By Nelson Santana y Emmanuel Espinal
24 de noviembre de 2025
Dominican gastronomy just shattered a glass ceiling. Aguají by Chef Tita, located at The Ocean Club de Sosúa, Puerto Plata, became the first Dominican restaurant to earn a spot on the prestigious Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, debuting at No. 88. Earlier this year, in February, 50 Best published a feature on Chef Tita.
Chef Inés Páez Nin—Chef Tita—shared the news with pride:
“Aguají enters the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list. At No. 88. We are thrilled! Today we make history.”
From Sosúa to the Regional Culinary Map
Aguají is more than fine dining—it’s a statement of identity. The concept uplifts Taíno culture, champions local products, and bets on sustainability. The menu is built around seasonal ingredients, respect for Dominican biodiversity, and responsible fishing through direct collaboration with coastal communities.
In a country often associated with all-inclusive tourism, Aguají’s recognition puts the Dominican Republic on the map for high-end culinary travel, alongside destinations like Perú and Mexico, where cuisine is a reason to visit. The accolade attracts critics, chefs, specialized media, and travelers seeking authentic, world-class dining experiences.
On the restaurant’s official Instagram, Chef Tita added:
“This is one of the most important achievements of my career and for the Dominican Republic. Today we open a path and show that our gastronomy has a place among the best.”
National Pride from Sosúa
Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants annually recognizes the region’s most innovative and influential restaurants, based on votes from chefs, journalists, and experts. Making the list means joining a circuit of prestige reserved for concepts with significant creative and cultural impact.
For Chef Tita—who helped drive the country’s first Gastronomy Law and leads gastronomic diplomacy initiatives—Aguají’s entry cements her role as an ambassador of Dominican cuisine.
With this milestone, the Dominican table officially sits alongside Latin America’s great cuisines. And as the chef herself notes, this may be only the beginning—an opening for other restaurants in the country to claim their place among the continent’s best.
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Chef Tita hace historia: primera dominicana en The Best Chef Awards 2025