"Already, Sontag-who was previously restaurant editor at Bon Appétit-is making some notable changes. For starters, he's dropped any attempt at anonymity. He also announced today that he'll be bringing back the star rating system that was abandoned during the pandemic. What else can readers and restaurants expect? We chatted with Sontag about his early impressions of DC's dining scene, how he's rethinking reviews,"
"As a diner, the first thing I noticed is that it is much easier to feel like a regular. So many New York restaurants-a certain vibe of New York restaurant-are impossible to get into. And I think a lot of that's just because of like population density. But it also has to do with the way that New Yorkers eat. People really descend on a few restaurants at a time. And I felt less of that here. It feels a little bit more diffuse."
The new food critic ended anonymous visits and restored the star‑rating system abandoned during the pandemic. The critic previously served as restaurant editor at Bon Appétit and is mapping DC's dining infrastructure, including longstanding chefs and neighborhood institutions. Initial impressions indicate Washington dining feels more diffuse than New York, making it easier for diners to become regulars and reducing concentration at a few hotspots. The critic plans to rethink review practices while engaging transparently with readers and restaurants to balance tradition, accessibility, and clear evaluative standards across neighborhoods.
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