Italian classics, Clayton prices, Italian heart
Clayton · St. Louis · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The list reads like a love letter to Italy written by someone who also really wants to sell you Caymus. There's genuine depth on the Italian side — Brunello, Barolo, Super Tuscans — but the California stalwarts show up and immediately start inflating the check. It's a wine list that knows what it wants to be, but keeps second-guessing itself.
Where Café Napoli earns its keep is in the Italian column: Tuscany and Piedmont anchor the list with the kind of credibility you'd expect from a room this serious about the cuisine. Brunello di Montalcino and Barolo are present, Sicily gets a nod, and Gavi di Gavi covers the white wine faithful. The problem is the California contingent — Jordan, Silver Oak, Caymus, Cakebread — which reads less like a curated selection and more like a greatest hits of airport wine bars, priced accordingly. A tighter Italian focus would make this list genuinely special instead of merely good.
Ten to sixteen options by the glass gives you real choices, which is more than most Italian restaurants in this zip code offer. The glass program leans toward the familiar, so don't expect to stumble onto a Nerello Mascalese on a Tuesday. What's there is reliable, if unsurprising.
Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve NV — $65
At 18% over retail, this is the closest thing to a fair deal on a prestige bottle. For a restaurant charging $210 for Caymus, a $65 Billecart Réserve is practically an act of charity — and it's a far better drink.
Gavi di Gavi
Most tables will reach for the Pinot Grigio out of habit, but Gavi di Gavi — Cortese-based, crisp, and genuinely Italian — is the smarter white wine play on this list and a better match for the kitchen's flavors.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio Alto Adige 2022
At $60 on the list against a $25 retail price, this is a 140% markup on a wine that's already overexposed and overrated. It's the default order for guests who haven't looked at the list, which is exactly why it's priced this way.
Brunello di Montalcino + 16 oz New York strip steak
Brunello's structure and dark fruit are exactly what a thick, properly seared strip needs — the tannins stand up to the char and the acidity keeps the fat in check. This is the one moment on the list where the Italian focus and the menu earn each other.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Café Napoli is a dependable destination for Italian wine in Clayton — just go in with eyes open on the pricing and steer hard toward the Italian side of the list. The California section is a trap and the markups on crowd-pleasers are rough, but the underlying Italian bones are solid enough to make this worth your time.
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