Best Wine List

Da Mauritzio, 1496 Lower Water, 423-0859

Da Mauritzio has been hosting sumptuous Northern Italian feasts for years, and is known for its outstanding service. The excellent food is accompanied by an incredible and ever-changing wine list, featuring bottles from around the world. Co-owner Stephanie Bertossi is quick to sing the praises of her staff when it comes to bringing diners and the right bottle of wine together. “There’s nothing more important than product knowledge, be it about the food or the wine,” she says. “It’s nice to have a sommelier, but why only have one person who knows about the wine?”

Even neophytes need not fear, the servers here are well-versed in food and wine pairings, and can recommend a wine to complement each item on the menu, taking the guesswork out of wine selection.

Da Mauritzio features about 10 wines by the glass “to accommodate single diners, business travellers for example,” says Bertossi. “Most of our tables will drink a bottle or two, depending on the size of the party.” And they have a lot to choose from, with over 100 different wines in house and a selection that regularly changes, ranging in price “from $30 a bottle up, up, up.” A word of advice to novice wine drinkers: “Don’t start out with cheap wine,” Bertossi says, laughing. “Start with something expensive, good. You can always go back to the cheap wine, but if you don’t start with good wine, you’ll never enjoy it.” —Liz Feltham