IT’S THAT TIME of year again: Wine Spectator, the world’s leading authority on wine, has unveiled the winners of the 2024 Restaurant Awards, which honor the world’s best restaurants for wine. This year’s awards program recognizes 3,777 dining destinations from all 50 states in the U.S. and more than 75 countries internationally. Houston, the fourth largest city in America, garnered 42 awards.

Launched in 1981, the Restaurant Awards represent the world’s only program focused exclusively on restaurant wine service. Awards are assigned on three levels: the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award of Excellence and the highly coveted Grand Award.

“The restaurant industry is growing and thriving, with restaurant openings surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time. To take advantage of the uptick, restaurateurs are investing in their wine programs,” said Marvin R. Shanken, Editor and Publisher, Wine Spectator. “Restaurants that make wine a priority are what the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards program is all about. I’m pleased to congratulate all 3,777 restaurants for their dedication to wine and exemplary wine lists.”

Speaking of investing, there is a fee to apply for a review, so the restaurants that commit to the application process are serious about their wine lists. The crème de la crème Houston winners? Repeat Grand Award winners are three: Mastro’s Steakhouse at the Post Oak Hotel, the original Pappas Bros. Steakhouse Houston Galleria, and Pappas Bros. Steakhouse Houston Downtown. These restaurants demonstrate polished wine service, depth and variety in their expertly chosen lists.

In the Best of Award of Excellence wine award tier, H-Town tallied 15 winners in a wide range of cuisine categories with an eclectic inclusion of wine regions. For instance, Caracol’s list includes wines from Mexico; March restaurant’s impressively broad list flaunts bottles from Europe (heavy on France), and a deep list of California’s best boutique wines; and Zanti’s wine menu includes a generous sweep of Italy. Other winners include Amrina, Andiron, Barcelona Wine Bar, Brix Wine Cellars, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, El Meson, Georgia James, Kiran’s, Little’s Oyster Bar, Mastro’s Ocean Club, The Capital Grill CityCentre, and Vic & Anthony.

But there are plenty more awards – 24 to be exact! Houston-area winners of the Award of Excellence are: Backstreet Café, Bludorn, Brenner’s Steakhouse and Brenner’s Steakhouse on the Bayou, Del Frisco’s Grille, Eddie V’s Seafood (both locations), Fogo de Chao (both), Hugo’s, La Griglia, Le Colonial, Marmo, Morton’s the Steakhouse, Navy Blue, Pearl & Vine, Perry’s Steakhouses, Rosie Cannonball, Seasons 52, Sorriso Modern Italian Kitchen, State of Grace, Taste of Texas, The Capital Grille Westheimer, Oceanaire Seafood Room, The Palm, Trulock’s, and Xochi,

If all this talk about fine wine is making you thirsty, here are some summer vino happenings. Montrose Cheese & Wine has free wine tastings every Wednesday with selections from different sources and lots of amazing cheese to take home. In Rice Village, Roma is pouring a complimentary Italian wine tasting July 30 starting at 6:30pm – call to reserve a spot. Over in the Heights, Mutiny Wine Room is having National White Wine Day August 4. Finally, August 24 at 4pm is Stella’s Wine Bar Symposium Saturdays featuring summer white wines, bubbles, and chillable reds.