Solid beach list, but your wallet notices
Fort Myers Beach · Fort Myers · American steak and seafood with coastal and Mediterranean touches · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 16, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at South Beach Grille reads exactly like you'd expect from a casually upscale beach grill — familiar names, safe choices, nothing that's going to surprise you. It's a crowd-pleaser lineup assembled for tourists and regulars who want a glass of something recognizable with their grouper. That's not an insult, but it's not a compliment either.
Forty to sixty bottles anchored almost entirely in California and a few Italian and New Zealand crowd favorites. Kendall-Jackson, Meiomi, Kim Crawford, Santa Margherita — these are grocery store staples dressed up in a restaurant wine list. There's a step up with Cakebread Chardonnay and Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cab for those willing to spend, which gives the list a little range even if it doesn't have much depth. Notable gaps: no Rosé, no sparkling beyond Veuve, no domestic Pinot Noir worth getting excited about.
Ten to fourteen pours by the glass at $9–$14, which is reasonable for a coastal Florida restaurant in 2024. The selections mirror the bottle list — think Kim Crawford, Meiomi, Kendall-Jackson. Rotation appears minimal; this looks like a set-it-and-forget-it program rather than something actively curated.
Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Napa Valley — $78
A 73% markup is the most restrained on this list, and Cakebread is actually worth drinking — rich, structured Napa Chard that holds up to the prime rib or a buttery fish dish. Everything cheaper here is marked up worse.
Veuve Clicquot Brut NV
At a 45% markup — the lowest on the list — this is genuinely the best deal they're offering. Most people will default to a glass of Chardonnay and never look at the bubbles. Order the Veuve. Start the meal right.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
A 153% markup on a $15 retail bottle is hard to justify when you can grab this at any grocery store on the drive back to your rental. It's fine wine, but you're paying beach-vacation tax on every sip.
Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley + Filet mignon
Silver Oak Alexander Valley is approachable, fruit-forward Cab that doesn't need a decade in the cellar — it's ready now and plays well with a well-seasoned filet. The 60% markup is the most defensible on a big bottle here, and it turns dinner into an occasion.
✔️ The Bottom Line
South Beach Grille is a dependable neighborhood spot with a wine list that does its job without doing anything interesting — you'll find what you know, pay a bit more than you should for most of it, and leave fine. If you're strategic about it (Veuve to start, Cakebread or Silver Oak if you're splashing), you can drink pretty well here.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.