Lakeland's Italian Wine Anchor Does Not Disappoint
Lakeland · Lakeland · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 27, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walk into Palace Southside and the wine list feels like it was built by someone who actually loves Italian wine — not just someone who called a distributor and said 'give me the usual.' The Ospitalità Italiana certification hanging in the background tells you this place takes the Italian thing seriously, and the list backs that up. For Lakeland, Florida, this is a genuinely pleasant surprise.
The list runs 150-plus bottles and stays almost entirely Italian, which is exactly the right call for a place like this. You've got the heavy hitters covered — Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone della Valpolicella — alongside more approachable entry points like Gavi di Gavi, Pinot Grigio delle Venezie, and Chianti Classico Riserva. Super Tuscans make an appearance too, which rounds out the premium tier nicely. What's missing is a broader reach into lesser-known Italian regions — a Nerello Mascalese from Etna or a Sagrantino from Umbria would push this from solid to exceptional.
Somewhere between 12 and 20 options by the glass is a respectable number, and in an Italian-focused program that likely means you can work your way through multiple regions without committing to a bottle. The glass program appears consistent rather than rotating, so don't expect seasonal surprises — but reliable is not nothing.
Chianti Classico Riserva — $45
Chianti Classico Riserva at the lower end of their bottle pricing is where you want to be. It's a wine that regularly commands $50-70 at comparable restaurants, and it plays well with everything on a handcrafted pizza menu.
Gavi di Gavi
Most tables at an Italian restaurant default to Pinot Grigio and never look up. Gavi di Gavi is the smarter white — more texture, more regional character, and it cuts through rich, cheesy pizza in a way that generic Grigio just doesn't.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Amarone is spectacular wine, but at a pizza-forward Italian spot, it's a mismatch waiting to happen. It's also the most likely bottle on this list to carry a steep markup given its prestige — you'll spend top dollar on a wine that's begging for a braise, not a Margherita.
Barolo + Handcrafted pizza with cured meats
Barolo's firm tannins and dried cherry core actually hold up beautifully against the salt and fat of cured meats on pizza — it's an unconventional move that works, and ordering Barolo at a neighborhood Italian spot is exactly the kind of thing this list was built for.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Palace Southside has earned its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, and in the context of Lakeland, it's the best Italian wine list in the area without much competition. Send your friends here — just steer them away from the Amarone and toward the Barolo.
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