Best Wine Lists in Connecticut

Viñas Wine & Tapas

Ninth Square / Downtown · New Haven · Chilean-inspired wine bar with Chilean, Mexican and Spanish-style tapas

The Wild Card

Viñas is punching well above its weight class for a downtown wine bar, and the Chilean-focused list is genuinely worth your attention. If you care about South American wine at all, this is the most interesting pour in New Haven right now.

Miso Japanese Restaurant

Downtown · New Haven · Japanese, Sushi, Asian Fusion

The Reliable

Miso is a sushi restaurant first and a wine destination never — but the Monday half-price bottle program and a well-placed Riesling keep it from falling into Lazy List territory. Come for the food, drink the Riesling, and show up on a Monday if you can.

Kamakura Sushi

Downtown · New Haven · Japanese / Sushi

The Lazy List

Kamakura Sushi is a solid neighborhood sushi spot and you should absolutely go — just order sake, beer, or a soft drink and leave the wine list alone. The wine program exists in name only, and no amount of goodwill toward the kitchen changes that.

Shell & Bones Patio

City Point / Waterfront · New Haven · Outdoor Seafood Grill

The Reliable

Shell & Bones is a reliable wine destination by New Haven waterfront standards — solid list, a sommelier on staff, and a happy hour that rewards the early arrivals. The markup stings a bit at full price, but the setting forgives a lot.

Heirloom

Downtown / Yale · New Haven · New American Hotel Restaurant

The Wild Card

Heirloom is a hotel restaurant that quietly decided fortified and dessert wines were worth caring about, and that instinct alone makes it worth a detour. Don't come for a deep red wine list — come for the Tawnies, the Ben Rye, and the Madeira, and let the kitchen take care of the rest.

Skappo Merkato

Downtown · New Haven · Italian / Umbrian

The Wild Card

Skappo Merkato earns its Wild Card badge by doing something rare: committing fully to a region most restaurants ignore and making it work. If you're eating here anyway, skip the cocktail and let someone walk you through the Umbrian side of the list.

Shell & Bones Bar Lounge

City Point / Waterfront · New Haven · Lounge

The Reliable

Shell & Bones is a reliable wine stop for a waterfront dinner — wide selection, solid glass pour count, and a Wine Spectator nod that isn't undeserved. Markups are on the steeper side, so stick to the happy hour window and let the raw bar do the heavy lifting.

Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill

Downtown · New Haven · Southwestern

The Wild Card

Geronimo is first and foremost a tequila bar, and you should absolutely drink tequila here. But if you want wine, the list is smart enough to reward you — especially if you order the Albariño and skip the obvious stuff.

Olives and Oil

Downtown · New Haven · Modern Rustic Italian

The Reliable

Olives and Oil is a solid neighborhood Italian with a wine list that does its job without breaking a sweat — or breaking new ground. Send a friend here for a fun night out; just tell them to order the Montepulciano and not to expect a deep cellar.

Shell & Bones Oyster Bar

City Point / Waterfront · New Haven · Seafood

The Reliable

Shell & Bones built a tight, seafood-smart wine list that rewards the curious drinker, though the markups mean you'll feel it at checkout. Come for the oysters, order the Chiquet, and don't waste your money on the mini Moët.

Elm City Social

Downtown · New Haven · New American Gastropub

The Lazy List

Elm City Social is a great spot for cocktails, a rooftop, and fried chicken and waffles — the wine list is an afterthought, and it knows it. If you're coming here for wine, recalibrate; if you're coming here for a good time and happen to want a glass of something red, the Killka will do the job.

Olea

Downtown · New Haven · Modern Spanish and Mediterranean

The Reliable

Olea isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's doing the right things — a focused Iberian list, fair prices, and pours that actually make sense with the food. Send a friend here and tell them to start with the Albariño.