33 Connecticut Restaurants Among Wine Spectator 2020 Winners

CONNECTICUT — The restaurant industry is perhaps the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Months into the crisis, many of us still aren't venturing out to that quaint downtown bistro to savor a meal and a glass of our favorite merlot.

Putting aside the challenging year, Wine Spectator magazine recently released its list of 2020 Restaurant Award winners, honoring the best in the industry and recognizing the devotion displayed by an industry that has, according to a statement posted to its website, "come together to support its members and the communities they serve."

The annual list typically gives us a generous glimpse at the best spots in Connecticut. This year, 33 restaurants in our city earned a nod from Wine Spectator.

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, the awards honored 3,800 restaurants in 50 states and 80 countries and territories. Awards were given in 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.

Candidates for the Grand Award are required to undergo a rigorous inspection by Wine Spectator judges; however, this year, travel restrictions and mandatory restaurant shutdowns made inspections impossible. As a result, the magazine named no new restaurants to the 2020 Grand Award list.

Check out the other restaurants in Connecticut that earned nods for excellence this year:

  • Winvian Farm Restaurant, Morris: Best of Award of Excellence: Set on 113 acres and bordering extensive woods and lakes in the Litchfield Hills.

  • Cava Restaurant, Southington: Award of Excellence: The flavors of Italy come to life here, where guests can dine on pastas, 28-day aged Certified Angus Beef steaks, and seafood dishes.

  • Viron Rondo Osteria, Cheshire: Award of Excellence:

  • Arethusa al tavolo, Bantam: Award of Excellence: Located in what was the Village General store. The restaurant prides itself on exclusively using the dairy products from a local farm.

  • Nouveau Monde, Sandy Hook: Best of Award of Excellence: Named by Connecticut Magazine as Best Wine Bar in Connecticut.

  • Ruth's Chris Steak House, Newington: Award of Excellence: Famous for its seasoning techniques and serving its steaks and chops on 500-degree plates.

  • Barcelona Wine Bar, West Hartford: Best of Award of Excellence: Cuisine is clean and rustic, with tapas shaped by Mediterranean, Spanish, and South American influences. Nearly 400 wines are featured on the wine list.

  • Castello Restaurant, Danbury: Award of Excellence

  • Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: Award of Excellence: Located in the historic Educational Building, just off West Hartford Center and next to the Noah Webster Library.

  • Artisan, West Hartford: Best of Award of Excellence: Offers New England inspired American cuisine with an emphasis on farm fresh fare from an onsite garden and local and regional farms.

  • Fife 'N Drum Restaurant & Inn, Kent: Best of Award of Excellence: Features live music and a pet-friendly inn.

  • Zinc Restaurant, New Haven: Award of Excellence: Sources its menu from local farms.

  • Barcelona Wine Bar, New Haven: Best of Award of Excellence: Cuisine is clean and rustic, with tapas shaped by Mediterranean, Spanish, and South American influences. Nearly 400 wines are featured on the wine list.

  • Millwright's Restaurant, Simsbury: Award of Excellence: Voted to the 2019 list of "Most Romantic Restaurants in America" by OpenTable Diners.

  • Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill, New Haven: Award of Excellence: Food and Wine magazine named it the "Most Romantic Restaurant in Connecticut."

  • Max Downtown, Hartford: Best of Award of Excellence: A contemporary chophouse, it has been named Connecticut Magazine's "Best for Overall Excellence" and "Best Power Lunch Spot," "Best for Business Entertaining" and "Best Wine List" by Hartford Magazine.

  • The Capital Grille, Hartford: Award of Excellence

  • 2hopewell, South Glastonbury: Award of Excellence: American bistro and bar The New York Times described as "a fine place to spend and evening."

  • Barcelona Wine Bar, Fairfield: Best of Award of Excellence: Cuisine is clean and rustic, with tapas shaped by Mediterranean, Spanish, and South American influences. Nearly 400 wines are featured on the wine list.

  • Bernard's, Ridgefield: Best of Award of Excellence: Menu changes daily to reflect the availability of the best local ingredients. More than half the produce sold during the summer and fall seasons is grown in vegetable gardens recently added to the restaurant's property.

  • La Foresta Restaurant & Wine Bar, Killingworth: Best of Award of Excellence: Wine list boasts over 1,600 selections, from a cellar of more than 10,000 total bottles.

  • Artisan, Southport: Best of Award of Excellence: Offers New England inspired American cuisine with an emphasis on farm to table approach.

  • Barcelona Wine Bar, Norwalk: Best of Award of Excellence: Cuisine is clean and rustic, with tapas shaped by Mediterranean, Spanish, and South American influences. Nearly 400 wines are featured on the wine list.

  • The Essex, Centerbrook: Award of Excellence: Voted 2019 "10 Best Restaurants in Connecticut" by OpenTable Diners Choice and 2019 "Best Restaurants in Connecticut" by Connecticut Magazine.

  • The Griswold Inn Wine Bar, Essex: Award of Excellence: One of the oldest continuously operated inns in the country, having first opened its doors for business in 1776.

  • Barcelona Wine Bar, Stamford: Best of Award of Excellence: Cuisine is clean and rustic, with tapas shaped by Mediterranean, Spanish, and South American influences. Nearly 400 wines are featured on the wine list.

  • The Capital Grille, Stamford: Award of Excellence

  • Tony's at the J House, Riverside: Award of Excellence: An old-school steak house at its core, wrapped in an urban design aesthetic, located inside a boutique hotel.

  • L'Escale Restaurant, Greenwich: Best of Award of Excellence: Offers seasonal Mediterranean cuisine "designed to transport the ambiance of Provence to the Gold Coast of Connecticut."

  • Rebeccas, Greenwich: Award of Excellence: Its "two soups in one bowl" was named one of "50 Connecticut Dishes To Try Before You Die" by Connecticut Magazine.

  • Kensington's, Norwich: Award of Excellence: Located within The Spa at Norwich Inn.

  • Vue 24, Mashantucket: Award of Excellence: Continental cuisine, located within Foxwoods Resort.

  • Caputo Trattoria, Mashantucket: Best of Award of Excellence: Located within Foxwoods Resort.

  • David Burke Prime Steakhouse, Ledyard: Best of Award of Excellence: The 13,000-square-foot steakhouse seats 375 and includes a 28-seat bar and multiple semi-private dining and event spaces.

The hospitality industry remains hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic and is still working to get back on its feet. Abrupt closures, inconsistent reopenings, changes in public health guidance for operations and other state-mandated orders have pushed the industry to the brink.

Two months into the pandemic, 40 percent of America's restaurants were shuttered and 8 million employees out of work — three times the job losses seen by any other industry, according to a Forbes report. While some restaurants began reopening in May and June, most featured only takeout, delivery or outdoor dining options due to local restrictions.

In June, the number of diners remained down more than 65 percent year over year, and the National Restaurant Association has projected an industry revenue shortfall of $240 billion for the year.

This article originally appeared on the Across Connecticut Patch