By Michael Coleman from the Washington Diplomat

Over the past year, no restaurant in Washington has generated as much buzz as the Dabney, chef Jeremiah Langhorne’s rustic ode to Mid-Atlantic cuisine.

The day after we dined at the funky-yet-elegant eight-month-old eatery in the Shaw neighborhood in June, Food & Wine magazine named it one of the 10 best restaurants in America. Earlier, it ranked number eight on the Washington Post’s list of 10 best new restaurants. It’s easy to understand why. From the warm ambience, to the service, to the intriguing menu, to the dramatic flair of the kitchen, to the dazzling flavors bursting off the plates, the Dabney consistently hits impressive notes.

But first: Plan ahead to get a table. Last we checked in mid-June, the Dabney’s 55 seats were booked solid almost three weeks in advance. We managed to snag a reservation at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday — not an ideal booking — but we took what we could get. We’re immensely glad we did.

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