Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence 2025: All 544 Winners — Page 6

Glitretind Restaurant at the Forbes Five-Star Stein Eriksen Lodge is Park City's most credentialed resort dining room, with a 20,000-bottle cellar, twice-yearly menus built around Rocky Mountain ingredients, Wasatch Mountain views worth booking a window seat for. At the $$$ tier, it justifies the spend for a special-occasion dinner — book four to six weeks out during ski season.

Shang Shi delivers serious Cantonese cooking at a €€ price point from a Michelin Plate-recognised kitchen, paired with one of Estonia's most impressive wine lists: 550 selections, four consecutive Star Wine List rankings in 2025, a Wine Director who clearly knows what she is doing. Book when you want food-and-wine pairing to be the point of the evening, not just an afterthought.

Makoto is the benchmark for full-service Japanese dining in Miami Beach, combining chef Makoto Okuwa's kitchen precision with a 360-selection wine list and a room designed for occasions that matter. Ranked #512 in North America by Opinionated About Dining (2024) and rated 4.5 across 2,100+ reviews, it books easily at $$$ pricing. The right call for a business meal, date night, or celebration dinner in the Bal Harbour area.

Chef Tam's Seasons at Wynn Palace holds two Michelin stars, ranks #9 in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, runs a degustation menu that changes every 15 days along the Chinese lunar calendar's 24 solar terms. At the $$$ price band with an 870-bottle wine list and a 50-variety tea program, it is the clearest yes for serious Cantonese dining in Macau. Book far ahead — reservations are near impossible to secure last-minute.

Magdalena is Baltimore's most consistent entry on the national creative-cooking circuit, holding an Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants ranking three years running. The Alpine-Vegetarian kitchen pairs with a 755-selection wine list strong in California, France, Champagne. At $$$, it is the right booking if you want serious vegetable-forward cooking with genuine wine depth — and the counter seat is worth requesting.

Oliver's Restaurant is the Buffalo choice for a polished dinner where wine matters, backed by a 2026 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence. Pick it for date nights, anniversaries, or client dinners; choose Lloyd Taco Factory, Gramma Mora's, or India Gate when the priority is casual value or a specific cuisine craving.

MAYA is Manchester's most credentialed Mexican restaurant, holding a Michelin Plate (2025) and a La Liste mention under chef Richard Sandoval. At ££, the value is strong for the level of cooking on offer. Booking is easy, the wine list is serious, Saturday lunch is the format most people overlook.

La Trattoria holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025) and sits inside the historic Hotel Walther in Pontresina, serving region-spanning Italian cooking at €€ pricing. With a 390-selection wine list and, it is the strongest value-for-money Italian option in town. Booking is easy; smart casual dress is appropriate.

Al Muntaha holds a Michelin star and one of Dubai's most serious wine lists — 1,455 selections, 9,000 bottles, with particular depth in France, Champagne, Italy, California. At $$$$ and on the 27th floor of the Burj Al Arab, it is a hard reservation and a significant spend. Book it for special occasions where both food quality and wine credentials matter.

Nisei is David Yoshimura's Michelin one-star Japanese-American tasting menu on Polk Street, ranked no. 318 on OAD's North America list in 2025. At $$$$ pricing with a 1,455-bottle wine list at moderate markup, it delivers serious value for the category. Booking is hard — plan three to four weeks ahead for Wednesday through Sunday dinner seatings.

Spago Maui inside the Four Seasons Wailea earns its price tag primarily on the strength of a Star Wine List-recognised wine program: 880 selections, 5,000-bottle inventory, a dedicated sommelier team. At $66+ per head for dinner, it is the strongest wine-led dining option in Wailea. Easy to book by fine-dining standards, with one to two weeks typically sufficient outside peak season.

Restaurant Palægade is Copenhagen's most wine-serious smørrebrød address, with 40-plus open sandwiches at lunch, a 1,200-selection list focused on Burgundy and Piedmont, a Michelin Plate in 2025. At €€ for food and $$$ for wine, it earns its OAD Europe #317 ranking. Book lunch — that's when the kitchen is fully itself.

Ci Siamo is Danny Meyer's Italian room inside Manhattan West, ranked #39 on Opinionated About Dining's Casual North America list in 2025. At the $$ price tier with a 700-selection wine list strong in Piedmont and Tuscany, it delivers consistent quality that justifies a booking — particularly for bar counter seating with open-kitchen views. Easy to book and good for both business lunch and date night.

Summit is the tasting-menu anchor of The Broadmoor's fine-dining collection, open since 2006, with a farm-driven contemporary American menu by chef Rocio Neyra Palmer and a 2,500-bottle wine program backed by a full sommelier team. Book the five- or six-course tasting menu with pairings — it's the clearest reason to be here. Easy to reserve; harder to find inside Broadmoor Hall, so ask the concierge for directions.

Chun is a no-frills Shanghainese classic on Jinxian Road in Huangpu, where the owner still sources ingredients daily and guides every table through the menu. At the ¥ price tier, it delivers precise traditional cooking — deep-fried river shrimps and stuffed paddy field snails among the highlights — without the overhead of a designed room. Easy to book and well-suited to solo diners and pairs who want food, not theatre.

Wakuda at Marina Bay Sands delivers Japanese contemporary cooking at the $$$-tier with a wine program that outperforms most rooms in its price bracket — 450 selections, three sommeliers, strong California, French, Italian depth. A Michelin Plate (2024) and moderate booking difficulty make it more accessible than Waku Ghin next door, a better wine story than most $$$-tier Japanese options in Singapore.

Le Cin5 earned a Michelin star in 2024, making it the most credentialed creative dining option in La Clusaz. At €€€€, with a 1,200-selection wine list weighted toward Tuscany and Piedmont, it is a deliberate spend — but the kitchen earns the price. Book as far ahead as possible; this is now one of the harder tables to secure in the French Alps.

Chef Melissa Rodriguez's Meatpacking District steakhouse earns its $$$$ price through a full dinner arc: serious bread, must-order pasta, custom-grill steaks, desserts that outrun the category standard. The 535-bottle wine list skews Piedmont and Burgundy with strong sommelier coverage. Book two to three weeks out minimum — Tao Group properties fill fast at peak hours.

Chef Akmal Anuar's Pan-Asian restaurant next to MoMA delivers Chinese and Singaporean favorites with rare precision for Midtown. Black truffle soup dumplings and kung pao quail anchor an à la carte menu that spans lunch, dinner, weekend brunch, backed by a 450-bottle wine list. At $$$$, it's a polished, spacious room that justifies the price with execution and service depth.

Garibaldi is one of Singapore's most enduring Italian restaurants, ranked consistently in the Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia list since 2023. The wine list, spanning around 7,000 labels with depth in Piedmont and Tuscany, is the headline reason to book. A broad menu of northern Italian classics makes it a reliable choice for groups, booking is easy with just a few days' notice.

Paris 1930 de Hideki Takayama holds a 2024 Michelin star and the distinction of being Taiwan's first restaurant with a professional sommelier service. The French contemporary kitchen, led by chef Hideki Takayama, weaves local Taiwanese teas through a seasonally driven menu. At $$$$, with a 430-bottle wine list and a composed, formal interior in Zhongshan, this is Taipei's most considered choice for a special occasion dinner.

A good Toronto booking when wine matters more than novelty. Sorrel Restaurant and Bar suits weekday lunch, early dinner, small group occasions on Yonge Street, with a 2025 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence as the clearest trust signal. Cross-shop Taline for a more defined cuisine brief at a known $$ price tier.

Le Meurice Alain Ducasse holds 2 Michelin stars and 95 La Liste points (2026), with chef Amaury Bouhours delivering kitchen credentials that stand independently of the palace address. Dinner only, Tuesday–Friday, with a 970-selection wine list and near-impossible booking difficulty. Book months ahead for special occasions.

Imperial Court at MGM Macau holds a 3-Star World of Fine Wine accreditation, placing it among Macau's more serious hotel Chinese dining rooms — and it is easier to book than its quality level would suggest. The wine program is the standout credential. Book here when you want a composed, wine-forward Chinese dinner without the advance-planning pressure of the city's Michelin-starred alternatives.

Mingles is the Seoul splurge to prioritize for a serious modern Korean fine-dining meal in Gangnam. The price and booking difficulty make it a poor casual pick, but the recognition, chef-led point of view, location near Dosan-daero make it a strong anchor for a food-focused Seoul itinerary.

Sons & Daughters holds two Michelin stars and ranks among the top tasting-menu restaurants in San Francisco, with a Nordic-Californian kitchen that earns its $$$$ price through technical precision and a 630-bottle wine program. Booking difficulty is Near Impossible — plan at least 30 days out. For the right diner, it is one of the city's strongest cases for a full tasting-menu evening.

Mizumi at Wynn Palace is Macau's most complete Japanese dining venue, running teppanyaki, tempura, sushi zones with an OAD Asia ranking of #254 (2025) and a sake list of 70+ varieties. The sushi counter, led by a Japanese government-designated master craftsman, is the standout. Book at least a week ahead; Wednesday closures apply to both Mizumi and adjacent Sushi Mizumi.

La Petite Maison in DIFC holds a Michelin Plate, a #23 ranking on the World's 50 Best MENA 2024 list, one of Dubai's deepest French-focused wine lists — 470 selections with a 2,000-bottle cellar. At $$$ per head it earns its price, but tables are near impossible to get without booking two to three weeks out minimum.

Kraków's only two-Michelin-star restaurant, Bottiglieria 1881 makes the case for modern Polish cuisine at the highest technical level. With a 490-selection wine list anchored in Burgundy and Champagne, consistent recognition from La Liste and Opinionated About Dining, it is the definitive fine dining booking in the city. Book well ahead — demand is severe.

Medici delivers Michelin Plate-recognised French-seasonal cooking at mid-market food prices (€€), backed by a serious 700-selection wine list with 5,000 bottles in inventory. Run by brothers Christos and Stamatios Simiakos from a city-centre address, it is the strongest value proposition in Frankfurt for anyone who wants inspector-vetted cooking and genuine wine depth without paying starred-restaurant prices.

Döllerer holds two Michelin stars and 98 La Liste points, making it one of the most decorated restaurants in the Austrian Alps. Andreas Döllerer's Alpine sourcing philosophy — glacier-inflected preparations, mountain herbs, regional freshwater fish — gives the tasting menu a clear identity that justifies the €€€€ price. Wine director Alexander Koblinger MS oversees 3,600 selections. Book months ahead.

Solbam is a Michelin-starred, Asia's 50 Best #55 tasting menu restaurant in Gangnam that makes one of the strongest cases for contemporary Korean cuisine in Seoul. Chef-owner Eom Tae-jun's seasonal cooking and a 400-selection wine program justify the ₩₩₩₩ price point. Book four to six weeks out minimum — demand at this level makes last-minute reservations rare.

CUT Singapore is the most credible premium steakhouse booking in the city, with Opinionated About Dining recognition three years running and a 1,150-label wine list overseen by a dedicated sommelier. The beef program spans Australian Angus to Japanese A5 Kobe; the bar holds its own for pre-dinner drinks. Book 3–4 weeks ahead — walk-ins are possible but scarce, especially on weekends.

Lobster Club is a Japanese brasserie inside the landmark Seagram Building, backed by a 2024 Michelin Plate and. The à la carte format — teppanyaki, seafood mains, a 30-label Japanese whisky bar — sits one price tier below the Midtown omakase ceiling, making it the right call when you want serious Japanese food in a room with real presence, without a four-figure bill.

Terrazza Fiorella, inside the Villa Fiorella Art Hotel above the Bay of Naples, is the strongest choice in Massa Lubrense if wine depth matters to your evening. A 695-selection cellar with Piedmont and Tuscany strengths, Michelin Plate recognition in 2024 and 2025, Campanian-contemporary cooking from Chef Carmine Mazza make this a well-priced terrace dinner for food and wine enthusiasts.

Bellefeuille earns its Michelin star with vegetable- and seafood-focused French gastronomic cooking inside a 19th-century private mansion in Paris's 16th. The wine list runs to 1,450 selections with serious depth across French regions. At the $$$ price tier with easy booking and, it is one of the more accessible fine-dining rooms in the city without sacrificing atmosphere or technical ambition.

Chef Buddha Lo's TriBeCa tasting menu, accessed through a caviar boutique, delivers French-leaning cooking ranked #244 in North America by Opinionated About Dining in 2025. At $$$ with an easy booking window, it sits below Masa and Per Se on price while holding its own on technical quality. Dinner runs Wednesday through Saturday; skip the daytime visit unless you are buying caviar.

Le Coucou holds a Michelin star and ranked #81 on Opinionated About Dining's North America list in 2025, making it one of downtown Manhattan's strongest cases for classical French cooking at the $$$$ tier. Chef Daniel Rose runs an à la carte menu — giving you more spending control than tasting-menu-only peers — with dinner service running until 11 PM. Book four to six weeks out minimum.

A winery restaurant 60 kilometres from Belgrade with La Liste recognition (86pts, 2026), a 500-label wine list anchored in Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, tasting menus built around Serbian and Adriatic produce. The drive is the point — this is the most credible destination dining option in the Novi Slankamen area, the wine program alone justifies the journey for serious wine travellers.

Manuela earns its Michelin Plate with farm-to-table New American cooking and one of the stronger wine lists in the Arts District, at $$ food pricing. Open for lunch Tuesday through Sunday and dinner daily, with moderate booking difficulty, it is the most practical entry point into serious LA dining without the four-figure commitment of the city's tasting menu tier.

Frasca Food & Wine is Boulder's most decorated restaurant: a Michelin-starred, 2025 James Beard Award winner built around the cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, with one of the strongest Italian wine programs in the country (910 selections, nearly 8,000 bottles). At the $$$ price tier for food and wine, it's the clear choice for a special occasion dinner in Colorado. Book 3-4 weeks out minimum.

Waku Ghin is Singapore's most theatrically crafted fine-dining experience and one of Asia's most decorated, with a Michelin star, La Liste 90pts, OAD Asia Top 50 recognition. Chef Tetsuya Wakuda's daily-changing tasting menu is prepared by a personal chef at your table, making it the right choice for a special occasion — if you can secure the near-impossible reservation.

Atlas at The St. Regis Atlanta holds a Michelin star (2024 and 2025) and runs one of the most serious wine programs in the city, with 5,000 bottles and four dedicated sommeliers. Dinner only, Tuesday through Saturday, at $$$$ pricing. Hard to book — plan three to four weeks out. The right call for a special occasion where the room, the wine, the kitchen all need to perform.

The Conservatory at Titchwell Manor holds a 2025 Michelin Plate for good reason: locally sourced seafood from Brancaster Staithe and estate game, treated with quiet restraint in a bright room overlooking walled gardens. At £££, it is the strongest case for serious hotel dining on the North Norfolk coast. Book two to three weeks out for peak-season weekends.

Catch holds consecutive Michelin Plate recognition (2024–2025) and runs one of Guangzhou's more serious wine programs — 425 selections, 2,200 bottles, with Champagne and Burgundy as strengths. At ¥¥¥¥ with a Ukrainian culinary team and a composed, conversation-friendly room in Yuexiu District, it's the right call for a wine-forward special dinner. Booking is straightforward.

Dirty French is worth booking when the priority is an easy Lower East Side night with a polished, social room rather than a highly specific cocktail pilgrimage. Pearl Recommended Bar recognition in 2025 supports it as a safe shortlist pick, especially for repeat visitors who want convenience, energy, low booking friction.

A Michelin Bib Gourmand winner in 2025, Annette bar à vin delivers modern Canadian cuisine and a 875-selection wine list at the $$ price tier — one of Montreal's clearest value plays for serious wine drinkers. The four-person sommelier team, French and Canadian wine strengths, seasonal kitchen make this the wine bar to book when depth matters and budget does not need to stretch to fine dining.

Le Restaurant holds the Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2024 and 2025, making it the strongest case for classic French cooking at a mid-range price in Solothurn. Chef Jeremy Degras runs the kitchen, sommelier Cristina Iuculano oversees a 1,400-selection wine list, booking is easy. Go at lunch for value; go at dinner if you want to make the most of that cellar.

A Michelin Plate-recognised table in the Luberon village of Gargas, Les Vignes et son Jardin combines farm-to-table French cooking with a wine list of 810 selections spanning France's major regions. Two-course lunches and dinners are priced in the €40–€65 range, with a sommelier-led cellar and a corkage policy for those travelling with their own bottles.