The top 44 spots for Californian wine in Europe: California 3-Star locations
These are the wine bars and restaurants across Europe with the largest selections of wine from California.
Our California 3-Star destinations all feature over 50 wines from the famous North American winemaking region on their lists.
Taste California, wherever you are in Europe!
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Presented by The California Wine Institute
California Wine Institute is an association of 1,000 California wineries and wine-related businesses that initiate and advocate public policy to enhance the environment for the responsible production, consumption and enjoyment of wine.
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![Kombo, a restaurant in Trondheim, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 73 19 01 00
Address: Nordre gate 12, Trondheim
Newcomer List of the Year Norway 2025
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Phone: 07822 776699
Address: Peter-Thumb-Straße 6, Rust
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![Dining room at Aira restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden.]()
Phone: +46 8 480 049 00
Address: Biskopsvägen 9, Stockholm
Best Long List Sweden, presented by Biondi-Santi 2026
Swedish master chef Tommy Myllymäki opened the grand fine dining restaurant Aira during the hard spring of 2020 when things were looking really bad for the dining scene. The vision paid off despite this and Aira is well on its way to being a new classic in the city - beautifully located by the seaside on Djurgården. The design is grand, modern and very Scandinavian, and the cuisine is very much the same. Aira has been rewarded with two stars by Guide Michelin. The service team is experienced and very professional. A must-visit for visitors to Stockholm. There is also a beautiful bar and outd...
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Phone: +44 020 7493 4545
Address: 45 Park Lane, London
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![Brasserie Hansken, a restaurant in Oslo, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 22 42 60 88
Address: Christiania Torv 4, Oslo
Few places in Oslo have such staying power as Brasserie Hansken. Established in 1997, it's still extremely popular with locals as well as travellers, and has a longstanding reputation for quality. Located in the picturesque Christiania Torv, it's surrounded by some of the oldest buildings in Oslo. The waterfront is just a quick stroll away and, in the summertime, the outdoor terrace is a bustling, busy sight. The cuisine, as well as the interior, is classic French with a Scandinavian flair, and the staff is both service-minded and experienced, making it a favourite venue for business lunches...
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![Hotel Bristol, a restaurant and hotel in Oslo, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 22 82 60 20
Address: Kristian IV's gate 7, Oslo
Italian Wine List of the Year Norway 2025
Proper hotel restaurants are few and far between, particularly with great wine lists, but they can prove the icing on the cake. Bristol Grill, within Oslo's Hotel Briston, serves up classical brasserie fare in a timeless dining room oozing old money, without seeming clichéd or intimidating – it's a bit like stepping into a time machine. Though the wine list is smaller than it once was, there are still treasures buried in this deep selection that is firmly focused on the classic regions of France and Piedmont, plus California as well. Some great prices to be found for back vintages.
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![Bula Bistro, a restaurant in Trondheim, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 405 55 529
Address: Prinsens gate 32, Trondheim
Where to start? Bula is one of those places you cannot put a label on – and that is exactly how they want it! Choose between a five- or 10-course menu, with a regular or upgraded wine pairing, choose an extra bottle or two from the list, then sit tight and enjoy the ride. They also have a secret room for bookings of parties between six and 12 people, where you get your own private space and a whopping 20 courses. Even though everything is casual at Bula, they offer some seats in their bar area for small bites and a feel-good vibe if you feel like something lighter than the main menu. The win...
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![Chiltern Firehouse, a restaurant in London, UK.]()
Phone: +44 20 7073 7676
Address: 1 Chiltern Street, London
Chiltern Firehouse is temporarily closed.
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![Donatz Wine Bar, a wine bar in Samedan, Switzerland.]()
Phone: 0818524666
Address: Plazzet 15 - 7503 Samedan
Best Italian Wine List Switzerland, presented by Poggio al Tesoro 2026
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![Dovetale, a hotel and restaurant in London, UK.]()
Phone: +44 020 3137 4983
Address: 1 Dover Yard, London
International California Wine List of the Year, presented by Pahlmeyer 2025
Situated in the sustainably driven 1 Hotel Mayfair, Dovetale restaurant – “To join together harmoniously and precisely by means of a Dovetale” according to chef Tom Sellers – merges fine dining with pure, simple cooking. The wine programme reflects this spirit of harmony, with friendly service and a welcoming atmosphere combined with a world-class list, which was the 2025 Gold Star winner of Best California Wine List at the Star Wine List of the Year International Final. This award is not just about the cliché wines of Californian sunshine – it celebrates the many facets of the region’s wines...
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![Dråpen Vinbar, a wine bar in Bergen, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 91195665
Address: Vaskerelvsmauet 1, Bergen
Dråpen Vinbar won silver in the category Best Californian Wine List in Star Wine List of the Year Norway 2021.
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![Fjellskål, a restaurant in Bergen, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 989 05 898
Address: Strandkaien 3, Bergen
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![Interior of Frederikshøj, Aarhus, Denmark.]()
Phone: +45 86 14 22 80
Address: Oddervej 19, Aarhus C
By the Glass List of the Year Denmark 2025
This restaurant is located in the forest of Marselis and is neighbour to the royal castle of Marselisborg, just at the outskirts of Aarhus. The restaurant has two star in the Michelin Guide, with the star-chef Wassim Hallal as the mastermind in the kitchen. The menu is inspired by the nature surrounding the restaurant, and there are two set menus to choose from.
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![City views from Freyja restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden.]()
Phone: +46 08-527 756 10
Address: Hornsgatan 18, Stockholm
Freyja is the latest hot address from the Stureplansgruppen restaurant group, which is behind plenty of popular addresses in the capital. For Freyja, they have engaged top sommelier Ellen Frantzén to build the starting wine list along with top chef names. Add a spectacular location on top of a Södermalm building near Slussen with amazing views, and a several hundred square metre terrace with bars, and you have a place that is sure to attract a buzzing crowd. The wine list and cuisine impressed us right from the start – see you on the terrace!
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![George Prime Steak, a restaurant in Prague, Czech Republic.]()
Phone: +420 226 202 599
Address: 19, Platnéřská 111, Staré Město, Praha 1
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![Gondolen, a restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden.]()
Phone: +46 08-641 70 90
Address: Stadsgården 6, Stockholm
Gondolen is a classical restaurant at Slussen on Södermalm that you have to visit when in Stockholm. First opened in 1935, it has finally reopened after the pandemic and renovations in 2023. The views are spectacular and the menu serves traditional Swedish husmanskost at a luxury level. Gondolen's wine list is mostly classical too and has a serious selection of Champagne, Bordeaux and Burgundy.
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![Granen, a restaurant and hotel in Åre, Sweden.]()
Phone: +46 647 515 60
Address: Tottvägen 127, Åre
Best Italian Wine List Sweden, presented by Frescobaldi 2026
The hotel and restaurant Granen in Åre has welcomed weary skiers with comfortable armchairs and an open fire since 1916. The restaurant serves well-made food with fine local produce.
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![Hallingstuene, a restaurant in Geilo, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 32 09 12 50
Address: Geilovegen 56, Geilo
Best Long List of the Year Norway 2025
Hallingstuene won silver in the category Best Californian Wine List in Star Wine List of the Year Norway 2021.
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![The dining room at Nordic-Asian fusian restaurant Happolati in Oslo, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 479 78 087
Address: Sankt Olavs Plass 2, 0165, Oslo
Austrian Wine List of the Year Norway, presented by Austrian Wine 2025
When entering this restaurant in central Oslo, you immediately think that it has to be something Asian, but the interiors also give promises of something Scandinavian. Both are true: the menus – both the set and à la carte versions – offer a combination of local produce in an all-Asian setting, where ideas and ingredients from many different food cultures are mixed in a bold, but still very successful way. A meal at Happolati never leaves you bored. Even though the name could sound Asian-inspired, like the food, it’s not. It’s taken from the famous novel Sult (meaning “hunger”) written by K...
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![Hos Moi, a restaurant in Kristiansand, Norway.]()
Phone: 38 17 83 00
Address: Nodeviga 2, Kristiansand
Austrian Wine List of the Year Norway, presented by Austrian Wine 2025
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![Jimmy's, a restaurant and wine bar in Oslo, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 93 47 00 11
Address: Leirfallsgata 6, Oslo
Located in the vibey Grünerløkka, the wine list in this casual bistro-style restaurant focuses on California and Burgundy (14 pages deep). Focusing on the now common “sharing concept,” this is a great place for Saturday lunches, and their bone marrow dish is not to be missed! Also an excellent place for drinking wines in the Oslo summer sun. Booking is advised.
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![Kinfelts Kitchen & Wine, a restaurant in Hamburg, Germany.]()
Phone: +49 40 30068369
Address: Am Kaiserkai 56, Hamburg
Best Spanish Wine List Germany, presented by Familia Torres 2026
Located in the Hafen district, around the corner from the Elbphilharmonie, this wine restaurant has a great view over the harbour and a relaxed wine bar vibe. Kinfelts owners Maximilian Wilm (Best Sommelier of Germany 2019) and Kirill Kinfelt (a local Michelin-star chef) wanted to create a fun, relaxed place to enjoy great wine. The food menu is “international casual fine dining” meaning you can get pasta, regional specialities and steaks. The menu changes often, however the local favourites like truffle pasta keep a fixed spot on the otherwise very seasonal menu. The restaurant's design is...
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![Kolonialen Bislett, a restaurant in Oslo, Norway.]()
Address: Sofies gate 16, Oslo
Italian Wine List of the Year Norway 2025
A neighbourhood bistro in the Bislet area. The wine list is French-centric for sure, with Burgundy at its core, but also quite a few bottles from other prominent wine-producing countries; an impressive and deep selection. You'll find lots of German Rieslings as well. Run by Pontus Dahlström (one of the founding partners at Maaemo), it tends to be hard to score a table if not booked in advance but, once you're in, there is a casual and welcoming atmosphere.
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![Kontrast, a restaurant in Oslo, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 21 60 01 01
Address: Maridalsveien 15a, Oslo
Sustainability Prize of the Year Norway 2025
Kontrast is located in the culinary area of Vulkan, which used to be an industrial area by the Akerselva river. This Michelin-starred restaurant offers the best produce of each season with a tasting menu, with beautiful presentations. If you choose one of the wine pairing menus you might be surprised by the modern touch to it, but Kontrast’s wine list is also worth a serious study before you dig in.
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![Tables and city views at La Tour restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden.]()
Phone: +46 08-23 99 50
Address: Rålambsvägen 17, Stockholm
Stockholm's La Tour restaurant is as close to an exclusive penthouse restaurant in London, New York or Paris as you can get in the Swedish capital. Behind the concept stands well-known restaurateur Pontus Frithiof, and he has described La Tour as if everything he has done before has been a long and joyful preparation for it. The restaurant is located on the top floor of a tall newspaper building, with a spectacular view of Riddarfjärden and the inner city, and an experience it deems “power dining.” And yes, every detail here oozes luxurious exclusivity – from the interior design to the ingred...
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![Libertine Frogner Vinbar, a wine bar in Oslo, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 455 01 306
Address: Frognerveien 2, Oslo
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![Napa Grill, a restaurant in Zürich, Switzerland.]()
Phone: +41 044 289 80 80
Address: Brandschenkestrasse 130, Zürich
The name of this restaurant tells you what it is all about here – meat and an ample selection of Californian reds. Probably the biggest selection of Californian wines, with a focus on the prestigious Napa Valley, in Zurich or even Switzerland. The meat quality is outstanding, and the restaurant presents a perfect spot for an evening with friends, sharing some plates and bottles.
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![Norda Oslo, a restaurant in Oslo, Norway.]()
Phone: 23 10 80 80
Address: Biskop Gunnerus gate 3, Oslo
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![Oh Dear, a wine bar in Oslo, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 920 96 763
Address: Holmens gate 4, Oslo
Best Medium-Sized List of the Year Norway, presented by Bona Fide Wines 2025
The wine list at this small and cosy wine bar in the rather touristy area of Aker Brygge is more than 30 pages deep, making it a proper safe haven for all wine lovers. The owner's passion for Californian wines is evident, however, the selection is wide and covers all major areas from the Old World as well as top-tier names from the New (including many outside the USA). A nice and relaxed vibe, they open at 1pm at weekends, making an escape from the shopping centre next door easily achieved. They also serve cheese and cold cuts, and a short but well-curated by-the-glass list.
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![Interior of Park Hotel Vossevangen, Voss, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 56 53 10 00
Address: Uttrågata 3, Voss
Best Long List of the Year Norway 2025
Park Hotel Vossevangen is not a place visited for its convenient access – it is a place worth traveling for. Located in a village in the western part of Norway, at least the road trip from Bergen can be spectacular. At Park Hotel Vossevangen it is possible to attend tastings in the wine cellar or try their restaurant, Elysée, which offers a classic menu.
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![Pétrus by Gordon Ramsay, a restaurant in London, UK.]()
Phone: 020 7592 1609
Address: 1 Kinnerton Street, London
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![Sommelier in the cellar of Restaurang AG restaurant and wine bar in Stockholm, Sweden.]()
Phone: +46 8 410 681 00
Address: Kronobergsgatan 37, Stockholm
Best Italian Wine List Sweden, presented by Frescobaldi 2026
For years, Restaurang AG has been one of the best steak restaurants in Sweden, led by celebrity chef Johan Jureskog and sommelier and partner Klas Ljungkvist. The place is often packed so be sure to make a reservation. The venue used to be an old silver factory – hence the name and the industrial feel. The friendly and professional staff will make you feel home and it is also a good place to bring your kids.
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Phone: +49 0511 622636
Address: Dragonerstraße 30, Hannover
Best Spanish Wine List Germany, presented by Familia Torres 2026
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Phone: 031-881803
Address: Långenäsvägen 150, Mölnlycke
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![Restaurant Tiende / Den Fede Drue, a wine bar in Aarhus, Denmark.]()
Phone: +45 86 10 30 00
Address: Dagmar Petersens Gade 62, 10, Aarhus
Sparkling Wine List of the Year Denmark 2025
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Phone: +41797881111
Address: Landsgemeindeplatz 3
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![Smith & Wollensky London, a restaurant in London, UK.]()
Phone: 020 7321 6007
Address: The Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam Street, London
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![Exterior of Spesso restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden.]()
Phone: +46 8 480 043 98
Address: Malmskillnadsgatan 38B, Stockholm
Italian restaurant Spesso in Stockholm serves modern Italian cuisine, also with a lot of greens and dishes following the seasons. Well-executed, playful and tasty. The venue is on the top floor and offers a great view of Stockholm. The wine list focuses mainly on Italian wine, though you can also find gems from other places. Great depth in regions like Tuscany, Piedmont and Sicily, with well-known and lesser-known producers and some vintage depth. Also, don't miss the cocktail selection, with a lot of new takes on classic cocktails.
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![Stufvenäs Gästgifveri, a restaurant and hotel in Söderåkra, Sweden.]()
Phone: +46 486-219 00
Address: Stuvenäsvägen 1, Söderåkra
Located in the middle of the Småland forests and lakes, the scenery for Stufvenäs Gästgifveri is a beautiful treat. The atmosphere is relaxed, and people come for contemplation and an escape from their everyday lives. The hotel offers a wide range of different menus and a fairly big selection of wines to choose from, and also a spa and golfing possibilities. The service is formal and old-school but also friendly and warm. In Sweden, the wine list at Stufvenäs Gästgifveri is well-known, not just because of its extensive collection of wines but also due to a robbery in 2007. Back then, the win...
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![Interior at Syttende, restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark.]()
Phone: +45 74 20 30 00
Address: Nørre Havnegade 25, Sønderborg
Best Long List of the Year Denmark, presented by Bodega Numanthia 2025
Syttende opened 2019 at the Alsik hotel in the most southern part of Denmark. Located on the seventeenth floor, the restaurant overlooks pretty much the entire region, and is driven by well-known chef Peter Rødsgaard.
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![Verovin, a restaurant in Gävle, Sweden.]()
Phone: +46 26 12 20 60
Address: Norra Kungsgatan 11, Gävle
Verovin is the wine bar run by rare wine expert Robert Olsson in Gävle. That is why you can sometimes find 1945 Bordeaux on the list, as well as more common modern wines by the glass. The beautiful old space also houses a nice little restaurant with wine-friendly dishes.
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![Vin Bjørvika, a restaurant in Oslo, Norway.]()
Address: Operagata 11, Oslo
A small and cosy wine bar located in the recently developed Bjørvika area. Opens early-ish on Saturdays, hence a good spot for a glass from their extensive and deep wine list of more than 1,000 references. A solid by-the-glass program as well; very educative, and great for the not-so-geeky people looking to broaden their horizons and learn a thing or two. The big list is rather traditionally focused, and very strong on Bordeaux in particular (a rare find these days).
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![Vino Bar Ålesund, a wine bar in Ålesund, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 958 99 999
Address: Apotekergata 10, Ålesund
Italian Wine List of the Year Norway 2025
Just across the street from Apotekergata No. 5, in the heart of Ålesund, you’ll find a gem of a wine bar. Vino Bar is run by local sommelier Øyvind Tveit, and chef and sommelier Jeanette Bohinen. It’s an intimate and cosy atmosphere with a lot of wine paraphernalia, and Øyvind’s broad collection of legendary (empty) bottles lining the top shelf by the ceiling. Indeed, there are a lot of amazing wine memories in that line up. At the back, there is a large room showing off a small part of the bar’s wines, and this is where Øyvind and Jeanette regularly conduct wine tastings. And then the win...
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![Vinoteket, a restaurant in Oslo, Norway.]()
Phone: +47 974 32 020
Address: Henrik Ibsens gate 60a, Oslo
Italian Wine List of the Year Norway 2025
When Vinoteket opened in 2018, it gained instant fame for three things: the ridiculously low-priced wine list, the innovative pizzas and the fact that former European Sommelier Championship winner Robert Lie was general manager. Today the wine prices are a bit more normal (albeit still cheap), the pizzas are as good as ever, and the wine list continues to evolve and grow. While the combination of great pizza and a kick-ass wine list has been seen before, it's unusual to find such a relaxed and friendly venue in an area of Oslo known just as much for its poor taste as it's wealth and lavish sp...
