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The Dabney
American
The wood-fired hearth in the open kitchen sets the mood before anything arrives at the table. This fine dining room in a Shaw alley does Mid-Atlantic cooking with a Southern undertow, and the chef's commitment to the region shows in everything from rooftop herbs to the catfish slider that's been on the menu since forever. A Michelin star keeps company with crowds who dress up but aren't stiff about it.
The awards strongest first
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurant
- Washingtonian #15 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
- The 50 The 50 Discovery
One number, weighted & current 92
How we scoreThe dishes from the writeups
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Cider doughnuts
“A wooden board of cider doughnuts—served with apple butter and whipped foie gras under a cut-glass cloche—looked straight out of a Dutch Master still life.”
Washingtonian, 2026 -
Catfish slider
“And we never leave without at least one catfish slider on a sweet-potato roll, a menu constant since the early days.”
Washingtonian, 2026 -
Fried sugar toads
“The à la carte menu contains a number of his greatest hits — don’t miss the fried sugar toads glossed in hot honey — and a laundry list of wonderful local ingredients, from pristine Cape May seafood to roasted wild ramps.”
The New York Times -
Pastrami-spiced beef belly
“Pastrami-spiced beef belly was made even more luscious by a drizzle of beet bordelaise.”
Washingtonian, 2026
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The neighbors closest first
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- Tiger Fork Chinese Eat · 75
- Unconventional Diner Eat · 80
- All-Purpose Pizzeria Eat · 64
- Ghostburger Eat · 60
- TallBoy Eat · 73
- Seylou Bakery Bakery Eat · 65
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