Mountain Brook’s Little Betty is among the restaurants awarded for their impeccable wine lists by Wine Spectator. (Bham Now)
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):
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:
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!
Dining and Cooking