Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is proud to announce that Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, Cipresso, and The Rez Grill have been recognized in Wine 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’re honored to be featured once again in Wine Spectator’s Restaurant Awards,” said James Manuel, Director of Fine Dining for Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. “These distinctions reaffirm our continued commitment to excellence and the high standards we consistently uphold. Each wine list is thoughtfully curated by our team to deliver an exceptional experience, whether for seasoned connoisseurs or those discovering wine for the first time.”

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.

Council Oak Steaks & Seafood and Cipresso both won 2025 Best of Award of Excellence.

As the resort’s sophisticated American steakhouse, Council Oak offers over 600 wines from more than a dozen countries with an extensive by-the-glass, half-bottle and large format selection.

Cipresso, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa’s Italian American restaurant has a collection of 400 wines from various regions in seven countries.

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.

The Rez Grill won the Award of Excellence for its 120 wines from various regions in eight countries at this American grill with a southern soul.

The Award of Excellence recognizes restaurants whose wine lists feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style.

These Wine Spectator awards follow a series of recent gaming accolades from Casinos.com, where Seminole Hard Rock Tampa was named “The Luckiest Casinos in the United States,” “Best Casino for Hitting Jackpots,” “Best Casino in Florida,” and “Best Celebrity-Spotting Casino.” Together, these awards underscore the resort’s continued leadership in delivering unmatched experiences across gaming, dining, and hospitality.

Restaurant hours at Council Oak Steaks and Seafood include Signature Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday Dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday dinner from 5 p.m. to midnight. Additional Lounge hours include Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. For reservations to Council Oak Steaks and Seafood visit the website or call 813-627-7600.

Restaurant hours at Cipresso include Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Additional Bar hours include Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight. For reservations to Cipresso visit the website or call 813-627-8130.

Restaurant hours at The Rez Grill include Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday Brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday Dinner A from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Additional Bar hours include Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For reservations to The Rez Grill visit the website or call 813-627-8120. Closed Monday through Wednesday.

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.

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About Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is the world’s leading authority on wine. Anchored by Wine Spectator magazine, a print publication that reaches around 3 million readers worldwide, the brand also encompasses the Web’s most comprehensive wine site (WineSpectator.com), mobile platforms and a series of signature events. Wine Spectator examines the world of wine from the vineyard to the table, exploring wine’s role in contemporary culture and delivering expert reviews. Parent company M. Shanken Communications, Inc., also publishes Cigar Aficionado, Whisky Advocate, Market Watch, Shanken News Daily and Shanken’s Impact Newsletter.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is central Florida’s premier gaming, entertainment, and hospitality destination. Owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the fully integrated AAA Four-Diamond-rated resort features an expansive casino with nearly 5,230 of the hottest slot machines and over 165 table games, including live blackjack, baccarat, craps, roulette, and more. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy the thrill of wagering at dozens of retail sports betting locations, with both electronic kiosks and staffed betting windows. A 46-table Poker Room, smoke-free Mezzanine Level Casino, as well as exclusive High-Limit and VIP areas complete the state-of-the-art gaming options. The luxury resort provides an elevated getaway experience with over 800 smoke-free guest rooms across two hotel towers, a sprawling 60,000-square-foot pool deck boasting three pools and 19 private cabanas, and more premium amenities such as the rejuvenating Rock Spa® & Salon. Guests can indulge in a diverse culinary scene spanning 15 food and beverage offerings, including the award-winning Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, The Rez Grill, Cipresso, and guest favorites Fresh Harvest Buffet and Hard Rock Cafe. Home to world-class entertainment, the resort showcases near-nightly live performances and a 1,500-seat Hard Rock Event Center hosting top-tier entertainers and musicians in an intimate, up-close atmosphere. The brand’s iconic music heritage is celebrated throughout the resort with unique memorabilia and artwork paying homage to some of the world's most renowned contemporary musical artists. As one of Tampa Bay’s largest employers with nearly 4,300 team members, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is conveniently located near the intersection of I-4 and I-75, at North Orient Road and Hillsborough Avenue, just 10 minutes east of downtown Tampa. For more information, please call 866-502-PLAY, visit us online  and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.

About Hard Rock^®
Hard Rock International(HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in nearly 75 countries spanning more than 300 locations including owned/licensed or managed Hotels, Casinos, Rock Shops®, Live Performance Venues and Cafes. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia with more than 88,000 pieces displayed at locations around the globe. The Unity by Hard Rock™ global loyalty program rewards members for doing the things they love across participating properties. In addition, Hard Rock Digital spotlights the sports betting and iGaming experience with products remixed in the spirit of Hard Rock for players worldwide.

HRI has received numerous industry and destination awards across the travel, hospitality, gaming, entertainment and food & beverage sectors. HRI currently holds investment grades from primary investment-grade rating agencies: S&P Global Ratings (BBB-) and Fitch Ratings (BBB). For more information on Hard Rock International, www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.