Two Boise restaurants and an Eagle newcomer win Wine Spectator awards
If you cherish a glass of wine with your meal, you’re probably familiar with the annual Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards.
Every year, the self-described “world’s leading authority on wine” highlights dining destinations with the best selections. When a restaurant receives a Wine Spectator stamp of approval, it’s an indication that management devotes significant attention to wine.
This year’s recently announced awards included four Idaho recipients — two in Boise, one in Eagle and one in McCall.
The awards offer three levels of distinction: the Award of Excellence; the more prestigious Best of Award of Excellence; and the relatively rare Grand Award.
In Boise, perennial winner Chandlers Steakhouse, 981 W. Grove St., was given a Best of Award of Excellence. No surprise there. Chandlers takes wine seriously.
Also receiving a Best of Award of Excellence? First-time winner Coa Del Mar, which opened last year in Eagle at 2121 E. Riverside Drive. This Wine Spectator award adds another level of refinement to its seafood- and steak-driven dining concept.
Visiting McCall? Check out the wine selection at The Narrows Steakhouse at Shore Lodge, 501 W. Lake St. It, too, earned a Best of Award of Excellence — yet again.
Back in Boise, Fork, 199 N. 8th St., was the only Gem State recipient of the base-level Award of Excellence. Fork also is a perennial winner.
Wine Spectator recognized 3,811 dining destinations from all 50 states and more than 80 countries for this year’s awards, according to a press release. In total, the three levels of distinction broke down as follows: Award of Excellence (2,010 winners), Best of Award of Excellence (1,704) and Grand Award (97).
Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards are pay-to-play; restaurateurs submit an entry fee to be considered. Not all that enter make the cut.
In Idaho, the number of Wine Spectator-approved restaurants has plummeted in recent years. As recently as 2020, 11 restaurants popped the cork in celebration. That number steadily declined — down to three in 2023 before rebounding to four the past two years.
In comparison, Idaho’s neighbor Utah — known for strict alcohol laws — won more than five times as many Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards this year, with 22 of them.
This story was originally published July 24, 2025 at 4:00 AM.