La Strada
Italian Classics Done Right, Casino Setting Forgiven
Downtown Reno · Reno · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 24, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walk into La Strada inside the Eldorado Resort and the list signals immediately that this place takes Italian wine seriously — or at least more seriously than the slot machines outside. It's focused, it's Italian top to bottom, and it doesn't apologize for either of those things. The casino address might give you pause, but the list earns a second look.
Selection Deep Dive
The list runs 80 to 150 bottles deep and sticks almost entirely to Italy, which we respect — no filler Napa Cab snuck in just to appease someone's dad. Tuscany and Piedmont lead the charge, with Antinori representing Chianti Classico and Barolo producers from Piedmont rounding out the serious end of the cellar. Brunello di Montalcino shows up too, which means there's real ambition here, not just a token Super Tuscan. Veneto and Northern Italy fill out the middle of the list with enough variety to keep things interesting across price points.
By the Glass
Ten to sixteen options by the glass is a solid program for a casino restaurant, and the $12–$22 range means you can drink well without committing to a bottle. We'd push toward the upper end of that range — that's where the interesting stuff lives. Rotation doesn't appear to be aggressive, so don't expect surprises, but the core pours are dependable.
Antinori Chianti Classico — $14
Antinori is one of Tuscany's most reliable houses, and Chianti Classico at the lower end of the by-the-glass range gives you real Sangiovese character — bright acidity, cherry, dried herbs — without the splurge. It's the move if you're eating pasta and want something that actually makes sense with the food.
Barolo
Most tables here are ordering the safe stuff, which means the Piedmont Barolo selections are sitting underappreciated in the cellar. Barolo at a Northern Italian restaurant is exactly the context it was made for — big, structured, worth every minute it needs to open up. Worth the ask and worth the price if you're splitting a bottle over a long dinner.
Brunello di Montalcino
Brunello is a magnificent wine. It's also one that casinos and hotel restaurants mark up aggressively because they can. Unless the price is genuinely surprising, you're almost certainly paying a significant premium over retail for a wine that needs more time to fully deliver than a restaurant dinner allows anyway.
Antinori Chianti Classico + Signature Mushroom Ravioli
Chianti Classico's earthy, savory backbone is practically designed for mushrooms. The Sangiovese acidity cuts through the richness of the pasta without steamrolling the delicate filling — it's the kind of combination that makes you wonder why you'd ever order anything else.
✔️ The Bottom Line
La Strada is the most serious Italian wine list you're likely to find in a Reno casino, and that's not damning with faint praise — the Piedmont and Tuscany selections are genuinely worth your attention. Markups run steep as you'd expect from a resort property, so calibrate your order accordingly and let the food guide the bottle choice.
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