4 Upper West Side Restaurants Win 2021 Wine Spectator Awards

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Four Upper West Side restaurants with endless wine lists and top-tier bottles have received a new honor: a 2021 Restaurant Award from Wine Spectator magazine.

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. This year's awards are featured in the Aug. 31 issue of Wine Spectator.

The four Upper West Side honorees all have their own unique storylines.

One is a longtime Upper West Side staple, one is a newcomer to the neighborhood, one is a popular spot for Columbia and Barnard students, and one sits under The Lucerne hotel that became a citywide talking point over the previous year.

Here are the restaurants on the UWS that earned nods for excellence in 2021:

• Le Monde: 2885 Broadway
• Dagon: 2454 Broadway
• French Roast: 2340 Broadway
• Nice Matin: 201 West 79th Street

More than 2,900 restaurants in 50 states and 72 countries and territories earned awards this year. The awards are given across three categories: Award of Excellence, Best of Award of Excellence and Grand Award.

The Grand Award is Wine Spectator's most prestigious honor, given to the world's most elite wine programs. Read profiles of all 100 current Grand Award winners.

Typically, recipients of the Grand Award offer at least 1,000 or more wine selections, showcasing "immense depth and breadth of regions, producers, vintages and bottle formats." All Grand Award winners must also pass a rigorous inspection of their restaurants, including the wine cellars.

Three new restaurants won the Grand Award this year: Brennan's in New Orleans, Le Bernardin in New York City and SingleThread Farms in Healdsburg, California.

See all winners of this year's Wine Spectator awards.