Yelp, the go-to digital guide for discovering and reviewing local spots, just released its 2025 list of the “25 Best New Restaurants in the U.S.”
Based on Yelp’s data and community reviews, the list presents a mouthwatering tour of the country’s most exciting restaurants, from a Bangkok-style street food spot in Los Angeles to a cozy neighborhood bistro in New York. This year’s selections also reflect today’s top culinary trends, with chefs embracing open-fire cooking, signature tasting menus, and refined takes on global comfort food.
Coming in at No. 1 is Dōgon in Washington, D.C., where James Beard Award-winning chef Kwame Onwuachi channels his Afro-Caribbean roots into an unforgettable fine-dining experience. Located inside Salamander DC, this celestial-themed restaurant is inspired by 18th-century astronomer and surveyor Benjamin Banneker, who helped chart Washington, D.C.’s original borders and traced his ancestry to the Dōgon people of West Africa, renowned for their deep knowledge of the stars.
Having dined there with my family, I can absolutely see why this restaurant topped the charts. From the moment you enter, the restaurant’s grand foyer immediately grabs your attention with its sleek geometric lines and metallic chain accents that nod to Benjamin Banneker’s mapping instruments. The space glows with moody lighting, moonlit domes, and blue-tinted mirrored glass, creating an atmosphere that feels like dining beneath the night sky. Soft hues of mauve and purple extend the celestial theme into the dining room’s futuristic design.
The restaurant’s menu is a fusion of Onwuachi’s Nigerian, Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Creole roots, while also paying tribute to Washington, D.C.’s large Asian and Ethiopian populations.
Every dish transported us somewhere within the African Diaspora. We enjoyed the hoe crab with plantain hoe cake, the Berbere roasted chicken with jollof rice, the curry branzino with crispy zucchini and callaloo, and the barbecue greens with candied cipollini and beef bacon. We also tried two of the three dessert offerings, including the rum cake with vanilla whip and charred fruit and the Cherries & Cream, which my daughter described as unique and delicious.
The drinks list, designed by award-winning mixologist Derek Brown, features a selection of Black-owned spirits, zero-proof options, and inventive cocktails, such as the Astronomer, crafted with Bayab African Gin, house-made chai, lemon, orgeat, aquafaba, and lavender.
Rounding out Yelp’s top five restaurants are Celeste in Narragansett, Rhode Island; Theodora in New York City; Commission Row in Indianapolis; and Sgrizzi by Chef Marc in Las Vegas.
To see a complete list of restaurants and learn more about the report, visit yelp.com.
