Testimonials from Restaurant Award Winners
Daniel Boulud, chef and restaurateur
Six Restaurant Award winners in 2025, including Grand Award winner Daniel
We are proud to have received recognition from Wine Spectator since 2002 for our outstanding wine programs and for the work our amazing sommelier team put into maintaining a world-class wine list. We have always strived to be a destination for a memorable culinary and wine experience. It takes a lot of effort and resources to achieve an award...
Anybody who has the ambition and knowledge of wine should strive to win a Wine Spectator Award.
Tom Colicchio, chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality
Craftsteak in Las Vegas and Temple Court in New York City; Best of Award of Excellence
Receiving any award is really a scorecard on how you're doing; receiving one from Wine Spectator means we've achieved excellence with our wine program.
Kevin Bratt, corporate beverage director
Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
3 locations; Best of Award of Excellence
Your restaurant can become a wine connoisseur's destination when they learn of the [Wine] Spectator Award, as it imparts a strong level of trust and prestige. Expanding your list to represent the best regions of the world and provide something for every palate creates lifetime guest loyalty.
Danny Meyer, chairman of Union Square Hospitality Group
Five Restaurant Award winners in 2025, including Grand Award winner The Modern
[A Wine Spectator Restaurant Award] provides your team with extra validation for a job well done—and provides an important service to wine lovers to up the odds of selecting a restaurant that will stand a better chance of making them happy!
Amy Racine, beverage director of JF Restaurants
Five Restaurant Award winners in 2025
The Wine Spectator Awards recognizes not only exceptional wine lists, but restaurants with an overall commitment to hospitality and elevating the guest experience. Receiving this award means our guests can be confident in our list and commitment to an excellent wine experience.
Gretchen Thomas, chief creative officer
Barcelona Wine Bar
24 locations; Best of Award of Excellence
Having a Wine Spectator Restaurant Award has helped us build our reputation as a wine connoisseur's destination. It has helped our new and returning guests feel confident in our wine selections before walking through the door.
Brahm Callahan, corporate beverage director of Himmel Hospitality Group
Master Sommelier and Wine Director of Grand Award winner Grill 23 & Bar
A Wine Spectator Award means that we have been validated by our industry as being one of the leaders in the world for premium wine lists, and it is a great way for us to share that with a huge group of consumers.
Marcello’s La Sirena, Grand Award
We would absolutely encourage other restaurants to strive for the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards. We received the Award of Excellence in 1999 and then the Best of Award in 2003. We have continued to build our wine program over the years and strongly believe it is an integral part of our business success. It adds such an important dynamic to the entire dining experience.
Rubén Sanz Ramiro, head sommelier
PM & Vänner, Grand Award
The Grand Award program by Wine Spectator has a history, dedication, scrutiny and pedigree unique and memorable in its category. Having been following Wine Spectator for years, the Grand Award has always been a reference point. By highlighting the most inspiring wine professionals and wine program across the world, the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards has been a touching program that has stimulated my work and helped to improve it.
Mathieu Duguay, owner
Le Coureur des Bois, Grand Award
The Award Program brings the highest level of credibility, boosts staff morale and generates substantial growth in sales.
Søren Ledet, General Manager, wine director & co-owner
Geranium, Grand Award
I would absolutely encourage my colleagues in the restaurant business to strive for Wine Spectator Awards. Wine Spectator is the leading magazine for wine and the awards are internationally recognized. When guests see that a restaurant has a Wine Spectator award they automatically know that the restaurant has a good wine list.
Ti Martin, co-owner
Commander's Palace, Grand Award
Being awarded Wine Spectator’s Grand Award was a lifelong career goal for us. It started to seem impossible after about 10 years of trying. How could I spend so much money and effort and not get that damn award! There have been so many awards created in the last decade or so, but we in the industry know the few that stand out. We know the awards programs that are run very professionally. We know the ones that mean something. We are button popping-proud to be a holder of the Wine Spectator Grand Award. It is a small and exclusive club to be in. We like it that way.
