Restaurant
Unclaimed profileSoby's
Greenville, SC · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Soby's pairs a Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning list of 4,000 selections and 17,000 bottles with a dedicated cocktail program that leans on local spirits and seasonal mixers. The underground cellar seats twelve, and large formats reach $12,000. Cocktails like the Soby's Signature Old Fashioned and The Lady Diana show range, while a named mocktail list covers non-drinkers. This is a serious wine destination with a capable bar behind it.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Soby's Signature Old Fashioned, built on Soby's 25th Year Maker's Mark Private Select, Demerara, and Black Walnut Bitters. Then move to the wine list, where by-the-glass options include Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Champagne NV and Newton Unfiltered Napa Valley Chardonnay. For a non-alcoholic route, Berry Calm delivers strawberry, cucumber, mint, and lime.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Collectors and enthusiasts chasing one of the country's largest wine lists will find depth in Champagne, Burgundy, and large formats. Cocktail drinkers get a compact but ambitious list, and those skipping alcohol have two dedicated mocktails.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails run $12–$22, beers $5–$8, mocktails $5. Wine by the glass starts at $13 and climbs to $115; half bottles and large formats range higher, up to $12,000 for large formats.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The wine program's scale and awards set it apart: Wine Spectator Grand Award in 2025, 'Best Large Format Wine List North America' at the 2026 World's Best Wine Lists Awards, and an underground cellar holding over 15,000 bottles with a dining table for twelve.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
A dedicated cocktail menu shows clear intent: named drinks built with local spirits, seasonal fruit, and modifiers like Yellow Chartreuse and Ancho Reyes. Priced $12–$22, the list spans a bourbon-forward old fashioned to a mezcal-spiked piña colada.
Menu strengths
- — Eight named cocktails demonstrate a broad stylistic range, from a rye-based Midnight Train to Georgia to the gin-heavy Court Street Garden Party.
- — Use of local spirits and craft ingredients, such as Soby's 25th Year Maker's Mark Private Select, ties the bar to its region.
- — Pricing stays approachable for a restaurant with a serious wine program, with most cocktails under $20.
Standout selections
- — Soby's Signature Old Fashioned ($22): Soby's 25th Year Maker's Mark Private Select, Demerara, and Black Walnut Bitters.
- — Piña Brava ($16): LALO Blanco, Vida Mezcal, Giffard Pineapple, Ancho Reyes Chile, lime, ginger, and agave.
- — The Lady Diana ($14): Tito's Vodka, Crème de Pêche de Vigne, Banane du Brésil, St. Germain, mango, lime, and pineapple.
Pricing: $12–$22
Wine
This is a destination wine program: over 4,000 selections and 17,000 bottles, with a Wine Spectator Grand Award earned in 2025. The list extends deep into Champagne, Burgundy, and large formats, and the underground cellar holds more than 15,000 bottles. By-the-glass prices start at $13, but the real draw is the depth and rare formats.
Menu strengths
- — Wine Spectator Grand Award (July 2025) and 'Best Large Format Wine List North America' at the 2026 World's Best Wine Lists Awards.
- — Scale: over 4,000 selections, 17,000 bottles, and an underground cellar with 15,000+ bottles and a 12-seat dining table.
- — Regular tastings and wine dinners, plus No Corkage Sundays introduced in 2026, keep the program active.
Standout selections
- — Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Champagne NV ($18 by the glass) – a benchmark non-vintage Champagne.
- — Newton Unfiltered Napa Valley Chardonnay 2022 ($25 by the glass) – a classic Californian expression.
- — Frédéric Esmonin Les Genévrières Burgundy 2023 ($16 by the glass) – a Pinot Noir from a respected négociant.
Pricing: By the glass $13–$115; half bottles $35–$750; large formats $200–$12,000
Beer
The beer list is compact but well-chosen, featuring local and regional craft breweries from the Southeast. Prices stay low, from $5 for a Sweetwater 420 to $8 for Creature Comforts' Tropicália IPA. It's a supporting act to the wine program, but the selections are competent and geographically focused.
Menu strengths
- — Local and regional focus: Holy City Pilsner and Coast Kölsch from Charleston, Westbrook IPA from Mt. Pleasant.
- — Value pricing: most pours under $8, making it an easy entry point.
- — Includes a solid mix of styles: pilsner, kölsch, IPA, pale ale, and amber ale.
Standout selections
- — Creature Comforts 'Tropicália' IPA ($8) – a well-regarded hazy IPA from Athens, GA.
- — Holy City Pilsner ($6) – a clean local lager from Charleston, SC.
- — Westbrook IPA ($7) – a dependable South Carolina IPA.
Pricing: $5–$8
Nonalcoholic
Two dedicated mocktails, Berry Calm and Lavender Fields, appear under a 'Soby's New South Mocktails' section. Both are priced at $5, well below the cocktail range. The recipes use fresh produce and aromatics, but the category is minimal—just two options—so it functions as a gesture rather than a full program.
Menu strengths
- — Dedicated mocktail section shows awareness of non-alcoholic drinkers.
- — Flavor combinations are thoughtful: strawberry-cucumber-mint and lavender-lemon-blackberry.; At $5, the mocktails are the most accessible beverage on the menu.
Standout selections
- — Berry Calm: strawberry, cucumber, mint, and lime.; Lavender Fields: lavender, lemon, blackberry, and soda.
Pricing: $5 each
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