4 McLean Restaurants Among Wine Spectator's 2023 Award Winners

MCLEAN, VA — When it comes to fine wine and dining, residents of Northern Virginia don't have to travel far to enjoy some of the best the country has to offer. In fact, four McLean restaurants were ranked among the best places to enjoy good wine and good food.

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 Virginia, 61 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 Award of Excellence is 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.

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.

The Grand Award is the highest award, given to restaurants that show a devotion to the quality of their wine programs. These wine lists typically feature 1,000 or more selections, and deliver outstanding depth in mature vintages. These restaurants offer the highest level of wine service. Worldwide, 93 restaurants won the Grand Award.

The four winners from McLean each won the Award of Excellence. They are:

Eddie V's Prime Seafood, 7900 Tysons One Place, McLean

• Wine strengths: California
• Cuisine: Seafood

Seasons 52, 7863L Tysons Corner Center, McLean

• Wine strengths: California
• Cuisine: American

The Capital Grille, 1861 International Drive, McLean

• Wine strengths: California, France
• Cuisine: American, steak house

The Palm Tysons Corner, 1750 Tysons Blvd., McLean

• Wine strengths: California
• Cuisine: Northern Italian, steak house

Here are the other Wine Spectator "2023 Restaurant Awards" winners from Virginia:

Grand Award Winner for 2023:

• The Inn at Little Washington

Best Of Award Of Excellence:

• Barcelona Wine Bar, Reston
• Buckhead's Restaurant, Henrico
• Byrd & Baldwin Bros., Norfolk
• Crush Pad Wines, Charlottesville
• Eurasia Cafe, Virginia Beach
• Fahrenheit 132, Fredericksburg
• Fleurie Restaurant, Charlottesville
• L'Auberge Provencale, Boyce
• Lehja, Richmond
• Longoven, Richmond
• Mermaid Winery, Norfolk
• Mermaid Winery, Virginia Beach
• Pazzo Pomodoro, Vienna
• Pazzo Pomodoro, Ashburn
• River Stone Chophouse, Suffolk
• Shagbark Restaurant, Richmond
• The Ashby Inn & Restaurant, Paris,
• The Conservatory at Goldstone, Middleburg
• Vintage Tavern, Suffolk

Award of Excellence:

• 1799 Prime Steak & Seafood, Alexandria
• 799 at the Clifton, Charlottesville
• Amiraj, Williamsburg
• BRX American Bistro
• Bottle Stop Wine Bar, Occoquan
• Cafe Frank, Charlottesville
• Carmello's, Manassas
• Chima Steakhouse, Vienna
• Cork and Bull Chophouse, Chesapeake
• Duner's, Charlottesville
• Echelon Wine Bar, Leesburg
• Eddie Merlot's, Ashburn
• Field & Main, Marshal
• Fogo de Chão, Tysons
• Fogo de Chão, Reston
• Harriman's Piedmont Grill, Middleburg
• Hondos, Glen Allen
• S. Houndstooth
• Lemaire, Richmond
• Les Cochons d'Or, Hot Springs
• Local Chop & Grill House, Harrisonburg
• Masala Bites, Virginia Beach
• Morton's, The Steakhouse, Reston
• NAPA Kitchen and Win, Midlothian
• Old Original Bookbinder's Seafood & Steakhouse, Richmond
• Opus 9 Steakhouse, Williamsburg
• Orion's Roof, Virginia Beach
• SER Restaurant, Arlington
• South and Central, Charlottesville
• Tautog's, Virginia Beavch
• The Capital Grille, Fairfax
• The local Restaurant & Catering, Charlottesville
• The Red Fox Inn & Tavern, Middleburg
• The Restaurant at Blue Rock, Washington
• Trio Grill, Falls Church
• Tuscarora Mill, Leesburg
• Vintage Restaurant, Orange

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