2 DC Restaurants Make Country's Best Dishes, New Report Says

WASHINGTON, DC — Diners can find America’s best restaurant offerings on the menu at two Washington, D.C., eateries, according to a new list from The New York Times.

A spot in Baltimore also serves a dish that made the list.

The Times said its staffers visited 33 states and ate more than 200 meals in search of the best restaurants in the country, and from that chose "The 23 Best Restaurant Dishes We Ate Across the U.S. in 2025."

Washington, D.C. Restaurants Honored

Ben’s Bowl at Dōgon

Food writer Ligaya Mishan notes that the venue honors Ben Ali, the founder of Ben’s Chili Bowl, which opened on U Street in 1958 serving half-smokes draped in chili.
Chef Kwame Onwuachi … (pays homage to Onwuachi with a) "lamb shoulder braised past resistance in a crush of curry spices and chicken stock, then picked warm and whipped until the fats turn to velvet. Flattened and crisped, it’s an astonishment of density and richness," the Times said.

• Address: 1330 Maryland Avenue Southwest, Washington, D.C.
• Phone: 844-860-2741
• Website: salamanderdc.com

Falafel Jibneh at La’ Shukran

"The sumptuous texture comes from jibneh, the mild Middle Eastern cheese that also mutes the falafels’ flavor just enough to make them ideal vehicles for dollops of dill yogurt and trout caviar," said writer Brett Anderson. "The dish is so good you’ll wonder why someone hadn’t come up with the idea sooner."

• Address: 417 Morse Street Northeast, Washington, D.C.
• No phone listed
• Website: lashukran.com

Baltimore Restaurant Noted

The Duchess in Baltimore — run by chef and restaurateur Kiko Fejarang — was included in the prestigious list for its shrimp and corn patties dish.

"The Duchess is one of the more unusual restaurants I’ve visited. It’s very much like a neighborhood pub (wood-paneled walls, beers on tap, ball games on the tube) but the food reflects the Pacific Rim heritage of Fejarang," wrote food critic Eric Asimov. "Her shrimp and corn patties were savory delights — breaded, crisp and spiced with a sort of aioli made with dinache, a Chamorro chile paste. Feathery light, they tasted like the platonic essence of their ingredients, a beautiful balance of textures and flavors."

Fejarang learned of the honor from The Baltimore Banner. “I’m glad I can be able to represent not only Guam but Baltimore,” she told the news site of the food she grew up eating in the U.S. territory.

• Address: 1000-1002 West 36th Street, Baltimore
• Phone: 410-525-7000
• Website: theduchessbaltimore.com

See Also:

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• 3 VA, DC Restaurants Among 50 Best In U.S., New York Times Says In Ranking
• This VA Restaurant Among Best In U.S. For Fine Dining, According To Tourists
• These 4 VA, DC Restaurants 'Define Dining,' New Top 100 Ranking Says