Sep 29, 2025 - Food and Drink

3 D.C. restaurants score spots on first "50 Best" list for North America

Anna Spiegel

Cà Ri (best seller) green curry sponge cake, avocado sorbet, soursop mousse fish sauce caramel finger lime from Moon Rabbit in Washington, DC on January 23, 2025 (Photo by Rey Lopez for The Washington Post via Getty Images) — Cà Ri, green curry sponge cake with avocado sorbet at Moon Rabbit, which took home the top D.C. spot and "Best Pastry Chef" awards. Photo: Rey Lopez for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Three D.C. hotspots made the first "50 Best" restaurants list for North America — a new ranking for the global award brand.

Driving the news: Chef Kevin Tien's modern Vietnamese spot, Moon Rabbit, took the top local ranking (#17). Followed by:

Albi (#34): Chef Michael Rafidi's Levantine destination in Navy Yard.
Dogon (#37): Chef Kwame Onwuachi's svelte Afro-Caribbean restaurant by the Wharf.

The intrigue: Moon Rabbit pastry chef Susan Bae — also recognized by the Beards and Michelin — won North America's Best Pastry Chef for sweet-savory desserts riffing on nostalgic Vietnamese flavors.

Context: The 50 Best brand, around for over 20 years, bestows ranked awards for restaurants, bars and hotels.

Its first 2002 global restaurant ranking has spun off to best lists in Asia, Latin America and now, North America (which includes the Caribbean and Canada).

Meanwhile, North America's best bars launched three years ago.

The 2025 awards include D.C.'s Service Bar (#23), Allegory (#45), and Silver Lyan (#48).

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3 D.C. restaurants score spots on first "50 Best" list for North America

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