AWARDS
The First Annual Crystal Beverage Awards, honoring the best on-premise beverage programs across America, are complete and we are proud to announce the 2008 winners. Offering a range of categories beyond Best Wine List, the CBA has received entries from across the country for more than a dozen categories. Our judges were a panel of nationally recognized wine and spirits experts. Each entry was reviewed by five judges, with no judge reviewing an entry from within his or her own region. (All references to restaurant name and location were removed prior to judging.) The judging process took place on-line (except for the presentation category) and the judges reviewed the entries and determined scores based on a set list of relevant qualities. This is the result of their deliberations.
Award levels:
Award of Prestige (outstanding)
Award of Distinction (excellent) Award of Merit (very good)
2008 Crystal Beverage Awards Recipients
BEST WINE LIST (UNDER 100 SELECTIONS)
AWARD OF PRESTIGE
Elettaria, New York, NY
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles, CA
Akasha, Culver City, CA
Metro Lafayette, Lafayette, CA
Osha Thai, San Francisco, CA
BEST WINE LIST (101 - 300 SELECTIONS)
AWARD OF PRESTIGE
Fifth Floor Restaurant, San Francisco, CA
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
20 Brix, Milford, OH
Mie N Yu, Washington, DC
3 on Fourth, Santa Monica, CA
Bouchon Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Summit, Colorado Springs, CO
Tender Steak and Seafood, Las Vegas, NV
Ame, San Francisco, CA
Sapphire Laguna, Laguna Beach, CA
TERRA, St. Helena, CA
AWARD OF MERIT
Capsouto Freres, New York, NY
Kelly Liken, Vail, CO
BEST WINE LIST (301 - 1000 SELECTIONS)
AWARD OF PRESTIGE
Ana Mandara, San Francisco, CA
Cyrus, Healdsburg, CA
Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar, Bellevue, WA
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Charlie Palmer Steak, Washington, DC
Bistro 45, Pasadena, CA
Truffles Restaurant, Ladue, MO
Cafe Boulud, Palm Beach, FL
Island Way Grill, Clearwater Beach, FL
Rustic Canyon, Santa Monica, CA
A16 Restaurant & Wine Bar, San Francisco, CA
Sonnenalp Resort of Vail, Vail, CO
The Kitchen Café, Boulder, CO
Le Petit Chateau, Bernardsville, NJ
Nell's, Seattle, WA
Penrose Room, Colorado Springs, CO
AWARD OF MERIT
BLT Steak, New York, NY
Crystal Bay Steak & Lobster House, Crystal Bay, NV
The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards, Livermore, CA
BEST WINE LIST (MORE THAN 1000 SELECTIONS)
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Addison, San Diego, CA
Restaurant 301, Eureka, CA
Delmonico Steakhouse, Las Vegas, NV
Sona, Los Angeles, CA
Wine Cask, Santa Barbara, CA
Vivere (at the Italian Village), Chicago, Il
AWARD OF MERIT
Harry's Cafe & Steak, New York, NY
Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas, TX
BEST BY-THE-GLASS WINE PROGRAM
AWARD OF PRESTIGE
Osha Thai, San Francisco, CA
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Ame, San Francisco, CA
Cornelia Street Café, New York, NY
The Herbfarm, Woodinville, WA
A16 Restaurant & Wine Bar, San Francisco, CA
Akasha, Culver City, CA
Bistro 45, Pasadena, CA
Sona, Los Angeles, CA
Kelly Liken, Vail, CO
Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas, TX
Wine Cask, Santa Barbara, CA
AWARD OF MERIT
Island Way Grill, Clearwater Beach, FL
Sapphire Laguna, Laguna Beach, CA
Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro, Reston, VA
Bouchon Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Truffles Restaurant, Ladue, MO
Charlie Palmer Steak, Washington, DC
Paul Martin's American Bistro, Roseville, CA
BEST CHAIN WINE LIST
AWARD OF MERIT
Timpano Chophouse and Martini Bar
BEST WINE BAR PROGRAM
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
20 Brix, Milford, OH
A16 Restaurant & Wine Bar, San Francisco, CA
BEST COCKTAIL LIST
AWARD OF PRESTIGE
Elettaria, New York, NY
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Katsuya Brentwood, Brentwood, CA
Kumo Restaurant, West Hollywood, CA
Oak Room, Boston, MA
Summit, Colorado Springs, CO
Foxtail, West Hollywood, CA
Harry Denton's Starlight Room, San Francisco, CA
Katsuya Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA
Cyrus, Healdsburg, CA
Akasha, Culver City, CA
Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria, Seattle, WA
Metro Lafayette, Lafayette, CA
Nic's Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, CA
AWARD OF MERIT
Timpano Chophouse and Martini Bar
Zest Restaurant and Bar, Chicago, Il
Buddakan, New York, NY
L'Ecole, The Restaurant of The French Culinary Institute, New York, NY
Mie N Yu, Washington, DC
Paul Martin's American Bistro, Roseville, CA
Kelly Liken, Vail, CO
BEST BAR PROGRAM
AWARD OF PRESTIGE
Cyrus, Healdsburg, CA
Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar, Bellevue, WA
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Delmonico Steakhouse, Las Vegas, NV
Oak Room, Boston, MA
Katsuya Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA
Foxtail, West Hollywood, CA
Harry's Cafe & Steak, New York, NY
Katsuya Brentwood, Brentwood, CA
Tres Agaves, San Francisco, CA
AWARD OF MERIT
The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards, Livermore, CA
Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria, Seattle, WA
Paul Martin's American Bistro, Roseville, CA
BEST DESSERT BEVERAGE LIST
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Shiraz on the Water, Bloomingdale, IL
The Kitchen Café, Boulder, CO
AWARD OF MERIT
Le Petit Chateau, Bernardsville, NJ
Paul Martin's American Bistro, Roseville, CA
Nell's, Seattle, WA
BEST BEER LIST
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
The Kitchen Café, Boulder, CO
Rogue Ales, Portland, OR
3 on Fourth, Santa Monica, CA
AWARD OF MERIT
Rustic Canyon, Santa Monica, CA
BEST SAKE LIST
AWARD OF PRESTIGE
Kumo Restaurant, West Hollywood, CA
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Ame, San Francisco, CA
BEST WINE LIST PRESENTATION
AWARD OF PRESTIGE
The Herbfarm, Woodinville, WA
Cyrus, Healdsburg, CA
Mie N'Yu, Washington, DC
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Fifth Floor Restaurant, San Francisco, CA
Truffles Restaurant, Ladue, MO
Penrose Room, Colorado Spring, CO
Harry's Cafe & Steak, New York, NY
AWARD OF MERIT
Bouchon Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Island Way Grill, Clearwater Beach, FL
The Kitchen Café, Boulder, CO
Café Boulud, Palm Beach, FL
Wine Cask, Santa Barbara, CA
Shiraz on the Water, Bloomingdale, IL
BEST BEER LIST PRESENTATION
AWARD OF DISTINCTION
The Kitchen Café, Boulder, CO
BEST COCKTAIL LIST PRESENTATION
AWARD OF PRESTIGE
Cyrus, Healdsburg, CA
BEST DESSERT BEVERAGE PROGRAM PRESENTATION
AWARD OF MERIT
The Kitchen Café, Boulder, CO
The Crystal Beverage Awards were judged by an exceptional panel of judges from across the country. We thank them for the time and efforts in assessing the beverage lists that were submitted.
