AAA Gives These North Carolina Restaurants A 5-Diamond Rating

AAA has released its exclusive five-diamond list of restaurants and two restaurants in North Carolina made the cut. The list, released Thursday, includes just 67 restaurants in North America and only three new restaurants were added this year. In other words, just .2 percent of the nearly 32,000 AAA-inspected and approved restaurants were included on the list, AAA said in a release.

Here are the restaurants that received a five-diamond rating in North Carolina:

• Herons, Cary, NC
• The Fearrington House Restaurant, Fearrington Village, NC

The organization noted that more restaurants have embraced a casual environment, as patrons are continually looking for a more relaxed experience. This means high-end restaurants have shifted toward simple and streamlined décor, and others now have lively open kitchen designs so diners can watch chefs work their magic.

“To be considered leading edge, chefs must incorporate a laser-focused approach using innovative concepts and menus featuring the finest ingredients,” Michael Petrone, director of inspections and diamond ratings, said. “Diners want to be wowed on multiple levels, so exceptional service is also important, but they’re not necessarily looking for all the formalities that were once synonymous with fine dining.”

Newcomers on the list include Altera in New York City, COAST in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, and Oriole in Chicago.

Meanwhile, More than 650 restaurants earned a four-diamond rating, equating to roughly 2 percent of restaurants inspected and approved by AAA. And these restaurants are by no means slouches — they, too, offer a distinctive fine-dining experience and utilize creative food-prep techniques.

Here are the four diamond rated restaurants in North Carolina:

• Vue 1913 An American Brasserie, Asheville, NC
• Gamekeeper Restaurant & Bar, Boone, NC
• Crossroads Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
• Il Palio Ristorante, Chapel Hill, NC
• McNinch House, Charlotte, NC
• Kimball’s Kitchen, Duck, NC
• The Fairview Dining Room, Durham, NC
• Saint Jacques at the Burke Manor, Gibsonville, NC
• Chef and The Farmer, Kinston, NC
• 1895 Grille, Pinehurst, NC
• Second Empire Restaurant & Tavern, Raleigh, NC
• Manna, Wilmington, NC

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

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Photo credit: AAA