Hearth-roasted vegetables at the Dabney. | The Dabney 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 t he 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). ...read more read less