Let this settle the debate about whether Washington, D.C. is a major foodie city: a new ranking from La Liste, which calls itself "the most selective global guide of restaurants, pastry shops and hotels, for gourmets and international travelers, outlines the top 1,000 restaurants and eateries in the world for 2025—and four D.C. restaurants are included.
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The list includes high-end restaurants from all over the world. U.S. culinary hotspots like New York and Chicago, and more are well represented on the list, too. Four fine dining establishments in and around D.C. made the cut: The Inn at Little Washington, Jônt, minibar by José Andrés, and Pineapple & Pearls; The Inn at Little Washington scored 96/100, while the other three notched scores of 92/100.
How on earth would one figure out the 1,000 best restaurants in the world? According to the website, staffers combed through reviews from more than 1,000 publications and guidebooks, then added them to a database that scored all entries from 0 to 100, based on standard grades. Then, chefs from around the world were asked to evaluate the quality of the publications and guidebooks making the recommendations, which resulted in each restaurant being assigned a "trustworthiness index" score that contributed to their grade. Customer reviews of each spot were also taken into account. The resulting list is a "compilation of thousands of publications, hundreds of guidebooks and millions of online reviews."
Want to know more about each place? Here's a look at the four D.C. restaurants on the list:
The Inn at Little Washington
Located about 90 minutes from D.C., The Inn at Little Washington has long been a destination spot for those looking for a little luxury in the stunning Virginia countryside. The property, which evokes the vibe of the nicest historic country estate you can imagine, includes a luxury hotel and the only 3 Star Michelin restaurant in the DMV. La Liste ranked gave it a 96.5/100 score, the highest of the bunch from D.C.
minibar by José Andrés
minibar, José Andrés' modern tasting bar that's just blocks from The White House, scored 92/100. The tasting menu served here is filled with creative dishes that are plated theatrically. Think: a deep-fried cracker shaped like a butterfly, and an "egg" made from parmesan that contains a real quail egg yolk.
Jônt
This intimate, decorated restaurant on 14th Street NW received a 92/100 score from La Liste. Jônt only has 17 seats at its celebrated tasting counter, where diners watch chefs create inventive, seasonally-changing dishes using mainly Japanese ingredients.
Pineapple & Pearls
This Capitol Hill institution has long been the go-to spot for a special night out. Pineapple & Pearls, which scored 92/100 on the ranking, is best known for its party-like atmosphere and rich tasting menu filled with dishes like mezcal-soaked pineapple, fennel sorbet, abalone panna cotta, and black pepper pan au lait.
Congrats to you if you've had the pleasure of dining at one (or several, or all) of these restaurants. If not, consider this a sign to make that reservation. Check out La Liste's full ranking of the 1,000 top restaurants in the world for 2025 here.