Press Releases
Sardine Factory is One of Sixteen Restaurants in North America to be Awarded the Inaugural Distinguished Restaurants of North America ‘Gold' Award of Excellence
DiRoNA Gold Award
The world-famous Sardine Factory located in Monterey, Calif. announced today that it has won the 2024 Distinguished Restaurants of North America's (DiRoNA) 'Gold' Award of Excellence, identifying the Sardine Factory among the absolute best restaurants in North America. This year marks the inception of the DiRoNA 'Gold' Award, an elite designation achieved by only sixteen restaurants across North America in its inaugural year.
The DiRoNA Award of Excellence symbolizes a restaurateur's tireless efforts and commitment to providing an exceptional dining experience. A restaurant bestowed with the 'Gold' accolade surpasses the standards set by a DiRoNA Awarded restaurant, recognized for its outstanding menu, curated wine and cocktail selections, impeccable service, and fine dining ambiance.
The Sardine Factory has been a recipient of the DiRoNA Award of Excellence every year since 1993. The restaurant was one of the original restaurants to receive the award and now is one of the first to receive the inaugural 'Gold' Award of Excellence.
"Winning this award and continuing to achieve the highest level of recognition possible is a great compliment to our servers and culinary team. We always strive for excellence in our menu and in our service," said Ted Balestreri, Sardine Factory owner and CEO.
The DiRoNA award is presented to North American fine dining establishments that pass a rigorous and anonymous inspection process, executed by a specially trained, independent panel of qualified professionals and distinguished dining connoisseurs. The evaluation includes a seventy-five-point evaluation criteria developed by Cornell University and scrutinizes every aspect of the dining experience. This is the only independent and anonymous restaurant inspection program in North America.
In addition to the Sardine Factory, restaurants that received the 2024 DiRoNA 'Gold' Award of Excellence include the Anaheim White House Restaurant - Anaheim, CA, Bedford Village Inn - Bedford, NH, Bohanan's Prime Steaks & Seafood - San Antonio, TX, Brennan's - New Orleans, LA, Cafe Central - El Paso, TX, Café Margaux - Cocoa, FL, Chandlers Steakhouse - Boise, ID, Dining Room at Langdon Hall - Cambridge, ON, Don Alfonso 1890 - Toronto, ON, Five Sails - Vancouver, BC, La Grotta Ristorante Italiano - Atlanta, GA, Restaurante San Angel Inn - Mexico City, Mexico, RingSide Steakhouse - Portland, OR, The Compound Restaurant - Santa Fe, NM, and The St. Paul Grill - Saint Paul, MN.
"The attainment of this recognition is a testament to years of dedication and unwavering commitment to culinary excellence. We are excited to honor these sixteen elite restaurants" stated Scott Breard, CEO of DiRoNA.
Founded in 1990, DiRoNA was established to identify and honor exceptional restaurants across the United States, Canada, and Mexico that provide an extraordinary dining experience. For more information about DiRoNA awarded restaurants, please visit www.dirona.com.
About The Sardine Factory
Established in 1968, The Sardine Factory is known for its impeccable service, wonderful décor, extraordinary wine collection, fresh locally grown produce, delicious sustainable seafood, and USDA prime beef. Over the years The Sardine Factory has hosted celebrities, movie stars, sports legends, and public figures from all over the world. The restaurant was also one of the locations for the first film directed by Clint Eastwood, Play Misty for Me. The Sardine Factory has received virtually every culinary, wine list and service award possible in the industry, including the Wine Spectator’s Grand Award, Restaurant Hospitality's Best Wine List in America, voted the Best Restaurant in Monterey by readers of the Monterey County Weekly, Monterey County Herald, and Carmel Pine Cone newspapers, named Top Ten Most Romantic Restaurants on the Central Coast by Open Table, in addition to many other honors and awards. For more information, please visit sardinefactory.com.