Parc, two hundred Merrill get 2018 Wine beverage Spectator accolades

What Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards Mean for Travelers

The title refers to Parc and 200 Merrill, two restaurants recognised in Wine Spectator's 2018 Restaurant Awards. That round of awards is long past, but the programme itself still matters to anyone who plans trips around good food and drink. Knowing how the awards work can help you read a restaurant's wine credentials sensibly when you travel, whether that's around Lake Erie or further afield.

How the awards are structured

Wine Spectator's Restaurant Awards are based on a restaurant's wine list, not on its food or service. Restaurants submit their lists for review, and the magazine assigns one of three tiers:

• Award of Excellence: a well-chosen list that suits the menu and offers a reasonable range of producers and regions.
• Best of Award of Excellence: greater depth, often with several vintages of key wines and strength in more than one region.
• Grand Award: the top tier, given to a small number of restaurants with exceptional breadth, depth and presentation.

The awards are renewed each year, so a plaque from one year doesn't guarantee the list looks the same today. Lists change, sommeliers move on and restaurants close or rebrand.

Using wine recognition when planning a trip

An award tells you a restaurant takes wine seriously. It doesn't tell you whether the place suits your budget or mood. Before booking a special dinner on the road, it's worth doing a few practical checks:

• Look at the restaurant's current menu and wine list on its official website.
• Ask about by-the-glass options if you want to try something without committing to a bottle.
• Reserve ahead for weekend evenings, especially at well-known dining spots.
• Plan your ride home. A taxi, rideshare or walkable hotel makes a wine-focused evening far more relaxed.

Many travelers pair a recognised wine list with a day exploring a nearby wine region. Ohio's Lake Erie shoreline, for example, has its own small wineries that make easy day trips from Cleveland. For more ideas on building an itinerary around food and drink, browse our travel guides, or look through the destinations we've covered across the Midwest.