"While chefs help steer the culinary conversation at his Michelin-starred restaurant up above, Dabney Cellar co-founder Jeremiah Langhorne deliberately stays out of the way of the trusted suppliers — including the regional oyster farmers and country ham producers featured nightly — he showcases down below. 'We like to leave things as natural as possible,' Langhorne says of the wine bar he and beverage director Alex Zink have stocked with cured meats, cheeses, and seafood from around the area. Some prepared dishes remain in the mix (think: freshly made biscuits, and foie gras parfait punctuated by sour cherries), but Langhorne’s determined to keep things simple. 'Having a good plate of oysters is always a wonderful thing,' he tells Eater. In 2015, Langhorne and Zink opened the Dabney, a homegrown restaurant focused on Mid-Atlantic cuisine prepared in a huge, wood-burning hearth. The co-owners planned to transform the downstairs storage area into an informal gathering place from day one; in late 2017, that vision became a reality. The hidden entrance coupled with the warm interior make for an unforgettable experience. And while both Langhorne and Zink both firmly assert the speakeasy nature is simply a byproduct of the Cellar’s surroundings, the place undoubtedly creates a vibe that is both cozy and, at times, pretty rowdy — fueled by the kind of excitement that comes from enjoying incredible food and drink in a place not yet on everyone’s radar." - Dayana Sarkisova
