Diners’ Choice Awards Highlight American Fare, French Cuisine and Fondue as the Foods that Set a Romantic Mood
In anticipation of Valentine’s Day, OpenTable, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPEN), a leading provider of free, real-time online restaurant reservations for diners and reservation and guest management solutions for restaurants, is pleased to announce the 2012 Diners’ Choice Award winners for the 100 most romantic restaurants in the United States. These awards reflect the combined opinions of nearly 5 million reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 12,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
With 30 winning restaurants serving American cuisine, it is clear that chefs are seducing OpenTable diners with local ingredients and homegrown inspiration. Naturally, reviewers also acknowledged the birthplace of fine dining by honoring 25 restaurants that serve food borne out of the kitchens of France. And Italian restaurants, which are closely associated with serving the world’s most sensual foods, account for an impressive 11 award winners. Transcending cuisine, restaurants that feature shared dishes proved popular, with 16 fondue restaurants making the list. Seven steakhouses also earned kudos.
Regionally, honorees cover 31 states and Washington, D.C., with California claiming 16 spots on the list and Texas taking eight places. New York restaurants earn seven wins, while Hawaii boasts six standouts, and Nevada and Ohio take five wins apiece. Arizona, Colorado, and Florida each count four restaurants. Also represented are Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Washington, among others.
“Romance means different things to different diners, and the array of restaurants on this list shows just that,” says Caroline Potter, OpenTable Chief Dining Officer. She adds, “Some couples are drawn to candlelight and roses, while others want to share the experience of eating by digging into dishes together, such as a pot of fondue or a juicy porterhouse for two. What all the winning restaurants have in common is that they continually create unique dining experiences that make every couple feel like love is in the air.”
The Diners’ Choice Awards for the top 100 most romantic restaurants is generated from nearly 5 million reviews collected from verified OpenTable diners between January 2011 and December 2011. All restaurants with a minimum number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Each such restaurant was then scored based on its percentage of qualifying reviews for which “romantic” was selected as a special feature.
Based on this methodology, the following restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, comprise the 100 most romantic restaurants in the U.S. according to OpenTable diners. The complete list may also be viewed at http://www.opentable.com/romantic.
2012 Diners’ Choice Award Winners for Most Romantic Restaurants in the U.S.
A Caprice – Tiburon, California
Acquerello – San Francisco, California
Addison at The Grand Del Mar – San Diego, California
Alize at the Top of the Palms Casino Resort – Las Vegas, Nevada
Andre’s at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino – Las Vegas, Nevada
Bacaro – New York, New York
Bertrand at Mister A’s – San Diego, California
Bouchard Restaurant and Inn – Newport, Rhode Island
Boulevard Steakhouse – Edmond, Oklahoma
Briarhurst Manor – Manitou Springs, Colorado
Brown’s Beach House – Kohala Coast, Hawaii
Cacharel Restaurant – Arlington, Texas
Cafe Central – El Paso, Texas
Cafe Renaissance – Vienna, Virginia
Canlis – Seattle, Washington
Capische – Wailea, Hawaii
Castle Falls – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
The Cellar – Fullerton, California
Chez Francois – Vermilion, Ohio
Chez Nous French Restaurant – Humble, Texas
Chez Shea – Seattle, Washington
Club A Steakhouse – New York, New York
Coach House – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Coach Insignia – Detroit, Michigan
Craftwood Inn – Manitou Springs, Colorado
Different Pointe of View – Phoenix, Arizona
The Dining Room-Biltmore Estate – Asheville, North Carolina
Eagle’s Nest – Indianapolis, Indiana
Eiffel Tower – Las Vegas, Nevada
The Elkridge Furnace Inn – Elkridge, Maryland
Erminia Ristorante – New York, New York
Fearrington House Restaurant – Pittsboro, North Carolina
Fleur de Lys – San Francisco, California
French 75 Bistro – Laguna Beach, California
French Cafe – Omaha, Nebraska
The French Room – Dallas, Texas
Geja’s Cafe – Chicago, Illinois
Genoa Restaurant – Portland, Oregon
Gibraltar – Miami, Florida
Glasbern Country Inn – Fogelsville, Pennsylvania
The Grill Room at the Windsor Court Hotel – New Orleans, Louisiana
The Hungry I – Boston, Massachusetts
Il Bistro – Seattle, Washington
Il Cielo Gardens Restaurant & Bar – Beverly Hills, California
Il Mulino – Chicago, Illinois
La Caille – Sandy, Utah
La Cremaillere – Bedford, New York
La Mer at Halekulani – Honolulu, Hawaii
Latitudes – Key West, Florida
L’Auberge Restaurant on Oak Creek – Sedona, Arizona
The Library Restaurant – Charleston, South Carolina
The Little Door – Los Angeles, California
Log Haven – Salt Lake City, Utah
Madrona Manor – Healdsburg, California
The Melting Pot – Larkspur, California
The Melting Pot – Atlanta, Georgia
The Melting Pot – Greenwood, Indiana
The Melting Pot – Indianapolis, Indiana
The Melting Pot – University City, Missouri
The Melting Pot – Columbus, Ohio
The Melting Pot – Dayton, Ohio
The Melting Pot – Fairview Park, Ohio
The Melting Pot – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
The Melting Pot – Knoxville, Tennessee
The Melting Pot – Memphis, Tennessee
The Melting Pot – Arlington, Texas
The Melting Pot – Richmond, Virginia
The Melting Pot – Virginia Beach, Virginia
Michael’s-South Point Casino – Las Vegas, Nevada
Michel’s at the Colony Surf – Honolulu, Hawaii
Mona Lisa Fondue Restaurant – Manitou Springs, Colorado
Nana – Dallas, Texas
Nikolai’s Roof – Atlanta, Georgia
The Old Warsaw – Dallas, Texas
One if by Land, Two if by Sea – New York, New York
Pamplemousse Le Restaurant – Las Vegas, Nevada
Pepper Tree Restaurant – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Plume at the Jefferson Hotel – Washington, D.C.
Quiessence Restaurant & Wine Bar – Phoenix, Arizona
Red Fish Grill – Miami, Florida
The Refectory Restaurant & Bistro – Columbus, Ohio
Restaurant Iris – Memphis, Tennessee
Ristorante Massimo – Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Riverview Restaurant – Troutdale, Oregon
Roof Restaurant – Salt Lake City, Utah
Sarento’s Top of the ‘I’ – Honolulu, Hawaii
SASSI – Scottsdale, Arizona
Seagar’s Restaurant – Destin, Florida
Second Empire Restaurant and Tavern – Raleigh, North Carolina
Shadowbrook Restaurant – Capitola, California
Sir Winston’s Aboard the Queen Mary – Long Beach, California
The Sky Room – Long Beach, California
Spindletop – Houston, Texas
Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch – Santa Barbara, California
Tidepools – Poipu, Hawaii
Tredici Steak – New York, New York
Vernon’s Hidden Valley Steakhouse – Los Ranchos De Albuquerque, New Mexico
White Barn Inn – Kennebunk, Maine
Yamashiro – Hollywood, California
Zenkichi – Brooklyn, New York
Diners can also read more about the Diners’ Choice Awards for the Most Romantic Restaurants in the U.S. by visiting OpenTable Chief Dining Officer Caroline Potter‘s “Dining Check” blog.
