Trattoria Zooma
Federal Hill's Italian list done with conviction
Federal Hill · Providence · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Trattoria Zooma opens like a greatest hits of Italian regionalism — Barolo, Amarone, Brunello, Super Tuscans — and it's immediately clear someone here actually cares about the boot. It's not a deep-cellar situation, but for Federal Hill, it punches with purpose.
Selection Deep Dive
The Italian spine is strong: Alessandro Rivetto Barolo from Piemonte, Poggio dell'Aquila Brunello di Montefalco, Marchesi Biscardo Amarone from Veneto, and Brancaia covering both Chianti Classico Riserva and the Super Tuscan Il Blu. They've also dug into lesser-visited territory with the Lungarotti Sagrantino from Umbria and the Marino Abate Ricamo Perricone out of Sicily — those picks show some genuine curiosity. The non-Italian section (California, Washington, New Zealand, Argentina) feels like an afterthought bolted on for guests who won't budge from New World comfort, including a Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet that arrives at predictably brutal pricing. The white game is thinner than we'd like, though the Guado al Melo Criseo white Super Tuscan is a standout exception.
By the Glass
Eight to fourteen options by the glass is a respectable spread for a neighborhood trattoria — enough to navigate with intention without feeling like you're staring down a dissertation. The La Meridiana Barbera Superiore shows up here and earns its pour. Rotation doesn't appear to be aggressive, so don't expect a constantly evolving chalk-board situation.
La Meridiana Barbera Superiore – Piemonte — null
Barbera is chronically underestimated and chronically underpriced compared to its Piemontese neighbors. This one offers the bright acidity and dark fruit you want with pasta without the Barolo tax. It's the smart order in a room full of people paying for names.
Marino Abate Ricamo Perricone – Sicilia
Perricone is a native Sicilian grape most diners have never heard of and most wine lists don't bother with. It's earthy, a little rustic, and genuinely interesting in a way that no Cabernet on this list can claim to be. The fact that it's here at all is worth acknowledging.
Silver Oak Cabernet – Alexander Valley, California
Silver Oak is a fine wine sold at a restaurant markup that makes no financial sense when you're already in a room full of quality Italian bottles. You're paying for the name recognition, not the experience. Order the Brunello instead.
Brancaia Il Blu – Toscana + Housemade pasta with braised meat ragù
Il Blu is a Sangiovese-Merlot-Cabernet blend with enough structure to stand up to a slow-cooked, fatty ragù and enough Tuscan soul to feel right at an Italian table. This is the combo you came to Federal Hill for.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Trattoria Zooma won't wow wine obsessives, but it's one of the more thoughtfully assembled Italian lists in Providence — the regional depth is real, and a few of the picks show genuine curiosity. Markups keep it from being a destination wine stop, but if you're eating here anyway, you're in good hands.
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