lands on your table punches well above its neighborhood expectations. Italy and Spain are front and center — Barolo, Brunello, Rioja — and it feels curated rather than assembled. This is clearly a place that takes wine seriously, even if it doesn't advertise the fact loudly.
The 150-200 bottle list zeroes in on Italy and Spain with real conviction — Piedmont and Tuscany anchor the Italian side, with Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino making appearances that justify the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence the restaurant has held since 2017. Spain doesn't get shortchanged either: Rioja Reserva and Gran Reserva plus Priorat producers give the Iberian section some genuine teeth. There's a smart lean toward Southern Italian whites — Vermentino and Greco di Tufo — that suits the food better than a Chardonnay-heavy list ever would. France shows up through Languedoc-Roussillon, which is a savvy choice: serious wine at prices that don't require a second mortgage.
Twenty to thirty options by the glass is genuinely generous for a neighborhood restaurant of this size — you can actually explore here rather than resign yourself to the house red. The inclusion of Sicilian natural wines by the glass is where things get interesting and where Vinateria earns its Wild Card status. Glass pours run $12–$18, which is honest money for this quality level in New York.
Vermentino — $12-$14
Sardinian or Tuscan Vermentino by the glass is the smart opening move here — crisp, savory, food-friendly, and priced where a second pour doesn't feel reckless. Exactly the kind of white that makes the burrata sing.
Languedoc-Roussillon selections
Most tables are eyeing the Barolo and Brunello — understandably — but the Languedoc-Roussillon bottles are where the value hides. Southern French wine from this region delivers Rhône-adjacent complexity at a fraction of the prestige-label price, and Vinateria's picks here reward the curious.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The Gran Reserva is tempting on paper, but at this price tier you're likely paying for the category name more than a specific producer that justifies the premium. Go Gran Reserva at a place with a dedicated Spanish specialist; here, the Reserva tier gets you nearly as far for less.
Greco di Tufo + Burrata
Greco di Tufo's natural bitterness and mineral edge cut right through the fat of fresh burrata without overwhelming it — it's a classic Campanian instinct, and Vinateria's menu is practically built for this move.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Vinateria is the kind of wine-forward neighborhood restaurant that Harlem deserves and visitors routinely overlook — an Old World-focused list with real range, fair prices, and enough by-the-glass surprises to reward curiosity. Send your friends here, and tell them to skip the house red and ask about the Sicilian naturals.
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
West Village · New York · American
Cecchi's is first and foremost a bar, but the wine list is more serious than the neon and noise suggest. Steep markups are the main ding — but if you know what to order, there's real pleasure here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Steak House, Small Plates
The Corner Store is a reliable, well-credentialed wine list doing exactly what a good SoHo steakhouse should — France and California, done with intention, in a room that makes you want to order another bottle. Just watch the markup on the big Bordeaux names and let the Rhône or Burgundy side show you a better time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Tribeca · New York · American
Farra is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood wine bar, and the Wine Spectator nod is earned — just know that the serious bottles come with serious prices, and the no-sommelier setup means you're doing some of the navigating yourself. Worth it for anyone who knows what they want; potentially overwhelming for those who don't.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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