Wine Spectator Pours Awards on Five Hell's Kitchen Restaurants

Five Hell’s Kitchen restaurants have received prestigious Awards of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine.

Newcomers Kochi NYC received their Michelin star this week — they’ve now added a Wine Spectator award. Photo: Kochi NYC.

Kochi NYC at 652 10th Avenue (corner of W46th Street) is on the list for the first time in 2021, the judges complimenting the French wine list that sits alongside their Asian cuisine. Earlier in the year, the newcomer contemporary Korean restaurant earned its first Michelin star.

Wine Spectator again recognized three-star Michelin restaurant Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare at W37th Street (between 10/11th Avenue). The restaurant has been on their awards list since 2015 and is known for its range of over 1,200 wines from Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône, Italy, Germany and Austria, curated by Wine Director Philippe Sauriat.

Barbetta on Restaurant Row has just reopened after the pandemic. Photo: Phil O’Brien.

On Restaurant Row, Barbetta’s Wine Director Geza Horvath earned a Best of Excellence Award for the legendary eatery’s Italian wines from Tuscany and Piedmont. The restaurant, owned by Laura Maioglio, reopened at the end of July after being closed for 17 months during the pandemic. Maioglio took over the family business in 1962 — Barbetta is 115 years old and is the oldest restaurant in New York still owned by the family that founded it.

Neighboring 9th Avenue restaurants Marseille and Nizza have been on the list for over 10 years — and gained awards again in 2021. They also both feature on W42ST’s favorite wine bar list that was published this week. Nizza also features in our HK Happy Hour list, for their Wine Wednesday — $20 bottles of select wine from their award winning list all day and night long.

Robert Guarino, the co-owner of Marseille and Nizza told us: “Our Wine Director Aviram Turgeman takes a lot of pride in building the wine cellar for Marseille and Nizza. We believe great food and wine truly go hand in hand. It is an honor to have our commitment acknowledged by Wine Spectator once again!”