The Eater 38 is the ultimate guide to restaurants that define a city’s dining scene. Eater’s editors, who are constantly eating out and checking in with restaurant industry insiders, compile this list every quarter to update it with the essential restaurants you
need to know about in this moment. As always, we ensure the list includes a diverse range of cuisines, prices, and neighborhoods in the D.C. area.
In this latest refresh, we’ve revamped our write-ups to include even more relevant info for diners, including a rough range of pricing for each destination — ranging from $ for quick, inexpensive meals with dishes largely under $10, to $$$$ for places where entrees exceed $30.
New to the map in this summer 2026 update: The Dabney, for Michelin-starred mid-Atlantic cuisine still going strong in Shaw; Barbouzard, for fabulous French fare and vibes downtown; and Baan Mae, for small Laotian plates in Shaw. And for now, we say goodbye to: Joon, Lucky Danger, and Thip Khao (replaced by Baan Mae).
