Wine List Reviews

Zaika isn't a wine destination, but the Niagara half of this list is a legitimate reason to skip the mango lassi and explore what's growing 20 minutes away. For Falls-area dining, that's more than we expected.

Kathmandu Bistro is not a wine destination — it's a genuinely good Nepalese bistro in an unexpected city with a functional, fairly priced wine list that mostly stays out of its own way. Order the Clear Night Riesling, eat the momos, and appreciate the fact that this place exists at all.

India Palace is a genuinely solid spot for Indian food in Duluth, but the wine program is collecting dust. Steep markups, a California-only list that ignores everything that actually works with spiced cuisine, and zero signs of anyone caring enough to change it — order a mango lassi and save the wine for somewhere else.

Bibi Ji is doing something genuinely unusual: building a natural wine program that treats Indian food as a serious partner rather than an afterthought. If you're open to orange wine with your tikka, this place will reward you.

Taste of India is clearly beloved for its food, and it should be — but the wine list is an afterthought that no one has revisited in a while. Order a mango lassi, a Kingfisher if they have it, or save the wine for a restaurant that's actually trying.

Truffles is doing more with wine than anywhere else in Bloomington, and the pricing is honest enough that you won't need to steel yourself before opening the list. It's not a destination wine program, but for a night out in Indiana, it's the right call.

River City Grill is a genuinely good restaurant with a wine list that hasn't quite caught up to its kitchen. The pricing is steeper than it should be for these labels, but the all-glass availability and reasonable per-pour prices make it a comfortable enough spot to drink well if you know what to order.

Brasserie 23 is the kind of place that makes you do a double-take when you remember you're in South Bend, Indiana. Come on a Wednesday for 23% off bottles, order the lamb, and let someone talk you into the Brunello.

Copper Rock is a casino steakhouse that's taken its wine program seriously enough to matter — 200 labels and 28 glass pours in South Bend, Indiana is legitimately impressive. The markups are steakhouse-standard steep and the list plays it safe, but if you're here for a prime cut and a bottle of California Cabernet, you're in good hands.

Ironhand is the rare wine bar built around a single vision rather than a buyer's curated greatest hits, and if you meet it on its own terms it genuinely delivers. Send your curious friend who thinks Indiana doesn't make real wine — this place will change the argument.

LaSalle Grill is a genuinely solid wine program doing real work in a market that doesn't demand it — and the Tuesday half-price bottle deal is one of the best recurring wine offers in Indiana. Come on a Tuesday, order the Jordan Cab, eat a steak, and stop complaining about the markup.

Red Fort isn't a wine destination, but it's making smarter decisions than almost any comparable restaurant in its category or zip code. If you're eating here anyway — and you should be — order the Txakoli or the Grüner and feel briefly brilliant.

Grille 39 is fine — and fine is the ceiling. If you're staying at the hotel and don't want to drive anywhere, the wine list will get you through dinner without incident. Just don't go out of your way for it.

Tucci's Carmel isn't trying to reinvent wine in Indiana, and that's fine — it's a reliable, Italian-focused list that does its job alongside good food. Show up on a Monday, grab a bottle of Tignanello at half price, and you're having a genuinely great night.

Guppy's won't win any awards for adventurous curation, but the list is fairly priced, thoughtfully stocked for a seafood crowd, and broad enough that everyone at the table finds something. Send a friend here for the grouper and tell them to drink the Cloudy Bay.

Shalimar isn't a wine destination, but it's playing a smarter game than most Indian restaurants in its bracket — fair prices, a Rhône red, and a Michigan Riesling that was practically designed for the menu. Order the Chateau Grand Traverse, get the Tandoori Chicken, and stop being surprised that it works.

Khyber Pass isn't a wine destination and it knows it — but the list is priced fairly, anchored by a Riesling that was practically made for this cuisine, and functional enough that you won't regret ordering a bottle. Go for the food, drink the Riesling, leave happy.

Graydon's Crossing is a craft beer pub that accidentally has a pretty thoughtful wine list — the Rhône and the Riesling alone justify giving it a chance. Don't come here for a serious wine night, but do come here knowing you won't be stuck with bad options.

Vinland Reserve is the rare Indiana winery that earns a second look — barrel-aged hybrids, honest Bordeaux imports, and some of the most approachable pricing in the region. Wine Wednesday alone makes this worth adding to the rotation.

Kai is a Wild Card because you don't expect this level of wine seriousness tucked inside a resort hotel on the Gila River Indian Community — and yet here we are. The markups are real and the list plays it relatively safe, but the setting, the staff, and the overall execution make it worth the splurge if you're already committing to dinner here.

The Oven Cellar is the kind of wine program that makes you feel slightly embarrassed about every assumption you walked in with — a 2,200-bottle cellar built with genuine knowledge and curiosity, attached to an Indian restaurant in Lincoln, Nebraska. Yes, you should go out of your way for this.

Oh' Calcutta's wine list is unremarkable on its own — but Tuesday nights flip the script entirely, and a $19 Pinot Noir with lamb vindaloo is a genuinely good time. Come for the food, plan around Tuesday, and don't overthink it.

Pueblo Harvest isn't a wine destination, but it's doing something genuinely cool by centering New Mexico producers on a list that matches the restaurant's cultural identity. Come for the food and the story, order a VARA or a Gruet, and appreciate that someone here made intentional choices.

Saffron isn't a wine destination, but the half-price bottle happy hour (Tuesday–Sunday, 3–6 PM) and genuinely low base prices make it a smart stop for anyone who wants a solid pour without a $60 bottle commitment. Order the Riesling, get the tikka masala, and enjoy the deal.

Indienne is the Wild Card in the truest sense — a fusion kitchen with a genuinely considered wine program that earns its Wine Spectator nod. Yes, send a friend here for wine, but make sure they skip the Napa Cab and lead with Riesling.

Amiraj is doing something genuinely unusual in the Indian restaurant space — a wine list with California muscle, Virginia local pride, and an actual Indian producer — and it holds together. If you're eating Indian food in Williamsburg and not engaging with this list, you're leaving the best part of the meal on the table.

Masala Bites is exactly the kind of Wild Card that earns its stripes — a well-considered wine list in a place you'd never think to look for one. Send your friends who claim wine doesn't work with Indian food; the Riesling will change their minds.

Nazara is the rare Indian restaurant where the wine list is worth your actual attention — California-focused and safe, sure, but fairly priced and legitimately curated. We'd send a friend here who wants a proper bottle of wine with their lamb.

Passerine is the kind of place that shouldn't work on paper — serious California and French bottles alongside Indian cooking — but it does, and it does it well enough to earn the Wine Spectator nod. Send a friend here if they think wine and Indian food don't mix; this list will change their mind.

Peterson's is doing something genuinely respectable in Fishers — a thoughtfully curated, Wine Spectator-recognized list with a real sommelier, a Monday half-price program, and specific bottles worth seeking out. Send your friends here with confidence.