Annapolis

Grapes is exactly what Annapolis needed — a wine bar that takes California and France seriously without taking itself too seriously. No fireworks, no surprises, but a reliably good bottle and a room worth lingering in.

Lewnes' is the kind of steakhouse wine list that actually earns its Best of Award of Excellence — deep California roots, serious ceiling bottles, and a Wednesday half-price night that's practically a civic service. The markups are steakhouse-steep across the board, but if you navigate smart, this is one of the better bottles-with-beef experiences on the mid-Atlantic coast.