The D.C. area is home to several well-known restaurants and soon some may be added to a list of the best places to dine in the nation.
The James Beard Foundation has announced its finalists for its 2025 award season. The list is narrowed down from the semifinalists named in January.
There are five D.C. restaurants on the list and one in Maryland. The awards will be announced in June.
Here’s a look at the local finalists:
D.C.
- Scott Drewno and Danny Lee, The Fried Rice Collective (Anju, Chiko, and I Egg You), D.C. — Outstanding Restaurateur
- Mita, D.C. — Best New Restaurant
- Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit, D.C. — Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
- Henji Cheung, Queen’s English, D.C. — Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia)
- Carlos Delgado, Causa and Amazonia, D.C. — Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia)
MARYLAND
- Charleston, Baltimore — Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
The judges sample food from all of the chefs and restaurants before voting. The restaurants apply for the awards and the judges stay mostly anonymous.
The James Beard Foundation was established in 1990 and has run its awards program since 1991, taking a break in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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