Press Releases

Continuing its celebrated tradition that began in 1968, The Sardine Factory's commitment to outstanding wine experiences has once again been honored by Wine Spectator. The Sardine Factory has been recognized for its outstanding wine program inWine Spectator's 2025 Restaurant Awards, which celebrate the world's best restaurants for wine.

"A wine list is a restaurant's identity in print, and this year's Wine Spectator Restaurant Award winners reflect both deep knowledge and a passion for discovery," said Marvin R. Shanken, Editor and Publisher, Wine Spectator. "I proudly present the 3,811 restaurants worldwide that earned a Restaurant Award this year—we raise a glass to all our winners."

"We are deeply honored to receive the 2025 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence," said Ted Balestreri, Co-Owner & CEO of The Sardine Factory. "This recognition is testament to our dedicated team—from cellar to table—who for over five decades have curated a wine program that reflects our passion, heritage, and the discerning palate of our guests. We are grateful to Wine Spectator for this recognition, and to every customer who has celebrated their own special moments with us."

The Sardine Factory's wine list features more than 2,000 labels and 15,900 bottles and has become known as one of the finest in the world. The restaurant's selection features both high-end, prestigious vintages, and many well-chosen domestic and imported wines. The wines are stored in the underground Wine Cellar, an impressive room filled with antiques and objets d'art in the styles of Napoleon III, Queen Victoria and Louis XIV.

Launched in 1981, the Restaurant Awards represent the world's only program focused exclusively on restaurant wine service. They are assigned on three levels: the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award of Excellence and the Grand Award, with 2,010; 1,704; and 97 winners this year in each respective category.

The Sardine Factory has won the Best of Award of Excellence Award,which gives special recognition to restaurants that clearly exceed the requirements of the Award of Excellence. Best of Award of Excellence recipients display excellent breadth across multiple winegrowing regions and/or significant vertical depth of top producers, along with superior presentation. As a Monterey Peninsula institution, The Sardine Factory continues to elevate the region's profile as a world-class destination for wine and cuisine.

Wine Spectator's special Restaurant Awards issue becomes available to readers July 15th.

Follow Wine Spectator on Instagram (@wine_spectator) and use hashtag #WSRestaurantAwards for posts about this year's awards. WineSpectator.com/Restaurants also features coverage of winners, interviews with leading wine directors, wine picks and pairing tips from sommeliers at award-winning programs. In the Restaurant Search, all winners can be searched by name, location, award level, cuisine, wine specialties and pricing. Winners are also profiled in the free Restaurant Awards app, available for iPhone and iPad users.
The Sardine Factory is located on historic Cannery Row at 701 Wave Street in Monterey. For more information visit www.sardinefactory.com or call 831-373-3775.

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