Sophon lands on Bon Appétit’s 20 best new restaurants list

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Sophon restaurant sign (sophonseattle/Instagram)

SEATTLE - One of Seattle's new Cambodian restaurants has landed a spot on a coveted Bon Appétit list.

20 establishments were named by the publication as the best new restaurants of 2024.

Sophon made the list, with their locally grown oyster mushrooms, pork belly braised sweet soy-coconut broth, quail eggs and more getting a moment under the spotlight in Bon Appétit's review.

"The very existence of Sophon is a testament to Cambodian resilience. The restaurant is named for chef Karuna Long’s mother, who survived the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and fled to the US in 1980. His menu is rooted in traditional flavors but pulls influences from Seattle’s cultural and culinary bounty," said Ali Francis.

Not only did they make the list, Sophon was also awarded Best Beverage Program of the bunch.

In her piece "How a Fish-Sauce-Spiked Cocktail Conveys Cambodian Spirit," Jennifer Hope Choi says, "at Sophon in Seattle, cocktails pull inspiration from Khmer identity and the Pacific Northwest."

Choi continued, writing that the "bar manager Dakota Etley also creates house-made components that nod to deeper cultural connections."