88 IL Restaurants Among Wine Spectator's 2023 Award Winners

ILLINOIS — When it comes to fine wine and dining, residents of Illinois have many options throughout the state. Wine Spectator recently unveiled the 2023 Restaurant Awards winners, which honor the world's best restaurants for wines. This year's awards program recognized 3,500 dining destinations from all 50 states and in more than 70 countries worldwide.

In Illinois, 88 restaurants earned recognition. Of those, 55 are located in Chicago.

Since 1981, the Restaurant Awards have had three distinct levels: The "Award of Excellence," the "Best of Award of Excellence" and the "Grand Award."

The Best of Award of Excellence is given to restaurants that "go the extra mile," with lists of 350 or more selections from top producers, with a wide variety of regions and vintage depths. These restaurants might also carefully design the presentations of the list, train their staff to assist diners with the list and have curated wine dinners, according to Wine Spectator. Worldwide, 1,411 restaurants received the Best of Award of Excellence award.

These Illinois restaurants won the Best Of Award Of Excellence this year:

• 1776 Restaurant, Crystal Lake
• Acanto, Chicago
• Adalina, Chicago
• Bar Mar, Chicago
• Bazaar Meat by José Andrés Chicago, Chicago
• Brass Tack, Chicago
• Cafe Lucci, Glenview
• City Winery, Chicago
• Esquire by Cooper's Hawk, Chicago
• Gibsons Italia, Chicago
• Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, Chicago
• Kinzie Chophouse, Chicago
• La Cantina Enoteca, Chicago
• Les Nomades, Chicago
• Maple & Ash, Chicago
• Mastro's Steakhouse, Chicago
• Morton's, The Steakhouse, Chicago
• Parkers' Restaurant & Bar, Downers Grove
• RPM Italian, Chicago
• RPM Seafood, Chicago
• RPM Steak, Chicago
• Sepia, Chicago
• Smith & Wollensky, Chicago
• Swift & Sons, Chicago
• The English Room, Lake Forest
• The Tavern, Libertyville
• Vivere, Chicago

The Award of Excellence, given to restaurants that carefully choose their wine lists to have 100 or more selections, containing both quality and diverse wines, according to the magazine. There were 2,001 Award of Excellence winners this year.

Illinois restaurants that earned the Award of Excellence are:

• 20's Hideout Steakhouse & Bar, Marion
• Alchemist, Geneva
• Andros Taverna, Chicago
• Asador Bastian, Chicago
• BLVD Steakhouse, Chicago
• Boka, Chicago
• Che Figata, Naperville
• Cherry Circle Room, Chicago
• Coco Pazzo, Chicago
• Connected, Peoria
• Eddie's Merlot, Lincolnshire
• Eddie V's Prime Seafood, Chicago
• El Che Steakhouse & Bar, Chicago
• Fioretta, Chicago
• Fogo de Chão, Chicago
• Fogo de Chão, Naperville
• Fogo de Chão, Rosemont
• Fogo de Chão, Oak Brook
• GT Prime, Chicago
• Galit Restaurant, Chicago
• Geja's Cafe, Chicago
• Gene & Georgetti, Chicago
• Gibson's Bar & Steakhouse, Chicago
• Grated Wine Bar & Lounge, Belleville
• Jaleo by José Andrés Chicago, Chicago
• Le Colonial, Chicago
• Mandrake, Geneva
• Morton's, The Steakhouse, Rosemont
• Morton's, The Steakhouse, Schaumburg
• Morton's, The Steakhouse, Naperville
• Morton's, The Steakhouse, Northbrook
• Osteria Langhe, Chicago
• Perry's Steakhouse & Grille, Oak Brook
• Perry's Steakhouse & Grille, Schaumburg
• Porter's Steakhouse, Collinsville
• Prime & Provisions, Chicago
• Rare Chop House, Mount Vernon
• Rose Mary, Chicago
• STK Chicago, Chicago
• Seasons 52, Schaumburg
• Seasons 52, Oak Brook
• Shaw's Crab House, Chicago
• Siena Tavern, Chicago
• Soif Wine Lounge, Chicago
• Suzette's Creperie, Wheaton
• Terrace 16, Chicago
• The Capital Grille, Chicago
• The Capital Grille, Rosemont
• The Capital Grille, Lombard
• The Capital Grille, Schaumburg
• The Capital Grille, Skokie
• The Dawson, Chicago
• The Florentine, Chicago
• The Gage, Chicago
• The James, Geneva
• The Palm Chicago, Chicago
• Truluck's, Chicago
• Vie Restaurant, Western Springs
• Woodwind, Chicago
• avec, Chicago

Find more info on all 2023 Restaurant Award Winners from Wine Spectator.