Here are Rhode Island’s best restaurants for wine, says Wine Spectator

The magazine awarded accolades to 20 different restaurants in the Ocean State for their wine selections. Seven of those awards received ‘Best of Award Excellence,’ the magazine’s second-tier honor.

Pan seared diver sea scallops paired with Italian varietals at Sarto, a restaurant in downtown Providence that received accolades from Wine Spectator magazine for its selection in 2022.MARK STOCKWELL FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE

PROVIDENCE — Wine Spectator magazine awarded accolades to what it considers the top wine programs for restaurants around the world in 2022, and 20 in Rhode Island made their list.

Most of the winners in Rhode Island are located in Providence and Newport.

Since the early 1980s, Wine Spectator has recognized restaurants each year whose wine list offers a selection that is both appropriate for their cuisine and appeals to a “wine range of wine lovers.” In order to qualify for the award, restaurants must have a wine list that is complete with accurate information, including vintages and appellations for all selections. Lists that meet the magazine’s requirements are judged for its three awards.

The “Award of Excellence,” which honored 13 Rhode Island restaurants of the 1,782 worldwide winners, features wine lists that offer at least 90 selections. The “Best of Award of Excellence,” which honored seven Rhode Island restaurants of the 1,290 total winners, features wine lists that offer at least 350 selections and are known destinations for serious wine lovers, both by their commitment in their cellar and through their front-of-house staff’s knowledge.

The Grand Award, which was awarded to 97 restaurants and none located in Rhode Island, is the magazine’s highest award. Wine lists that earn this prestige typically feature more than 1,000 selections from top wine producers.

The exterior of Persimmon at 99 Hope St. in Providence.GLENN OSMUNDSON

The 13 restaurants that received Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence” included Providence’s Camille’s on Federal Hill, Persimmon and Mill’s Tavern Restaurant on the East Side, and Sarto and The Capital Grille in downtown. In Newport, both Stoneacre Brasserie and Stoneacre Garden earned awards, in addition to The White Horse Tavern.

Chapel Grille in Cranston, La Masseria in East Greenwich, Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown, The Coast Guard House in Narragansett, and The Restaurant in The Weekapaug Inn in Westerly were also named for the “Award of Excellence.”

Seven restaurants — including all three Tavolo locations — earned the magazine’s “Best of Award Excellence,” which is Wine Spectator’s second highest honor.

Best of Award Excellence

1. 

   The Chanler at Cliff Walk, home to the restaurant Cara.From The Chanler at Cliff walk

   Cara

   Cara is a restaurant located in the Chanler Hotel at Cliff Walk in Newport. They specialize in French and Californian varietals.

2. 

   The mushroom soup at Coast, the fine dining establishment inside Ocean House in Westerly, R.I.Ocean House

   Coast

   Coast is a restaurant located inside the Ocean House in Westerly, Rhode Island. They specialize in fine American cuisine, paired with wine that hails from California, France (specifically Bordeaux and Burgundy), and Italy. Wine Spectator also noted their champagne list on its award.

3. 

   04RIAtlanticInn - Block Island's iconic 'Atlantic Inn,' which has ocean views and an award-winning restaurant, was listed for sale for $9.75 million. (Lila Delman Compass)Lila Delman Compass

   Restaurant 1879

   Restaurant 1879 is a restaurant located inside the iconic Atlantic Inn on Block Island. The restaurant, which faces the Atlantic Ocean, specializes in Californian and French varietals. They have achieved Wine Spectator's Best of Award Excellence consistently since 2009.

4. Tavolo Wine Bar & Tuscan Grille

   Each of Tavolo Wine Bar & Tuscan Grille's three locations (Atwells Avenue in Providence, Douglas Pike in Smithfield, and Post Road in Warwick) were listed on Wine Spectator's list this year. The restaurants specialize in Northern Italian cuisine, which is paired with varietals from Italy and California.

5. 

   12newport - Sip cocktails and listen to a live band play Jazz Age classics at an al fresco brunch at the Lawn at Castle Hill Inn. (Castle Hill Inn)Castle Hill Inn

   The Dining Room at Castle Hill

   The Dining Room, which resides in a historic Agassiz Mansion that was built in 1875, has received top accolades from Wine Spectator since 2004. The magazine listed the Forbes Four-Star restaurant's French, Italian, and Californian blends in their award.