This top 100 celebrates the Bay Area’s best restaurants where wine is the star.
Wine Enthusiast magazine announces its top 100 restaurants for 2019
The experts at Wine Enthusiast magazine have traversed the country in search of America’s 100 best restaurants for wine lovers. These aren’t just the high-end restaurants with the best-stocked wine cellars. Instead, the editors say, these are “restaurants where wine is shared and celebrated, and where, in our experiences, the selection, food, service and atmosphere are all exceptional.”
In the 2019 list of America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants released earlier this month, 38 restaurants were honored in the West, a region that includes Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and, of course, California. That includes a Bozeman restaurant with a biodynamic wine list, a Walla Walla steakhouse and a modern Thai restaurant in Las Vegas.
If you think one of your wine faves might be missing from the list, check the Wine Enthusiast Hall of Fame. Several notables are already in the hall, including Manresa (Los Gatos); The French Laundry (Yountville); Auberge du Soleil (Rutherford); The Restaurant at Meadowood and Press (both in St. Helena); and A16 and Quince (both in San Francisco).
Here’s what the experts had to say about their top 100 picks in the Bay Area and Central Coast. You’ll find more commentary and menu recommendations at www. wineenthusiast.com.
ADEGA | San Jose
“A destination for modern Portuguese fare, this venue boasts more than 500 Portuguese wines. Hard-to-find back vintages provide rare pairing opportunities like ’88 Bical with carabineiro shrimp or ’85 Baga with arroz de pato (duck rice).”
ANGLER | San Francisco
“Joshua Skenes, founder of the perennially acclaimed Saison, made a huge splash when he opened this sea-centric restaurant last fall. … Wine Director Mark Bright shows clear favoritism toward Burgundy and grower Champagne, for a list designed with seafood in mind.”
ATELIER CRENN | San Francisco
“The last year and a half has been big here — it became the first restaurant run by a woman to earn three Michelin stars; wine-centric Bar Crenn celebrated its one-year anniversary; and, along with beverage director Courtney Olson, chef Dominique Crenn embarked on a partnership to produce a Bandol rosé with Château de Pibarnon.”
AUBERGINE | Carmel
“Central Coast seafood and produce form the core of Justin Cogley’s tasting menus at this restaurant blocks from Carmel Beach. By-the-glass offerings span the globe, while the bottle list is largely California and France — including lots of back vintages.”
CALIFORNIOS | San Francisco
“This pop-up-turned-brick-and-mortar serves an ever-changing tasting menu of around 16 courses of modern Mexican cuisine dreamed up by co-owner and chef Val M. Cantu. Sommelier and co-owner Charlotte Randolph pours smallproduction bottles from around the world.”
CHARTER OAK | St. Helena
“This perennial favorite from the team behind The Restaurant at Meadowood has a neighborhood feel to match family-style plates. Except that the neighborhood is smack in the middle of wine country with a list that’s organized by the valley’s AVAS.”
COI | San Francisco
“Daniel Patterson’s restaurant, helmed by executive chef Erik Anderson, continues to have one of the best tasting menus in the country. It’s added a weeknight five-course menu, plus drink cart and caviar service in the lounge. While the wine list still leans Old World, sommelier Eric Fox says he’s excited by growth in the California wine scene.”
COMPLINE | Napa
“This young, all-in-one wine bar/restaurant/ retail shop continues crushing it with exploratory selections, approachable service and straightforward dishes. Since opening in 2017, the restaurant’s bottle inventory has increased by hundreds, while the shop — from which guests can buy something to enjoy mealside for a small corkage fee — has added almost as many options.”
EMBER | Arroyo Grande (San Luis Obispo County)
“The food and wine at this rustic bistro are hot, and not just because they’re in high demand: A wood-fired oven cranks out eclectic, Italian-inflected dishes, while beverage offerings are largely sourced from the Central Coast.”
PLUMED HORSE | Saratoga
“This elegant venue is no stranger to prestige: It’s nabbed Michelin stars year after year since 2008 and earned top marks on best lists across the fine dining and wining landscape. The wine list has only continued to expand in all directions, while the rotating tasting menus remain as deftly prepared as ever.”
PASSIONFISH | Pacific Grove
“Wine director Jannae Lizza has put together a list of mostly small, independent producers at near-retail prices. A seasonal ‘Love Page’ offers a glimpse at what staff are drinking now with the restaurant’s California cuisine that’s sourced locally and sustainably.”
PROTÉGÉ | Palo Alto
“Barely more than a year old, this restaurant from a pair of fine dining alums impresses with an immaculate five-course tasting menu and a stunning, international wine list that will please even the most discerning palates. Though exceptional, said bottle selection is curated to just 250 offerings, meaning each was thoughtfully chosen to complement the new American cuisine.”
SEVENTH AND DOLORES | Carmel
“This globally inspired steakhouse is set in a former bank; Gregory and Madigan Ahn of Folktale Winery in Carmel Valley took over in 2017, and later brought in executive chef Tom Snyder. The wine list has one foot in California and the other in France, with plenty of bubbles by the glass.”
TORC | Napa
“This wine country hotspot forgoes pomp and circumstance for a bit of wit and whimsy, pouring hardto-find wines alongside classics and serving thoughtful preparations of local, seasonal ingredients. Champagne flights, magnums and California heritage bottlings are also on offer.”
VALETTE | Healdsburg
“A ‘Trust Me’ tasting menu, where guests say how many courses they want and the kitchen handles the rest, as well as a new garden next door are only a few features that make this wine country restaurant so special. A Sonoma-heavy wine list speaks to that same homegrown ethos.”