Restaurante Amigos has been honored with the 2026 Business Trajectory Award in Santiago de los Caballeros for its 40 years of history and its contributions to the economic and social development of the Cibao region and the Dominican Republic.
The award was presented by international business organizations including the Dominican Intl Business & Tourism Chamber, Inc., The Ballester Business Group, and El Mundo de los Negocios.
Chief Executive Officer Onassis Genao accepted the distinction alongside her son Sean and Raymond Ulloa during the ceremony in the city.
Genao thanked the organizations for the recognition and reaffirmed her commitment to offering an outstanding culinary experience based on quality, innovation, and close customer service that has characterized the restaurant for four decades.
Organizers stated that the awards aim to highlight the legacy of entrepreneurs who have built major brands, strengthening public confidence across Santiago, the Cibao region, and the nation. Santiago de los Caballeros is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic and serves as the primary commercial hub of the agricultural Cibao region.
Recognition of Regional Business Leaders
Several other prominent business figures and regional institutions were recognized alongside Restaurante Amigos during the ceremony.
Honorees included business leaders José Clase, Tomás Pastoriza of Banco del Progreso, and Ángel Rodríguez, founder of Ferretería Bellón. A posthumous tribute was paid to Huáscar Rodríguez of Cementos Cibao, while awards were also presented to the Junior Chamber and the Capex innovation center.
Four Decades of Culinary Growth
Restaurante Amigos originally launched in 1986 in the United States before expanding and establishing itself as a central benchmark for Dominican gastronomy.
The establishment currently ranks among the top-rated restaurants in Santiago and across the country with a rating of 4.8 stars. It also maintains one of the largest social media followings of any culinary business in the Dominican Republic.
In addition to its industry awards, the business holds an official certification from the Ministry of Labor, demonstrating its compliance with national workplace standards and good labor practices.
A Record-Breaking Culinary Legacy
The 2026 Business Trajectory Award follows several major achievements earned by the restaurant in recent years.
In 2024, the Dominican Federation of Merchants named Restaurante Amigos as its Restaurant of the Year. The federation later presented the establishment with a special commendation following its international record-breaking achievements.
In 2025, the restaurant earned a Guinness World Record for creating the world's largest mofongo, a traditional Caribbean dish made of mashed fried plantains. The record-setting dish weighed an official 560 kilograms and was formally recognized as part of Dominican cultural heritage.
That same year, Restaurante Amigos earned the Travellers' Choice 2025 distinction from online review platform Tripadvisor, ranking the restaurant among the top 10 percent of highest-rated dining spots globally.
Following the latest honor, management confirmed that Restaurante Amigos will continue its focus on culinary excellence while serving visitors across the country.
