Eater 38 D.C. Archive

Eater recently changed how it updates its quarterly Eater 38, the site's guide to the best neighborhood restaurants around town. Instead of writing a new post each month, we're updating the same post each month so that readers can avoid stumbling on outdated maps while they're searching. But sometimes it's fun to see what restaurants were important during a previous quarter or year. So starting this month, for those who are curious which restaurants used to be on the list, Eater will keep a running tally of former Eater 38 restaurant players. This list will be updated each quarter at the same time the Eater 38 gets updated.

Retired in October 2015:

Cork Wine Bar: Eater's giving this excellent wine bar, famous for its avocado toast, time to settle in with a new chef.

Fishnet: Fishnet's Shaw location, home to the stunning FishNook tasting menu, closed this summer for a revamp.

Blacksalt: Jeff Black offers stunning seafood at this Palisades favorite, which has temporarily closed for renovations.

Retired in January 2016:

DCity Smokehouse: The barbecue joint is temporarily closed before it moves to a new location, though some of its food can be found at sister bar Wicked Bloom.

DGS Delicatessen: A premiere destination for Jewish cooking. DGS will change things up in January with a hummus bar in the basement.

Graffiato: Mike Isabella's restaurant is known for its Jersey-style Italian food.

Bayou Bakery: Now with two locations, Bayou Bakery is a rare source for Cajun cuisine in the D.C. area.

Pizzeria Orso: Neapolitan-style pizza is what to find at this Falls Church restaurant, which recently got its pies certified.

Kapnos: Eater swapped out the original Kapnos for the buzzy Kapnos Taverna in Ballston (which is a bit more seafood-focused).

Retired in April 2016:

Crane & Turtle: This ambitious, French-Japanese restaurant is slated to close later in April.

Ben's Chili Bowl: A D.C. icon and home of the half-smoke (though the sausage has become widespread since, even with some artisan takes), this is a late-night haunt for tourists and locals alike.

Water & Wall: Tim Ma's Virginia Square restaurant shows some Asian and Southern influences, though its menu defies easy categorization.

Retired in July 2016:

Mintwood Place: This casual Adams Morgan hangout is the place to go for dishes like escargot hush puppies, elegant French bistro fare, and a terrific hamburger.

Proof: This longtime wine bar in Penn Quarter is known for its cheeses, charcuterie, and dishes like a shrimp burger.

Osteria Morini: This New York transplant has some of the best desserts in the city, and also excels at pastas and wood-fired items.

Peter Chang: This roving chef has opened two locations in D.C. to highlight his Szechuan cooking.

Retired in October 2016:

Tico: Michael Schlow's first restaurant in D.C. is a festive and colorfully-designed restaurant with influences from Mexico and his other travel destinations.

Ripple: Marjorie Meek-Bradley cemented her reputation as one of the city's top chefs at this wine-focused restaurant in Cleveland Park; she's since opened Roofers Union and Smoked & Stacked.

Brine: This seafood restaurant, from the Rappahannock Oyster Company, is known not only for its oysters and fish, but for its killer burger. Located in Virginia's Mosaic District.

Retired in January 2017:

Toki Underground: It's worth the wait for a bowl of the Taiwanese-style ramen that includes varieties like curry chicken and kimchi. Original chef Erik Bruner-Yang recently parted ways with the restaurant.

Espita Mezcaleria: This Shaw spot is one of the most exciting Mexican restaurants to debut in the area in recent years, with mezcal as a major focus. The kitchen really shows off its skills with its mole preparations.

Bar Pilar: At this 14th Street hot spot, try dishes like fried chicken skins, roasted sweetbreads and lamb belly Bolognese while sipping a Pimm's slushie.

Sushiko: Under brothers Piter and Handry Tjan, Sushiko has become one of D.C.'s best destinations for sushi.

Beefsteak: Chef Jose Andres is working to shake up the world of fast-casual dining with this vegetable-focused restaurant concept.

Retired in April 2017:

Jack Rose Dining Saloon: This Adams Morgan mainstay boasts a Southern-style restaurant, rooftop tiki bar, and embedded speakeasy (Dram & Grain).

SER: Specializing in Spanish cooking, imported sidras, and four-course, family-style tasting dinners.

The Source by Wolfgang Puck: The award-winning, Newseum-adjacent restaurant bids farewell to executive chef Scott Drewno in April 2017.

Wiseguy NY Pizza: Home to thin-crust, New York-style pies, thick Sicilian-style pizzas, and buttery, herb-covered garlic knots.

Retired in July 2017:

Bantam King: From the team behind Daikaya and Haikan, Bantam King is D.C.'s first restaurant dedicated entirely to chicken ramen.

Bourbon Steak: The newly revamped lounge is the most affordable — and really, the best — way to experience this Georgetown restaurant. Chef Joe Palma recently departed to serve as culinary director of Isabella Eatery in Tysons Corner.

Osteria Morini: Though this restaurant, an import from New York, built its early D.C. reputation on its pastas, charcuterie dishes and Italian cocktails are also worth exploring here.

Retired in October 2017:

Barrel + Crow: This neighborhood eatery is doing some retooling following the departure of Tabard Inn alum Pedro Matamoros earlier this summer.

Jaleo: A fixture of the D.C. culinary scene for about 20 years, Jaleo remains the standard-bearer for tapas in the minds of many local diners.

The Partisan: Find a dizzying array of charcuterie at Neighborhood Restaurant Group's gift to meat eaters.

Retired in January 2018:

Requin Brasserie: This Mosaic District restaurant is in transition following the departure of co-founder Jennifer Carroll.

Kapnos Taverna: The seafood-friendly version of restaurateur Mike Isabella's Greek-themed eatery now boasts multiple locations in the D.C. area.

Hai Duong: This Vietnamese standby serves traditional fare including banh xeo (savory crepes) and herb-laced pho.

Retired in March 2018:

Bombay Club: Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj's Bombay Club is one of those old school D.C. restaurants that has been a favorite among politicians for ages.

Del Campo: Restaurateur Victor Albisu closed his South American grill in March 2018. The Penn Quarter location is being split between the first permanent Taco Bamba in the District and Albisu's forthcoming Mexican restaurant, Poca Madre.

Proof: This wine-friendly establishment is part of the Fat Baby, Inc. family of restaurants (Estadio, Doi Moi).

Range: Top Chef alum Bryan Voltaggio closed his debut D.C. restaurant in April 2018.

Zaytinya: Jose Andres' Mediterranean-style eatery may be even more popular than his flagship Jaleo.

Zenebech: This decades-old Ethiopian restaurant relocated from Shaw to Adams Morgan in mid-2017, but has been closed for most of 2018. Management says it plans to re-open.

Retired in July 2018:

2941: This Falls Church mainstay manages to strike a balance between elegant and casual, and between straightforward and elaborate cooking.

All-Purpose: Crowds continue to pour into chef Mike Friedman’s gourmet pizza spot to indulge in artful appetizers, seasonally themed pies, and spirited beverages.

The Bird: This poultry-centric Logan Circle eatery features offerings such as pheasant ramen, foie gras bread pudding, and vegan-friendly curried vegetable offerings.

Hank’s Oyster Bar: Regardless of the location (there are also Hank’s restaurants in Alexandria, Dupont Circle, and now at the Wharf), find delicious fish and chips, lobster rolls, oysters, and more.

Hazel: This Neighborhood Restaurant Group member is in transition following the departure of chef and founder Rob Rubba.

Izakaya Seki: This underrated Asian restaurant puts out some of the best raw fish in the area.

Lapis: Here’s somewhere to go for modern Afghan cooking, in an atmosphere that manages to be both classy and homey.

Republic: This Takoma Park restaurant from chef Jeff Black and Danny Wells has lots of oysters and a strong brunch menu (especially the seafood offerings).