Wine lovers often gravitate to bottles when dining out. But if a restaurant has a strong selection, by-the-glass pours are an exciting way to discover something new or sample a trophy bottle without sampling the full price. These nine Wine Spectator Restaurant Award winners go above and beyond with by-the-glass lists that excel in diversity, value, quantity, or all three. Enjoy exceptional by-the-glass selections at these dining destinations across the country.
Selections of wines by the glass can change frequently, so check with the restaurant for availability of specific labels.
To check out more wine-and-food destinations around the world, see Wine Spectator’s nearly 3,800 Restaurant Award–winning picks, including the 100 Grand Award recipients worldwide that hold our highest honor.
Do you have a favorite you’d like to see on this list? Send your recommendations to restaurantawards@mshanken.com. We want to hear from you!
ADDISON
A wine destination with stunning smaller-format options
Fairmont Grand Del Mar, 5200 Grand Del Mar Way, San Diego, Calif.
(858) 314-1900
www.addisondelmar.com
Open for dinner, Tuesday to Saturday
Grand Award
Wine list selections 3,200
Inventory 10,000
Wine strengths Wine director Rafael Sanchez oversees the comprehensive program highlighting regions such as Burgundy, California, the Rhône, Bordeaux, Italy, Spain, Champagne and Germany. There are also plenty of outstanding Madeira picks.
Cuisine Chef William Bradley serves a prix fixe–only, modern French menu starting at $110 for four courses. Dishes change seasonally, but the spring menu offers plates like sake-cured kampachi, mussels with green curry and caramelized sablefish. Diners can also opt for a $250 10-course dinner determined entirely by chef Bradley.
Single pours of prized labels Addison offers approximately 70 wines by the glass from Louis Roederer, Remoissenet Père & Fils, d'Oliveira and more.
Half-bottle heaven Seven pages of half-bottles cover top producers in France, Germany, Austria, the United States, Italy and Spain.
Luxurious getaway The restaurant is located in San Diego’s Fairmont at the Grand Del Mar, where guests will find the 18-hole Grand Golf Club and elegant lodging with a Mediterranean-meets-Southern-California vibe.
BRIX WINE CELLARS
A cozy neighborhood spot with high-caliber wines
110 Vintage Park Blvd., Houston, Texas
(281) 374-6100
www.brixwinecellars.com
Open for dinner, Monday to Saturday
Best of Award of Excellence
Wine list selections 575
Inventory 3,000
Wine strengths Owners Don James and Nita Miller run the wine program, which is strongest in California and France, especially Champagne.
Cuisine The menu features globally-inspired American classics such as tacos, crab cakes, pizzas and burgers.
Inclusive collection Sixty by-the-glass options encompass an array of styles and regions, from Italian sparklers and California rosé to Argentinean reds and Canadian dessert wines. There are several flights available offering three wines with a unifying theme, like a style or producer.
Virtual guidance Brix Wine Cellars presents its wine list on an iPad through an app that shows availability in real time and extensive details on each label.
GREEN VALLEY GRILL
A local leader in Greensboro’s wine scene
The O. Henry Hotel, 622 Green Valley Road, Greensboro, N.C.
(336) 854-2015
www.greenvalleygrill.com
Open for lunch and dinner, daily
Best of Award of Excellence
Wine list selections 520
Inventory 10,000
Wine strengths General manager and wine director Martin Hunt manages the wine list, covering a range of regions but excelling in California, France and Italy.
Cuisine Leigh Hesling serves as chef at Green Valley Grill, as well as nearby Award of Excellence winner Print Works Bistro. At Green Valley Grill, Hesling sources local ingredients for a Mediterranean-inspired menu featuring plenty of comfort foods.
Value-driven The moderately-priced wine list shows particular value when it comes to the extensive by-the-glass picks, which span the globe. Most are under $10, including labels from Louis Jadot, Matanzas Creek and Leonildo Pieropan.
Sommelier-picked samplings There are three flights of four 2-ounce pours available, each with a theme such as “Tour of France” and “Explore Pinot Noir.”
Innovative ownership Green Valley Grill and Print Works Bistro are part of Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels, a hospitality group owned entirely by its more than 600 staff members. This rare structure, called an “Employee Stock Ownership Plan,” ideally provides better benefits for employees and better experiences for guests.
THE LAMBS CLUB
A wine-centric concept backed by a celebrity chef
The Chatwal Hotel, 132 W. 44th St., New York, N.Y.
(212) 997-5262
www.thelambsclub.com
Open for lunch and dinner, daily
Best of Award of Excellence
Wine list selections 975
Inventory 4,635
Wine strengths Benchmark classics and lesser-known picks unite on wine director A.J. Ojeda-Pons’ list. The selections shine in France—especially Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne—as well as Italy, California and Spain.
Cuisine Chef Adam Raksin executes Geoffrey Zakarian’s seasonal American menu of seafood, pastas and entrées like lamb with charred scallion, sesame-chickpea purée and za’atar jus, and whole-roasted Dover sole with Grenobloise sauce.
Exciting by-the-glass options More than 60 diverse by-the-glass picks include labels from regions like Israel and Catalonia and a handful of orange wines. There is also a page of pricier pours from France, California, Washington, Italy and Australia.
Splurge-worthy verticalsThe wine list features several vintages of prized picks from Château Mouton-Rothschild, R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia and more.
PANORAMA
An ideal spot for the indecisive wine lover
Penn’s View Inn Hotel, Front and Market Streets, Philadelphia, Pa.
(215) 922-7800
www.panoramawinebar.com
Open for lunch and dinner, daily
Best of Award of Excellence
Wine list selections 700
Inventory 6,000
Wine strengths General manager and wine director William Eccleston oversees the wine list focusing on Italy, California and France. Picks from Piedmont and Tuscany are particularly impressive, including several Barolo verticals and bottles going back to the 1960s.
Cuisine Chef Matthew Gentile serves an authentic Italian menu, with house-made pastas and cheeses, plus larger plates like pan-seared scallops and veal tenderloin.
Flight focused Twenty-eight wine flights—each composed of five 1.5-ounce tastes—allow guests to experiment and explore without committing to full bottles. Prices vary but don’t exceed $50, and all flights are $5 off during happy hour.
Unique dispensary system Panorama pours nearly 150 wines by the glass with a custom-built unit that holds the Guinness World Record title for “World’s Largest Wine Preservation/Dispensing System.”
RESTAURANT R’EVOLUTION
Local cuisine meets a world-class wine program
Royal Sonesta Hotel, 777 Bienville St., New Orleans, La.
(504) 553-2277
www.revolutionnola.com
Open for lunch and dinner, daily
Best of Award of Excellence
Wine list selections 2,000
Inventory 10,000
Wine strengths Wine director Steve Russett’s program highlights outstanding picks from Burgundy, Bordeaux, California, Italy, Champagne, Germany and Spain.
Cuisine Chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto joined forces to create the regional American menu of New Orleans classics.
High-end selections The by-the-glass list of more than 80 selections includes about 30 prized pours by Coravin such as grands crus from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
Budget bottles While there are many pricey gems, the wine list features a section of “750ml Bottles for $75” with affordable labels from around the world.
Go big Restaurant R’evolution recently built a designated magnum cellar for its impressive collection of large-format bottles.
STAGE LEFT STEAK
A New Jersey wine authority since 1992
5 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, N.J.
(732) 828-4444
www.stageleft.com
Open for lunch and dinner, daily
Best of Award of Excellence
Wine list selections 770
Inventory 14,800
From friends to restaurateurs Owners Mark Pascal and Francis Schott met during their time at Rutgers University, later joining to open Stage Left Steak in 1992. In 2017, they renovated the restaurant and redesigned the dining rooms.
Wine strengths Schott also serves as wine director. His program showcases exceptional bottles from Italy, California, France, Germany and Portugal.
Cuisine Freshness and seasonality are key for chef J.R. Belt, who develops new menus each month and often adjusts dishes based on his findings at local markets.
Accessible luxury There are more than 40 Coravin selections including about 20 served by quartino. The larger pour provides better value on the higher-end labels from producers like Paul Hobbs and Roagna.
Online wine store For guests looking to dig deeper into its cellar, Stage Left sells bottles through a website, www.stageleftwineshop.com. The virtual shop features more than 100 labels, including discounted bottles.
FLEMING'S PRIME STEAKHOUSE & WINE BAR
A longstanding go-to for wine and steak
Scottsdale Hilton Resort & Villas, 6333 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, Ariz.
(480) 596-8265
www.flemingssteakhouse.com
Open for dinner, daily
Award of Excellence
Wine list selections 100
Inventory 3,000
Wine strengths Wine director Seth Camp oversees the list of mostly California selections, sprinkled with international picks.
Cuisine The traditional steak-house menu, executed by chef Jeff Fearing, offers a range of beef cuts as well as chicken, pork chops and seafood.
Lengthy by-the-glass list The restaurant serves 100 selections by the glass, in either 6- or 9-ounce pours. Guests can also build custom wine flights by request.
Award-winning group The California-born brand has 67 Award of Excellence–winning locations across the country. The Scottsdale, Ariz., outpost was the first of the group to win a Restaurant Award, in 1999.
SEASONS 52
Fresh seafood and affordable wines
7700 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando, Fla.
(407) 354-5212
www.seasons52.com
Open for lunch and dinner, daily
Award of Excellence
Wine list selections 90
Inventory 1,750
Wine strengths General manager and wine director Steven Pham manages the program. The by-the-glass list gives a nod to the restaurant’s name with 52 selections, all under $20.
Cuisine Chef Jason Glus serves a wide variety of American dishes, from flatbreads and salads to seafood and steaks.
Highlighting hidden gems Seasons 52 offers a seasonal selection of sommelier-picked wines—typically five or six labels—in a collection dubbed “Drink Them Before They’re Famous.” Several are available by the glass.
Wine-loving company The chain has 40 Award of Excellence–winning locations across the United States. Seasons 52 is part of Darden Restaurants, which owns brands with many Restaurant Award–winning locations like the Capital Grille and Eddie V’s Prime Seafood.
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