Chef Adjepong garnishing a bowl of spicy rice with a sunny side up egg, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sliced onions, and grilled meat, with microgreens on top.
Collection of twelve beige tribal or folk art symbols arranged in a grid on a black background.

DAWA is located on 14th Street inside Chef Eric Adjepong’s fine dining flagship, Elmina. Elmina, opened in February, is a full-service dining experience that reflects both the Ghanaian kitchen he grew up in and his modern culinary vision. DAWA provides guests with another way to experience Ghanaian food in D.C., with a menu that stays true to Eric’s vision of modern Ghanaian cuisine, but adapted for casual, at-home dining.

MODERN CULINARY
VISION

A man wearing a denim shirt and an apron preparing food in a kitchen with shelves of plates in the background.

About Chef
Eric Adjepong

Chef Eric Adjepong is the visionary behind Elmina and DAWA, restaurants that have been years in the making and are rooted in a lifetime of cultural memory. A first-generation Ghanaian-American with degrees in Culinary Arts, Nutrition, and Public Health, Chef Eric brings both precision and purpose to the table. Elmina and DAWA are the realization of his long-held dream: a space that honors his West African heritage while reimagining its flavors through a bold, modern lens.

A finalist on Top Chef and a beloved television personality on Food Network, Bravo, Hulu, and more, Chef Eric has built his career around storytelling through food and inviting guests to experience the richness of the African diaspora.

Pattern of tribal or ethnic symbols and motifs in beige on black background.