News: Colorado's Best Restaurants for 2019

Just 19 restaurants in Colorado meet AAA's most rigorous expectations.

02/14/19
Community

DENVER (Feb. 14, 2019) – Coloradans looking to experience the latest and greatest in fine-dining needn't look far: Today, AAA announced that 19 Colorado restaurants have earned AAA's Four or Five Diamond Rating – two of the industry's most coveted, well-known, and respected distinctions.

Only 67 restaurants in North America earned the Five Diamond distinction – representing just 0.2 percent of the nearly 32,000 AAA inspected restaurants across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Just 2.1 percent of AAA inspected restaurants made the Four Diamond list for 2019.


Five Diamond Winners
Among the high-end establishments that have attained the Five Diamond Rating, AAA's inspectors observed that many are adopting a much more casual environment in response to evolving guest preferences for more relaxed experiences. These restaurants are adopting simple, streamlined décor and, thanks in part to the popularity of cooking shows and competitions, some continue to highlight lively open kitchen designs that allow guests to watch and even interact with culinary staff.

Colorado is home to just one Five Diamond Restaurant: The Penrose Room at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Here's what our inspector liked most about it: 

  • The panoramic rooftop view is one splendid element of this restaurant's elegant ambience. The seasonally changing menu features local vegetables and meats, such as Colorado lamb, as well as more exotic items like osetra caviar and foie gras. Knowledgeable staff assist with recommendations and present courses with a flourish. Select either a three or four course prix-fixe meal with multiple offerings for each course. A seven-course chef's tasting menu with or without wine pairing is available. Audible gasps are heard when artfully presented desserts arrive at the table.

Four Diamond Winners
Statewide, 18 restaurants earned AAA's Four Diamond Rating– which denotes distinctive, creatively prepared cuisine, skillfully served in a notable environment.


Aspen

 

Beaver Creek

 

Boulder

 

Colorado Springs

 

Denver

 

Keystone

 

Manitou Springs


Vail


"Earning a Four or Five Diamond Rating is impressive not just because you know what diners want, but also because it means you're able to identify what diners will want, long before other restaurants do," said AAA Colorado spokesman Skyler McKinley. "To be considered leading edge, chefs must incorporate a laser-focused approach using innovative concepts and menus featuring the finest ingredients. Diners want to be wowed on multiple levels, and this year's winners manage to excite guests through exceptional service – even as they shed many of the formalities that were once synonymous with fine dining."

Find the complete list of Colorado winners at AAA.com/DiamondDining. For a full list of winners across North America, visit AAA.com/DiamondAwards

About AAA Inspections
For more than 80 years, AAA has used professional inspectors to conduct in-person property evaluations. AAA offers the only rating system using comprehensive, on-site professional hotel and restaurant evaluations guided by member priorities. With a far greater inventory than any other rating entity, AAA's rating system covers the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

The AAA inspectors who assign these ratings have a wide range of hospitality experience – their resumes include stints as hotel managers and food and beverage experts – that gives them an authoritative perspective. Inspectors provide an unmatched first-person, on-site view of emerging trends, which includes the continuing evolution of technology to elevate the guest experience.


About AAA Colorado

More than 685,000 members strong, AAA Colorado is the state's most-trusted advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 58 million members with travel, insurance, financial, and automotive-related services - as well as member-exclusive savings. For more information, visit AAA.com.