The awards for the 2025 D. C. Michelin Guide were announced during a ceremony in Philadelphia on Tuesday night. Michelin demoted what was previously the region’s only three-starred restaurant; The Inn at Little Washington is now a two-star establishment. Besides that demotion, all other restaurants on D. C.’s list maintained their star status designation from last year. D. C. restaurateur and activist José Andrés received the Northeast Cities Mentor Chef Award. Michelin praised Andrés’ focus on sharing his talents with others as well as his ownership over a wide variety of award-winning restaurants, including minibar with two Michelin stars. Two restaurants were added to Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list. PhoXotic and Your Only Friend were given that status, which celebrates restaurants that offer quality food at a reasonable price. PhoXotic serves Vietnamese food, including butcher’s rolls and pho bowls. Your Only Friend is a self-described “sandwich bar” with offerings such as the “Hot Nug” sandwich, loaded with chicken nuggets and Nashville hot sauce. Both eateries were recently highlighted on a list of eight D. C. restaurants recommended by Michelin. None of those recommended restaurants earned Michelin stars Tuesday night. According to Michelin’s website, one-star status goes to restaurants with “top-quality ingredients and prepare dishes with distinct flavors.” Two stars represent restaurants with “expertly crafted dishes, with food that is both refined and inspired.” Restaurants where “the cooking elevates the craft to an art form” are awarded the highest honor of three stars. Green stars are for restaurants that maintain an “exceptional commitment to sustainability.” Last year, two restaurants earned their stars for the first time: Vegetarian Latin American restaurant Mita and Japanese sushi restaurant Omakase at Barracks Row. The full 2025 D. C. Michelin Guide is posted online. Here’s a look at which restaurants made the cut for star or Bib Gourmand. C. Asian Cane Caribbean Daru Indian Dauphine’s Creole Ellē Contemporary Hitching Post Southern Ivy City Smokehouse Seafood Karizma Modern Indian Indian L’Ardente Italian La Tejana Mexican Laos in Town South East Asian Lapis Afghan Maketto Asian Menya Hosaki Japanese Oyamel Mexican PhoXotic Vietnamese Queen’s English Chinese Residents Cafe & Bar Contemporary Sababa Mediterranean Stellina Pizzeria Pizza Taqueria Habanero Japanese The Red Hen Italian Toki Underground Japanese Unconventional Diner American Yellow Middle Eastern Your Only Friend Gastropub Zaytinya Mediterranean Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here. © 2025 WTOP. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
https://wtop.com/business-finance/2025/11/michelin-guide-doesnt-include-any-new-stars-for-dc-restaurants/