Bay Area Restaurants On 2022 Wine Spectator List

BAY AREA, CA - Wine Spectator released their annual list noting the best restaurants for wine across the country and this year 99 San Francisco Bay Area restaurants received nods.

Some 3,169 restaurants made the cut in 2022, receiving recognition at three different levels: the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award or Excellence and the Grand Award — the most prestigious.

Honored restaurants not only feature interesting and extensive lists, but have wine selections that complement their food menus and appeal to a wide range of drinkers, according to Wine Spectator. A winning restaurant must also have an accurate and complete wine list with descriptions of where the grapes are grown.

“These awards not only guide our readers to dining establishments with impressive wine lists and outstanding service, but also serve to honor restaurants for their achievements and commitment to maintaining pristine cellars,” Wine Spectator Editor and Publisher Marvin Shanken wrote in a news release.

Only 97 restaurants across the country received the magazine’s highest award, the Grand Award. This award is reserved for restaurants with a whopping 1,000 selections including vintage choices, large-format bottles, superior presentation and service and a menu to match. One California restaurant made the top award for the first time: Press Restaurant in Napa Valley.

Ten restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area received this prestigious honor:

• Acquerello, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Piedmont, Tuscany, Italy
• French Laundry, Yountville, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Piedmont, Bordeaux, Rhône, Champagne, Tuscany, Germany
• La Toque, Napa, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Piedmont, Rhône, Spain, Port
• Murray Circle Restaurant, Sausalito, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Rhône, Bordeaux, Italy
• Plumed Horse, Saratoga, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône, Piedmont, Tuscany, Germany, Australia
• Press Restaurant, St. Helena, Best Wines: California, Napa Valley
• Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône, Italy, Champagne, Germany, Austria
• Saison, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Rhône, Bordeaux
• Spruce, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Italy, Rhône, Germany, Austria
• Village Pub, Woodside, Best Wines: Burgundy, California, Rhône, Bordeaux, Italy, Germany, Austria

The second-best award covered 1,290 restaurants across the country for their selections of at least 350 wines. These restaurants show “a deep commitment to wine, both in the cellar and through their service team,” according to Wine Spectator. 47 Bay Area restaurants received the Best of Award designation:

• Adega, San Jose, Best Wines: Portugal, Madeira, Port
• Angler, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, France
• Auberge Du Soleil Restaurant, Rutherford, Best Wines: California, France, Burgundy, Bordeaux
• Barndiva Restaurant & Gallery Bar, Healdsburg, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, France, Champagne
• Bird Dog, Palo Alto, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Champagne, Italy
• Bottega Ristorante, Yountville, Best Wines: California, Italy
• Bouchon Bistro, Yountville, Best Wines: California, France, Burgundy
• Boulevard, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Rhône, France, Bordeaux, Italy, Germany
• Brix Napa Valley, Napa, Best Wines: California,
• Café Tiramisu, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Italy, Piedmont, Tuscany
• Californios, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, France
• Chez TJ, Mountain View, Best Wines: California, France
• Commis, Oakland, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Germany, France
• Compline Restaurant and Wine Shop, Napa, Best Wines: California, France, Burgundy, Italy
• Credo, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, France, Italy
• Dio Deka, Los Gatos, Best Wines: California, France, Greece, Italy
• Dry Creek Kitchen, Healdsburg, Best Wines: California
• Epernay Bistro, Los Gatos, Best Wines: Burgundy, California, France, Oregon
• Estiatorio Ornos, San Francisco, Best Wines: Burgundy, Bordeaux, France, Italy, Spain
• Farmhouse Inn, Forestville, Best Wines: California, Sonoma, France
• Forbes Mill Steakhouse, Los Gatos, Best Wines: California, Italy, Rhône, France
• Foreign Cinema, Best Wines: Burgundy, California, Rhône, Champagne, Loire, France
• Goose & Gander, St. Helena, Best Wines: California, Napa Valley
• Harris', San Francisco, Best Wines: California, France, Burgundy, Italy
• Hina Yakitori, San Francisco, Best Wines: Champagne, Burgundy, France
• Lazy Bear, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Rhône, Bordeaux, Italy, Champagne
• Luce, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, France, Italy
• Mastro's Steakhouse, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, France
• Matheson, Healdsburg, Best Wines: California, France, Italy
• Manresa, Los Gatos, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, France, Germany
• Morton's, The Steakhouse, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Italy
• Mourad, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, France, Burgundy, Italy, Loire, Austria
• Niku Steakhouse, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, France, Burgundy
• O' by Claude Le Tohic, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône
• Oenotri, Napa, Best Wines: California, Italy
• One Iron Bar, San Martin, Best Wines: California, Italy, France
• One Market Restaurant, San Francisco, Best Wines: California
• Quince, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Champagne, Rhône, France, Piedmont, Italy, Burgundy, Bordeaux
• Selby's, Atherton, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Italy, Rhône, Germany, Austria
• Shalizaar Restaurant, Belmont, Best Wines: California, Bordeaux, Italy
• Tasting House, Los Gatos, Best Wines: California, France, Italy
• Torc, Napa, Best Wines: California, France
• Uncle Yu's at the Vineyard, Livermore, Best Wines: California, Germany, France, Burgundy
• Velvet 48, Burlingame, Best Wines: California, France, Italy
• Village Bakery, Woodside, Best Wines: California, France, Italy
• West Coast Wine • Cheese, San Francisco, Best Wines: California
• Wit & Wisdom, Sonoma, Best Wines: California, Burgundy, France, Italy

Some 1,782 restaurants received the Award of Excellence, meaning their list features at least 90 selections with variety and quality. These wine lists will satisfy a discerning wine lover, according to Wine Spectator. Here are the Bay Area restaurants that qualified:

• 20Twenty Cheese Bar, San Jose, Best Wines: California
• Birk's Restaurant, Santa Clara, Best Wines: California
• Bistro Jeanty, Yountville, Best Wines: California, France
• Cafe Figaro, Burlingame, Best Wines: California, Italy
• Charter Oak, St. Helena, Best Wines: California
• Cook St. Helena, St. Helena, Best Wines: California, Italy
• Crustacean, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, France
• Dry Creek Grill, San Jose, Best Wines: California
• Empress by Boon, San Francisco, Best Wines: France
• Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch, St. Helena, Best Wines: California
• Fogo de Chão, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Argentina, Chile
• Fogo de Chão, San Jose, Best Wines: Argentina, California, Chile
• Forbes Mill Steakhouse, Danville, Best Wines: California
• Kenzo Napa, Napa, Best Wines: California, France
• La Mar Cebicheria Peruana, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Spain, Argentina
• Ladera Grill, Morgan Hill, Best Wines: California
• LB Steak, San Ramon, Best Wines: California, France
• Left Bank Brasserie, Larkspur, Best Wines: California, France
• Left Bank Brasserie, Menlo Park, Best Wines: France
• Little Saint, Healdsburg, Best Wines: France
• Lucy Restaurant & Bar, Yountville, Best Wines: California, France
• Meso Modern Mediterranean, San Jose, Best Wines: California, Greece
• MKT Restaurant and Bar, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Champagne
• Morton's, The Steakhouse, San Jose, Best Wines: California
• Omakase, San Francisco, Best Wines: Austria, Champagne, Germany
• Palette, San Francisco, Best Wines: California,Burgundy, France, Bordeaux, Italy
• Pausa, San Mateo, Best Wines: Italy
• Posada Restaurant, Livermore, Best Wines: California, France
• Quattro Restaurant and Bar, East Palo Alto, Best Wines: California
• Restaurant Nisei, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, France
• Sabio on Main, Pleasanton, Best Wines: California
• Salt & Stone, Kenwood, Best Wines: California
• San Francisco Wine Society, San Francisco, Best Wines: Italy, France
• Scoma's Restaurant, San Francisco, Best Wines: California
• Scopo Divino, San Francisco, Best Wines: California, Italy, France
• Spinnaker Restaurant, Sausalito, Best Wines: California
• SPQR, San Francisco, Best Wines: Italy
• Steamer's the Grillhouse, Los Gatos, Best Wines: California
• Sundance the Steakhouse, Palo Alto, Best Wines: California
• Tony's Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco, Best Wines: Italy
• Valette, Healdsburg, Best Wines: California
• Walnut Creek Yacht Club, Walnut Creek, Best Wines: California, France