USA Today readers named this Portland winery restaurant best in the country - Dining and Cooking

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – Cheers are in order for Portland’s Amaterra Winery after USA Today readers voted it America’s best winery restaurant.

The winery restaurant earned the top spot in USA Today’s 2026 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, announced Wednesday.

“It’s extremely exciting. For such a young winery and restaurant to be recognized with such an honor means we’ve been doing something right,” said Mark Beringer, director of operations at Amaterra Winery.

Since opening in Portland’s West Hills in 2022, guests have been drawn to the winery’s sweeping views of the Tualatin Valley, paired with a casual fine dining experience that brings Pacific Northwest flair to the table.

In its review, USA Today highlighted dishes such as the pan-seared scallops and the Wagyu smash burger.

“Our executive chef, Demi Flatt, does an amazing job of bringing in local ingredients. He works a lot with our local vendors, especially at the farmers markets down here in Beaverton, to bring as many of those ingredients into our kitchen and make it fresh and Pacific Northwest-oriented,” Beringer said.

The restaurant overlooks a 12-acre vineyard. Grapes grown on the property, along with fruit sourced from regional partners, are crafted into the winery’s signature wines on-site.

Just last month, its 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir earned a Gold Medal and 96 Points from the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards.

The back-to-back accomplishments come at a time when the wine industry is facing a major economic downturn.

Experts say the sales slump is being driven by declining alcohol consumption among millennials and Generation Z.

Beringer believes the winery’s consistently busy happy hours are a sign that people still have a taste for the finer things.

“It’s really nice to be here with other people who really care about what they’re eating and the view. Everybody sort of feels kind of familiar, even if you don’t know who they are,” customer Josh Levine said.

Amaterra Hospitality Group recently acquired the RiverPlace Hotel along Portland’s South Waterfront for $11 million. Beringer said the company is exploring more ways to expand the Amaterra brand.