Waterleaf Earns 2012 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence

By Robyn Johnson

Waterleaf restaurant in Glen Ellyn is one of  two first-year restaurants in DuPage County to receive a prestigious 2012 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.

Wine Spectator's comprehensive World's Best Wine Lists has been compiled annually by the magazine since 1981. Entrants are considered for these awards from all 50 states and 65 countries worldwide.

"We are pleased to be one of just 73 restaurants in the United States to be recognized by Wine Spectator this year," said Jean Pierre Leroux, General Manager of Waterleaf and the Inn at Water's Edge. "This is an incredible accomplishment for a restaurant this has yet to celebrate its one-year anniversary."

The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence recognizes restaurants "whose wine lists offers interesting selections, are appropriate to their cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers." Included in the specs for consideration are the categories: Wine Director/Sommelier; Wine Strengths, Wine Selections, Prices, Corkage, and Cuisine Type and Menu Prices.

"The selection and pairing of fine wine with incredible food is something we do extremely well at Waterleaf," Leroux said. "This sharing of information helps us to create a genuine rapport with our patrons. We are happy that this attention to detail – a wine collection that matches the highest standards of our service, atmosphere and cuisine – has been recognized through this award."

Known for its use of fresh, locally-grown, seasonal ingredients, Waterleaf restaurant in Glen Ellyn also recently received a three-star review from Crain's Chicago Business. In addition, the fine-dining restaurant has earned Diner's Choice Awards for Best Ambience, Best Overall, Best Service, Fit for Foodies and Special Occasion on OpenTable.com, where it maintains a 4.6/5.0 rating. The restaurant also received a 2012 Reader's Choice Award for "Best Dinner Restaurant" from Wheaton/Glen Ellyn Glancer magazine.

On Saturday, Sept. 22, Waterleaf will host its inaugural Wine and Food Festival from 4 to 7 p.m. Ten area vendors and distributors will showcase more than 300 different wines at the event, which will also feature two local breweries, live music, Artisenal cheeses, food stands and take-home gifts for each guest.

For more information, visit www.waterleafrestaurant.com or call (630) 942-6881.