Which RI restaurants have the best wine selections in 2022? This list will tell you

Rhode Island restaurants made a strong showing for their wine lists as Wine Spectator unveiled their 2022 awards.

Seven restaurants earned the Best of Award of Excellence ranking that reflects a list of extensive selections with significant vintage depth and excellent breadth across multiple regions. It is signified by two wine glasses.

Ten restaurants claimed the Award of Excellence for their well-chosen assortment of quality producers. It is signified by one wine glass.

New to the list this year are sister restaurants Stoneacre Brasserie and Stoneacre Garden, both in Newport.

For the first time, Stoneacre Garden in Newport has made Wine Spectator's list for having special wine selections.
For the first time, Stoneacre Garden in Newport has made Wine Spectator's list for having special wine selections.

This year's awards honored 3,169 dining destinations from all 50 states in the U.S. and more than 70 countries internationally.

The Grand Award, signified by three glasses, for extraordinary commitment to wine service was only given to 97 restaurants and not to any in Rhode Island.

The seven Best of Award of Excellence are mostly rated as moderately priced unless otherwise noted. They are:

Cara

Cara, The Chanler at Cliff Walk, 117 Memorial Blvd., Newport, with 570 selections. They were acknowledged for wines from California and France and rated expensive.

The Dining Room at Castle Hill

The Dining Room at Castle Hill, 590 Ocean Drive, Newport, with 850 selections. They were cited for strengths in wines from California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Italy and Champagne and rated as expensive.

Coast at The Ocean House

Coast at The Ocean House, 1 Bluff Ave., Watch Hill, with 1,450 selections and,  strengths in wines from California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, France, Italy and Champagne.

Ocean House restaurant Coast was recognized by Wine Spectator with two glasses for Best of Award of Excellence.
Ocean House restaurant Coast was recognized by Wine Spectator with two glasses for Best of Award of Excellence.

Restaurant 1879 at the Atlantic Inn

Restaurant 1879 at the Atlantic Inn, 35 High St, Block Island, with 485 selections and California and France cited as strengths. The wines were rated as expensive.

Tavolo Wine Bar & Tuscan Grille

Tavolo Wine Bar & Tuscan Grille, 970 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, with 465 selections and California and Italy cited as strengths. Owner Leonard Mello is also the wine director.

Tavolo Wine Bar & Tuscan Grille, 2099 Post Rd., Warwick, has 445 selections with wines from California and Italy.

Tavolo Wine Bar & Tuscan Grille, 489 Atwells Ave., Providence, has 405 selections with strength in wines from California and Italy.

The 10 restaurants honored with the Award of Excellence are mostly rated as moderately priced unless otherwise noted. They are:

Camille's

Camille’s, 71 Bradford St., Providence, has 240 selections with strengths in California and Italian wines. George Kilborn is the wine director.

The Capital Grille

Capital Grille, 10 Memorial Blvd., Providence, has 320 selections with strength in California wines.

The Capital Grille has been recognized for its wine list by Wine Spectator since 1997.
The Capital Grille has been recognized for its wine list by Wine Spectator since 1997.

Chapel Grille

Chapel Grille, 3000 Chapel View Blvd., Cranston, has 225 selections with strength in California, French and Italian wines.

The Coast Guard House

The Coast Guard House, 40 Ocean Rd., Narragansett, has 390 selections with French and California wines cited as strengths. Wine director is Elisa Wybraniec.

La Masseria

La Masseria, 223 Main St., East Greenwich, with 240 selections and Italian wines cited as the strength.

Matunuck Oyster Bar

Matunuck Oyster Bar, 629 Succotash Rd., Wakefield, with 290 selections rated as inexpensive, with strengths in French and California wines.

Mill's Tavern

Mill's Tavern, 101 North Main St., Providence, has 250 selections with California wines cited as the strength.

Persimmon

Persimmon, 99 Hope St., Providence, has 260 selections rated as inexpensive with strengths in French, Italian and California wines. Steffen Rasch is wine director.

The Restaurant at The Weekapaug Inn

The Restaurant at The Weekapaug Inn, 25 Spray Rock Rd., Westerly, has 165 selections with California and French selections cited.

Sarto

Sarto, 86 Dorrance St., Providence, has 150 selections with California and Italian selections cited for strengths.

Stoneacre Brasserie

Stoneacre Brasserie, 28 Washington Square, Newport , has 250 selections with French wines cited.

Stoneacre Garden

Stoneacre Garden, 15 Swinburne Row, Newport, has 65 selections with French wines cited as strength.

The White Horse Tavern

The White Horse Tavern, 26 Marlborough St., Newport, with 255 selections and strengths cited as California and French wines.

Launched in 1981, the Restaurant Awards appear in the print issue of the magazine  that features chef and restaurateur Charlie Palmer on the cover. It is now on newsstands.

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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Which RI restaurants have the best wine selections in 2022?