GREAT RIVER, N.Y., July 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Four restaurants operated by Lessing’s Hospitality Group have been recognized with the 2026 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, one of the restaurant industry’s most respected honors for wine service. The recognition celebrates restaurants that build wine programs with purpose, offering carefully selected wines that complement their menus and enhance the overall dining experience.
The 2026 recipients include Sandbar in Cold Spring Harbor, Mirabelle Restaurant & Tavern in Stony Brook, View in Oakdale and Bayberry in Islip. Together, the awards highlight Lessing’s continued investment in culinary excellence and beverage programs that place equal emphasis on food, wine, and hospitality.
Established in 1981, the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards are widely regarded as one of the industry’s leading benchmarks for restaurant wine programs. Restaurants receiving the Award of Excellence are recognized for maintaining wine lists that demonstrate quality, diversity and a clear connection to their culinary offerings, giving guests meaningful opportunities to discover wines that elevate each meal.
Lessing’s recognized restaurants each represent a different dining experience while sharing the same commitment to thoughtful hospitality.
Sandbar, Lessing’s North Shore destination in Cold Spring Harbor, has earned the Award of Excellence for the eighth consecutive year, a streak dating back to 2019. Mirabelle Restaurant & Tavern, known for its refined American cuisine and seasonal menus, has now received the honor for the seventh consecutive year since 2020. View, Lessing’s waterfront destination overlooking the Great South Bay in Oakdale, earned its third consecutive Award of Excellence, while Bayberry, Lessing’s modern American restaurant in downtown Islip, received the distinction for the second straight year after first being recognized in 2025.
While each restaurant offers its own culinary identity, their wine programs share one common philosophy: creating approachable, well-balanced selections that complement the menu. Guests will find wines representing respected producers, emerging regions and a range of price points, allowing both seasoned collectors and casual wine drinkers to enjoy confident, thoughtful pairings.
In 2026, Wine Spectator recognized 2,083 restaurants worldwide with the Award of Excellence, alongside 1,830 Best of Award of Excellence recipients and 99 Grand Award winners. Sandbar, Mirabelle Restaurant & Tavern, View and Bayberry were each recognized at the Award of Excellence level.
“Wine has always been about more than what’s in the glass,” said Lawrence Lessing, COO of Lessing’s Hospitality Group. “It’s about bringing people together, enhancing great food and creating memorable experiences around the table. Our teams work incredibly hard to build wine lists that feel welcoming, complement every menu and encourage guests to explore something new. Receiving this recognition year after year reflects the passion and dedication our culinary, beverage and service teams bring to every guest experience.
Across more than 20 full-service restaurants throughout the Northeast and Florida, Lessing’s continues to invest in chefs, beverage professionals and hospitality teams who understand that exceptional dining is built through countless details. From seasonal menus and locally inspired cuisine to carefully selected wines and attentive service, the company’s restaurants are designed to create experiences that guests return to again and again.
About Lessing’s Hospitality Group
Founded in 1890 by Maxwell Lessing in New York City, Lessing’s Hospitality Group has grown from a single Manhattan lunch counter into one of the largest family-owned hospitality companies in the Northeast and Florida. Today, the company operates more than 120 locations, including more than 20 full-service restaurants, more than 20 wedding and catering venues, more than 80 corporate and academic dining centers, a historic inn, a presidential yacht, and a working ranch. Through every division, Lessing’s remains committed to exceptional hospitality, culinary innovation and creating memorable experiences for millions of guests each year.
About Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is the world’s leading authority on wine. Since 1981, its Restaurant Awards have recognized restaurants whose wine lists demonstrate excellence in selection, presentation and compatibility with their cuisine. Today, the awards remain among the industry’s most respected recognitions for outstanding restaurant wine programs.
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