Vienna Area Restaurants Among Wine Spectator's 2023 Award Winners

VIENNA, 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. Vienna area restaurants and other Northern Virginia 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 over 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."

"In a time of technological innovation, restaurants offer the human experience diners are hungry for—listening to their customers and offering personalized experience," said Marvin Shanken, the dditor and publisher of Wine Spectator. "This annual issue celebrates the places where wine is at the top of that conversation. I’m pleased to congratulate all 3,505 restaurants for their dedication to wine and wine-loving diners."

One of the winners is Pazzo Pomodoro, which has locations in Vienna and Ashburn. The Italian restaurant received the Best of Award of Excellence for both locations.

Another local winner was Chima Steakhouse, which has a Vienna mailing address in Tysons. The Brazilian steakhouse earned an Award of Excellence.

The Inn at Little Washington was Virginia's only Grand Award Winner in 2023.

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

• 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

Virginia restaurants that earned the Award of Excellence are:

• 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
• Eddie V's Prime Seafood, McLean
• 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
• Seasons 52, Tysons
• South and Central, Charlottesville
• Tautog's, Virginia Beavch
• The Capital Grille, McLean
• The Capital Grille, Fairfax
• The local Restaurant & Catering, Charlottesville
• The Palm Tysons Corner, McLean
• The Red Fox Inn & Tavern, Middleburg
• The Restaurant at Blue Rock, Washington
• Trio Grill, Falls Church
• Tuscarora Mill, Leesburg
• Vintage Restaurant, Orange

The Grand Award goes to restaurants that have "extraordinary wine programs," according to Wine Spectator. There were 93 Grand Awards given this year.

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.

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