L'Amico
Piedmont Royalty Hiding in Midtown's Shadow
Chelsea Β· New York Β· Italian Β· Visit Website β
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list lands with the quiet confidence of someone who doesn't need to brag. Four hundred-plus bottles anchored in Piedmont and Tuscany, with Ruben Reyes holding things together on the floor β this is the kind of list that makes you want to skip the cocktail menu entirely. It earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence without leaning on it like a crutch.
Selection Deep Dive
The Italian backbone here is genuinely serious: Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa Barolos sit alongside Angelo Gaja's Barbaresco in territory that most NYC restaurants gesture at but never fully commit to. Tuscany shows up strong too β Biondi-Santi Brunello, Sassicaia, Tignanello β all the heavy hitters accounted for without feeling like a trophy case. The list smartly rounds out with California depth (Ridge Monte Bello, Caymus) and a nod to New York via Hermann J. Wiemer from the Finger Lakes, which tells you someone on the wine team actually pays attention. Champagne gets proper representation with Krug Grande CuvΓ©e on the list, so the full arc from aperitivo to digestivo is covered.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass at $15β$25 is a legitimately solid program for a room with this ambition, and the range tracks with the broader list rather than defaulting to the usual suspects. That said, we'd love to see a little more rotation to keep regulars on their toes β what's here works, but it can feel like the BTG list is running on cruise control compared to the bottle depth.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco β $60
Produttori is one of the great co-ops in all of Nebbiolo country β serious, age-worthy wine at a price point that's almost unfair given what's sitting next to it on this list. When the neighbors are Gaja, this one quietly outpunches its price tag.
Hermann J. Wiemer Riesling
A Finger Lakes Riesling on a room full of Barolo devotees? Most tables walk right past it. Don't. Wiemer is the standard-bearer for New York Riesling β high acid, precise, and stunning with seafood. It's the sleeper pick on a list that otherwise demands your attention in a different direction.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is fine wine, but it's also everywhere β and at New York restaurant prices, you're paying a significant premium for something you could grab at any wine shop. With Ridge Monte Bello and serious Italian reds available, there's no reason to default to the Napa crowd-pleaser here.
Borgogno Barolo Cannubi + Tagliatelle al RagΓΉ
Cannubi is one of Barolo's most prized crus β perfumed, structured, and built for exactly this kind of slow-cooked meat sauce. The tannins cut through the fat, the acidity lifts the pasta, and both get better together. This is the combination you come to L'Amico for.
π₯ The Bottom Line
L'Amico is the real deal for Italian wine in New York β deep on Piedmont, honest on Tuscany, and staffed by someone who actually knows the list. Markups will sting, but a room with Giacomo Conterno Barolo and a Finger Lakes Riesling on the same menu has clearly earned its Best of Award of Excellence badge.
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