Just One Washington Restaurant Gets AAA 5-Diamond Rating

WOODINVILLE, WA - AAA has released its exclusive five-diamond list of restaurants and just one restaurant in Washington 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 0.2 percent of the nearly 32,000 AAA-inspected and approved restaurants were included on the list, AAA said in a release.

In Washington, Woodinville's The Herbfarm got the five-diamond award. The restaurant got the award in 2018, too.

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.”

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 Washington:

• AIRWAY HEIGHTS Masselow’s Steakhouse
• KIRKLAND Cafe Juanita
• LUMMI ISLANDThe Willows Inn on Lummi Island
• SEATTLE Altura
• SEATTLE Canlis
• SEATTLE The Georgian
• SNOQUALMIE The Dining Room - Salish Lodge & Spa
• TOUCHET The Vine at Cameo Heights Mansion
• WINTHROP Sun Mountain Lodge Dining Room

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

Photo credit: AAA