2 VA Eateries Among 2026 Restaurants Of The Year, National Publication Says

Two Virginia restaurants have been honored as among the best in the country by USA Today.

In all, food writers in the USA Today network found 40 restaurants in 25 states worthy of mention in its 2026 Restaurants of the Year list.

“This is not your usual best-of list, where food writers fly in for a whirlwind weekend of eating and drinking, often relying on the institutional knowledge of the locals who know the scene best,” USA Today said of its methodology for the list. “This list, instead, comes from our own locals. Food writers who know their beats best. They live there. They work there. They eat there. That's what makes our list stand out.”

Virginia restaurants honored were Keystone Grill in Colonial Heights and Maude & the Bear in Staunton.

Located just off Interstate 95, Keystone Grill offers diners an experience with its 1950s-style retro décor, providing a taste of Americana with a side of nostalgia, according to USA Today.

“The spot attracts a diverse crowd, and diners are treated like family,” USA Today wrote. “The service is exceptional, and the food is delicious, especially the fluffy, build-your-own omelet.”

Maude & the Bear, located inside a storybook 1926 Montgomery Ward kit house in Staunton, has been whimsically recreated as a modern restaurant and inn, according to USA Today.

“The restaurant serves a multicourse progressive tasting menu that pays homage to chef Ian Boden's family’s roots, locally sourcing items from the region, and offers a communal kitchen table option,” USA Today wrote.

The 2026 Restaurants of the Year list also includes eateries in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Washington.