D.C. is seeing stars today. Michelin stars that is. The 2020 Michelin Guide awarded a total of 18 D.C. restaurants stars, including four newcomers to the list: Gravitas, Little Pearl, Maydan and Sushi Nakazawa.
"This is a huge honor," Chef Masaaki Uchino said. "We have always wanted people who visit and live in D.C. to become more familiar with sushi in general, and my hope is that this Michelin star gets more attention for sushi. Michelin has tremendous influence and this is a huge step for the sushi community."
For the first time since Michelin debuted the D.C. guide, restaurants lost stars. Notably missing from the list this year was Blue Duck Tavern, which had maintained a one-star rating since the inaugural D.C.list in 2016. Siren, which was awarded its first star last year, was removed from the list this year after closing in January.
The biggest surprise of the list was the continued omission of Bad Saint. After being removed from the 2020 Bib Gourmand list, rumors circulated that the popular Filipino restaurant, named the second best new restaurant in the country in 2016 by Bon Appetit, would finally be given a star.
Chef Aaron Silverman became the most prolific chef/owner on the list with all three of his restaurant concepts (Pineapple and Pearls, Rose's Luxury and Little Pearl) receiving stars. Previously, Chef Eric Ziebold held the title with both Kinship and Métier in the one-star club.
“When we set out to create Maydān, our goal was to capture not just the amazing food, but the joy and hospitality we felt traveling across the Middle East, learning to cook from grandmas in their own homes," Maydan owner Rose Previte said, "We hope we’ve made them proud today."
2020 Michelin-starred restaurants
* denotes new addition
Three Stars
The Inn at Little Washington
Two Stars
minibar
Pineapple and Pearls
One Star
Bresca
The Dabney
Fiola
Gravitas*
Kinship
Komi
Little Pearl*
Masseria
Maydan*
Métier
Plume
Rose’s Luxury
Sushi Nakazawa*
Sushi Taro
Tail Up Goat
