Kwame Onwuachi, James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur and author, has returned to Washington, DC. His latest culinary venture, Dōgon by Kwame Onwuachi, is a captivating exploration of Afro-Caribbean cuisine. Opening on September 9, the same date that Washington, DC was formally named in 1791, the 200-seat restaurant pays homage to Benjamin Banneker, a renowned astronomer and land surveyor, and his ancestral ties to the Dōgon tribe of Mali.
“What Benjamin Banneker represents—his connection to West Africa and his utilization of West African science in mapping the District of Columbia—is a powerful story. The restaurant allows us to share a glimpse of his legacy and continue honoring the contributions of African Americans to our country,” Onwuachi shares via email. As soon as you enter the restaurant, you’re greeted by a striking grand foyer with sleek geometric shapes and metallic chain accents referencing Banneker’s city-mapping tools.
For Onwuachi, who first gained widespread recognition as a contestant on “Top Chef” Season 13, Dōgon represents his evolution as a restaurateur. In 2017, he launched the highly regarded Kith/Kin restaurant at the InterContinental Washington, DC – The Wharf, which closed in 2020. His restaurant Tatiana, which opened in 2022, has been named the best restaurant in New York City for two consecutive years by esteemed food critic Pete Wells.
Dōgon marks the second collaboration between Onwuachi and Salamander Collection founder Sheila Johnson; the duo also partners on The Family Reunion. The restaurant is housed within Johnson’s 373-room Salamander Washington, DC property, which has recently undergone a multimillion-dollar renovation. Johnson says via email, “Dōgon brings an exciting new dimension to our hotel by offering guests African-inspired dishes that bridge cultures through extraordinary food.”
Joining Onwuachi at Dōgon is Chef de Cuisine Martel Stone, formerly the executive sous chef at Kith/Kin. Stone describes the menu as a harmonious blend of “the flavors of West Africa and the American South.” Dōgon’s culinary offerings not only celebrate Onwuachi’s rich heritage—spanning Nigerian, Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Creole roots—but also pay homage to Washington, DC’s large Asian and Ethiopian populations.
Dōgon’s menu features shareable fusion dishes such as cornbread with spiced shiro butter and H Street chicken and rice, a combination of Ethiopian doro wat—a spicy chicken stew infused with Ethiopian berbere spices—and West African jollof rice. One of Stone’s favorite menu items is the steamed branzino, accompanied by coconut curry mussels. This dish intriguingly combines a Japanese technique known as dashi with a Trinidadian curry base enriched by the Caribbean staple, callaloo. Another point of pride for Stone is Dōgon’s fermentation program, where leftover ingredients like onions, garlic and shrimp shells are transformed into flavorful stocks, demonstrating the kitchen’s commitment to sustainability.
Award-winning mixologist Derek Brown, author of Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No-and Low-Alcohol Cocktails with 60 Recipes, has been tapped to create Dōgon’s drink list. His menu highlights Black-owned spirits, zero-proof beverages and creative cocktails like the RG&T, composed of Bayab rosé gin, Giffard pamplemousse, Giffard elderflower tonic and edible flowers.
According to Shawn Townsend, president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), DC’s restaurant scene is one of the most diverse in the US. In an interview with Forbes, he says, “In 2023, DC had the most restaurant openings per capita in the US and currently has more than 100 cuisines represented.” However, only 11 percent of RAMW’s 1,400 member organizations are Black-owned. Townsend is committed to cultivating a more diverse and inclusive dining landscape across the region. He highlights the significance of restaurants like Dōgon, stating, “We all know the food is going to be good, but what Kwame brings goes beyond cuisine. His body of work shows that he’ll also serve as a role model for local chefs and a key ally in enhancing and uplifting the community.”
Dōgon is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 5 pm to 10 pm. To learn more, visit the Salamander Washington, DC website.
This article first appeared on Forbes.com.
