AAA Gives Ravenswood Restaurant 4-Diamond Rating

CHICAGO — AAA has released its exclusive four and five-diamond lists of restaurants and 18 restaurants in Illinois made the cut. The restaurant goosefoot in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood was named among the 15 four-star restaurants on the list. The fine dining restaurant, at 2656 W Lawrence Ave, is known for its creative American fare, popular desserts and modern, intimate decor.

AAA noted that more restaurants have embraced a casual environment, as patrons are continually looking for a more relaxed experience. Goosefoot's BYOB option is a perfect example of this shift.

More than 650 restaurants in the country earned a four-diamond rating, equating to roughly 2 percent of restaurants inspected and approved by AAA. These restaurants offer a distinctive fine-dining experience and utilize creative food-prep techniques.

AAA said that 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.”

The five-star 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 Illinois:

• Acadia - South Loop, Chicago
• Alinea - Lincoln Park, Chicago
• Oriole - Fulton River District, Chicago

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

Here are the other four diamond rated restaurants in Illinois:

• Arun's - Albany Park, Chicago
• Blackbird - West Loop, Chicago
• Boka - Lincoln Park, Chicago
• Brindille - River North, Chicago
• Cafe Des Architectes - Gold Coast, Chicago
• Everest - The Loop, Chicago
• Les Nomades - Streeterville, Chicago
• Next Restaurant - Fulton Market District, Chicago
• Pelago Ristorante - Gold Coast, Chicago
• Sepia - West Loop, Chicago
• Shanghai Terrace - Magnificent Mile, Chicago
• Spiaggia - Gold Coast, Chicago
• Topolobampo - River North, Chicago
• Travelle - River North, Chicago

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

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