5 Birmingham restaurants make Wine Spectator’s 2026 Award of Excellence list

If you are looking to pair your next night out with an exceptional glass of wine, Birmingham’s dining scene just got some major street cred in the wine world.

Wine Spectator, the global authority on wine culture and ratings, has officially released its 2026 Restaurant Awards. This year, the publication honored more than 4,000 establishments across 87 countries and all 50 states for their outstanding wine programs—and five local Birmingham favorites made the cut.

Since 1981, the Award of Excellence has recognized restaurants that curate high-quality wine lists with selections that clearly appeal to wine lovers, thematic consistency, and excellent pairing choices for their dinner menus.

Birmingham restaurants with award-winning wine lists to try right now

Here are the five Magic City establishments that earned the 2026 Award of Excellence honors:

• Bellini’s Ristorante & Bar | 6801 Cahaba Valley Rd, Birmingham, AL 35242
• Little Betty Steak Bar | 321 Rele St, Ste E8, Mountain Brook, AL 35223
• Ocean | 1218 20th St S, Birmingham, AL 35205
• Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille | 4 Perimeter Park S, Birmingham, AL 35243
• Seasons 52 | 245 Summit Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35243

Alabama restaurant wine awards: Winners in Huntsville, Auburn + beyond

Birmingham led the state with five award winners, but a dozen other excellent dining spots across Alabama also received the 2026 Award of Excellence recognition:

• Auburn/Opelika (4):
  • Acre
  • Botanic
  • The Depot
  • 1856 Culinary Residence
• Baldwin County (3):
  • Little Bird
  • The Hope Farm
  • Villaggio Grille
• Montgomery (2):
  • Ravello Ristorante
  • Vintage Year
• Huntsville (2):
  • Char Restaurant
  • Domaine South
• Tuscaloosa (1):
  • Forte

Three Alabama restaurants earned the Best of Award of Excellence, which was limited to the top 2,000 on Wine Spectator’s list. The Alabama spots on that list were:

• Auburn: Acre
• Auburn: 1856 Culinary Residence
• Fairhope: The Hope Farm

Did Wine Spectator get the Magic City list right? Let us know which local wine list is your absolute favorite by tagging us on social media @BhamNow!