Union Square Cafe
New York's Farm Table Gets Serious About Wine
Flatiron · New York · Farm to Table · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Union Square Cafe arrives looking like it means business — 400-plus selections anchored by California, Burgundy, Italy, and Bordeaux, with prices that don't immediately make you want to cry. This is a room that takes wine seriously without making you feel like you need a decoder ring to order a bottle.
Selection Deep Dive
The list earns its Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator honestly: Giacomo Conterno Barolo and Gaja Barbaresco anchor a strong Italian chapter, while the Burgundy section features serious names like Domaine Dujac Morey-St-Denis and Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet. California gets genuine love here — Kistler Chardonnay and Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon aren't just check-the-box tokens, they're wines worth ordering. The Rhône shows up with Chateau Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape and E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie, rounding out a list that covers the Old World and the New without feeling scattered.
By the Glass
With 20-30 options by the glass, this isn't a three-Chardonnay-and-a-Cabernet program — there's enough range here to let you build a multi-pour evening without committing to a full bottle. The glass list rotates seasonally, which is a good sign that someone in that wine office is actually paying attention.
Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir — $60
Au Bon Climat is one of California's most underrated Pinot producers and in a list stacked with trophy bottles, it's the one that drinks above its price tier. Honest, food-friendly, and won't give you sticker shock.
E. Guigal CĂ´te-RĂ´tie
Most tables at USC are reaching for Burgundy or Italian reds. The Guigal Côte-Rôtie is the Northern Rhône move that almost nobody makes — smoky, meaty, and built for exactly the kind of food this kitchen sends out.
Antinori Tignanello
Tignanello is a great wine that every restaurant in America puts on their list at full freight. You'll find it here at a predictable markup, and there are far more interesting Italian bottles in the same price neighborhood on this very list.
Domaine Dujac Morey-St-Denis + Seasonal mushroom dishes
Dujac's earthy, forest-floor Morey-St-Denis is practically engineered for mushrooms — the umami bridge between that glass and whatever fungi the kitchen is working with that week is about as clean a pairing as you'll find in this city.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Union Square Cafe has been a New York institution for decades, and the wine program is one of the genuine reasons to keep coming back. A deep, well-curated list, a staff that actually knows it, and pricing that doesn't feel punitive — yes, send your friends here for wine.
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