AAA Announces Five Diamond Restaurants For 2012

Some awards programs give restaurants stars. Some put them on top 50 lists. And then there are the rebels over at AAA who hand out five sparkly diamonds to their favorite North American restaurants. Their 2012 list of five diamond restaurants was released today, and seven new restaurants were added to the list. These include New York's Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Del Posto, and Marea; Boston's Menton; and The Kitchen Restaurant in Sacramento. Below, all of the AAA five diamond restaurants for 2012 — new additions are marked with a *. Many hotel and resort restaurants ahead.

UNITED STATES

Arizona
Kai (in the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa), Chandler

California
The Belvedere (in The Peninsula Beverly Hills), Beverly Hills
Cyrus (in Les Mars Hotel), Healdsburg
Erna's Elderberry House Restaurant (in the Cha?teau du Sureau), Oakhurst
The Kitchen Restaurant, Sacramento*
Addison (in The Grand Del Mar), San Diego
Gary Danko, San Francisco
The French Laundry, Yountville

Colorado
The Penrose Room (in The Broadmoor), Colorado Springs

Connecticut
Winvian (in the Winvian), Morris

District of Columbia
CityZen (in the Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C.)

Florida
Victoria & Albert's (in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa), Lake Buena Vista
The Restaurant at The Four Seasons (1995) (in the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach), Palm Beach

Hawaii
Chef Mavro, Honolulu
La Mer (in the Halekulani), Honolulu

Illinois
Alinea, Chicago
Arun's, Chicago
Charlie Trotter's, Chicago
Everest, Chicago
Tru, Chicago

Kentucky
The Oakroom (in The Seelbach Hilton Louisville), Louisville

Maine
The White Barn Inn Restaurant (in The White Barn Inn & Spa), Kennebunk Beach

Massachusetts
L'Espalier (in the Mandarin Oriental, Boston), Boston
Menton, Boston*
Wheatleigh's Dining Room (in the Wheatleigh), Lennox

Nevada
Joe?l Robuchon (in the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino), Las Vegas
Le Cirque (in the Bellagio), Las Vegas
Picasso (in the Bellagio), Las Vegas
Restaurant Guy Savoy (in Caesars Palace), Las Vegas

New York
Aureole, New York
Daniel, New York
Del Posto, New York*
Jean Georges Restaurant (in the Trump International Hotel & Tower), New York
Marea, New York*
Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Tarrytown*

North Carolina
Herons Restaurant (in The Umstead Hotel & Spa), Cary*
The Fearrington House Restaurant (in The Fearrington House Inn), Fearrington Village

Pennsylvania
Lautrec (in the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort), Farmington
Fountain Restaurant (in the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia), Philadelphia

South Carolina
The Dining Room at Woodlands, Summerville

Texas
The French Room (in The Adolphus), Texas

Virginia
The Inn at Little Washington Dining Room (in The Inn at Little Washington), Washington

Washington
The Herbfarm Restaurant, Woodinville

CANADA

Alberta
Eden (in The Rimrock Resort Hotel), Banff

Ontario
Langdon Hall Dining Room & Terrace (in the Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa), Cambridge

Que?bec
Le Baccara (in the Hilton Lac-Leamy), Gatineau
Restaurant Toque?!, Montréal
Restaurant Initiale, Que?bec*

CARIBBEAN

Cayman Islands
Blue (in The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman), Grand Cayman

MEXICO

Nayarit
Carolina at The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort (in The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort), Punta Mita

Quintana Roo
Fantino (in The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun), Cancun
Le Basilic (in the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Cancun Resort & Spa), Cancun
The Club Grill (in The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun), Cancun

· AAA Adds and Seven Restaurants to Five Diamond List for 2012 [AAA]
· All Awards Season Coverage on Eater [-E-]