35 MD Restaurants Earn 2022 Wine Spectator Awards

MARYLAND — While metro areas like New York City and high-profile wine-growing regions like Napa tend to get all the attention, oenophiles should not overlook Maryland fine-dining spots with great wine selections.

Wine Spectator unveiled the 2022 Restaurant Awards winners, which honor the world's best restaurants for wines. This year's awards program recognized 3,169 dining destinations from all 50 states and in more than 70 countries worldwide.

In Maryland, 35 restaurants earned recognition. 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 annual Restaurant Awards honor excellence in restaurant wine lists, as well as those who have demonstrated passion and devoted extensive resources to creating outstanding wine programs.

Check out the Maryland restaurants that earned nods for Best Of Award Of Excellence this year:

• Bas Rouge, Easton
• Bygone, Four Seasons Baltimore
• CuVino Trattoria.Pizza.Enoteca, Timonium
• La Cuchara, Baltimore
• Lewnes' Steakhouse, Annapolis
• Magdalena, The Ivy Hotel, Baltimore
• Tagliata, Baltimore
• The Capital Grille, Baltimore
• The Capital Grille, Chevy Chase
• The Oregon Grille, Hunt Valley
• The Smokehouse Restaurant at Antrim 1844, Taneytown
• The Wardroom, Easton
• Voltaggio Brothers Steak House, MGM National Harbor

Restaurants that earned the Award of Excellence are:

• Citron, Baltimore
• Facci Ristorante, Ellicot City
• Facci Ristorante, Laurel
• Fogo de Chão, Baltimore
• Fogo de Chão, North Bethesda
• Gordon Ramsay Steak, Baltimore
• Grapes Wine Bar, Annapolis
• Locavino, Silver Spring
• Morton's, The Steakhouse, Baltimore
• Morton's, The Steakhouse, Bethesda
• Ruth's Chris Steak House, Annapolis
• Ruth's Chris Steak House, Pikesville
• Ruth's Chris Steak House, Pier 5 Hotel, Baltimore
• Ruth's Chris Steak House, Odenton
• Seasons 52, Columbia
• Seasons 52, North Bethesda
• Smashing Grapes, Annapolis
• Smashing Grapes, Gambrills
• The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Baltimore
• The Stewart, Easton
• The Vineyard Wine Bar, Havre de Grace
• Wilcom's Inn, Monrovia

Only 97 restaurants around the world have received the coveted Grand Award; none of those went to a Maryland venue.

Then there's 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 1,782 Award of Excellence winners this year.

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, 1,290 restaurants received the Best of Award of Excellence award.

Find more info on all 2022 Restaurant Award Winners from Wine Spectator.