Milwaukee-Area Restaurants Recognized In Wine Spectator's 2023 Awards

MILWAUKEE, WI — If you're looking for fine wine and great dining, you don't have to venture past southeast Wisconsin to find some of the best spots in the world.

Several restaurants around the greater Milwaukee area were named in Wine Spectator's latest roundup of the world's best restaurants featuring wine. Dozens more around Wisconsin were also named. The 2023 Restaurant Awards winners included 3,500 dining destinations around the U.S. and internationally.

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There are three types of awards that restaurants can receive from Wine Spectator. The most common, the Award of Excellence, is given to restaurants with at least 90 wine selections that match the kitchen's pricing and cuisine. Over 2,000 restaurants received the Award of Excellence this year.

Then there is the Best of Award of Excellence with just over 1,400 recipients this year. To make this bracket, a restaurant has to feature around 350 wine selections with a breadth of regions and styles. The spots also have to give training and education to staff to help customers make informed wine choices.

The most prestigious of Wine Spectator's awards is the Grand Award, given for the highest level of wine service, with just 93 winners around the world (none of which are from Wisconsin, unfortunately).

"This hard-to-achieve award is bestowed upon restaurants that show unwavering passion and perseverance in strategically building thoughtful, impeccable wine programs, then maintaining and even growing them year after year," wrote Wine Spectator about its top award. "These wine lists, which typically have 1,000 or more selections, deliver an incredibly thorough range of leading wineries and outstanding depth in mature vintages, along with bottles in multiple sizes."

Several restaurants around greater Milwaukee earned a Best of Award of Excellence this year. They include:

• Bartolotta's Bacchus at 925 East Wells Street in Milwaukee. Award-winner since 2006.
• Bartolott'as Lake Park Bistro at 3133 East Newberry Boulevard in Milwaukee. Award-winner since 2021.
• Carnevor Steakhouse Moderne at 718 North Milwaukee Street in Milwaukee. Award-winner since 2016.
• Story Hill BKC at 5100 West Bluemound Road in Milwaukee. Award-winner since 2020.

You can also find Best of Award of Excellence winners in other parts of Wisconsin. Immigrant Restaurant in Kohler has earned the distinction from Wine Spectator since 2005, while Lake Street Cafe in Elkhart Lake has earned it since 2016.

Dozens more eateries around greater Milwaukee earned an Award of Excellence. Explore all the award winners around Wisconsin at Wine Spectator's list online.