Wine Spectator's Restaurant Awards features 23 SW FL winning wine lists. Who won?
Though Wine Spectator magazine’s annual global restaurant awards issue won’t hit newsstands until July 11, here's the scoop on 23 local winners in 2023 revealed June 27.
Spanning all 50 states and more than 75 countries, more than 3,500 awards were dished out among three tiers of standards: Award of Excellence, Best of Award of Excellence, and the tippy-top, most prestigious Grand Award, given to 93 restaurants this year. Only one Naples spot earned it.
How it works: Restaurants must submit their wine list, menus, storage details and executive staff, including chef and sommelier names, for assessment by the magazine's elite editorial judging panel.
There’s also a check for $595 required to accompany each application, according to the publication’s website.
Who are SW FL's 23 winners?
New on this year’s list is Nosh at Naples Bay Resort, earning an Award of Excellence. In Cape Coral, Sip & Dine earned the same award, but despite a devoted clientele, the restaurant recently closed June 18.
The only restaurant climbing up a category is Ridgway Bar & Grill in Old Naples, jumping a glass to a Best of Award of Excellence.
Baleen in North Naples and Captiva’s Keylime Bistro retain their Award of Excellence despite being closed to the public following damage sustained from Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28. Sunshine Seafood was another 2022 winner in that category from Captiva; it is not listed this year and its website says it is temporarily closed.
Best of the rest
Since 2015, the region's sole “Grand Award” winner is the Cariot family's Bleu Provence, whose sale to the Hoffmann Family of Cos. was announced on June 29.
Related: Hoffmanns announce plans to purchase Bleu Provence in Naples
This award of distinction, as described by the magazine’s editors, is “granted to those that show exceptional commitment to their wine selections and service. These destinations comprise a dining bucket list for wine lovers to dream about and plan their travels around.”
The second category is “Best of Award of Excellence,” defined as “wine lists displaying excellent breadth across multiple winegrowing regions and/or significant vertical depth of top producers, along with superior presentation. Typically offering 350 or more selections, these restaurants are destinations for serious wine lovers, showing a deep commitment to wine, both in the cellar and through their service team.”
What's new? These restaurants in Naples, Bonita and Marco opened in 2023
Aside from Ridgway's, local restaurants in this category are repeat winners and include Angelina’s in Bonita Springs; Marco Island's Sale e Pepe; plus Capital Grille, The Cave Bistro and Wine Bar, Sails, Sea Salt and Shula’s in Naples.
The third rung is the "Award of Excellence," for wine lists offering “at least 90 selections with a well-chosen assortment of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. Whether compact or extensive, focused or diverse, these lists deliver sufficient choice to satisfy discerning wine lovers.”
Repeat winners include Marco Prime and Oyster Society, both on Marco Island and Terra Nostra in Fort Myers. Alphabetically in Naples, this distinction went to Bar Tulia Mercato, Osteria Tulia, Seasons 52, The French, Truluck’s and USS Nemo.
Diana Biederman is NDN's food & restaurant reporter. Connect via dbiederman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Wine Spectator announces 23 top local restaurants. Who made the list?
