Ghanaian cuisine has a story to tell at Washington, DC restaurant Elmina

Elmina, recently launched in Washington DC, and the debut bricks-and-mortar venture of Ghanaian-American chef Eric Adjepong, is a restaurant that celebrates modern Africa while acknowledging the complexities of its past. Its name carries weight, referencing the port that became the site of sub-Saharan Africa’s first European slave-trading post. ‘This restaurant has been a dream of mine since I was a child,’ says Adjepong, who made his name on Food Network TV series Top Chef.

Trade route: Elmina, Washington DC

Designed by local studio Drummond Projects, the 3,720 sq ft, three-storey space intricately weaves historical West African references into its aesthetic, with the restaurant’s six main areas subtly nodding to the prized commodities of transatlantic colonial trade. ‘We wanted to respond to Eric’s vision with a design proposal that would tell the story of migration, resilience and transformation,’ says studio founder and principal Jimmie Drummond.

The journey begins in the cocktail lounge, where a warm interior palette, set against rich leather finishes, Venetian plaster and marble counters, evokes the appearance of tobacco, while the main dining room is wrapped in curved partitions, with textured white wallpaper symbolising cotton. Upstairs, a second dining room, featuring deep indigo tones, plush seating and gold accents, leads out onto an enclosed terrace, its lush green hues and natural elements referencing sugarcane. The lower level’s wood-themed washrooms and staff areas, meanwhile, allude to the timber used to build the transatlantic trade ships.

At the heart of the restaurant, a dramatic curvilinear stairwell, finished in a plaster-like texture, connects the various sections, its sculptural elegance enhanced by a series of striking pendants. Furnishings and accessories come from Crate & Barrel, CB2 and West Elm, while lighting has been sourced from Scout & Nimble, Lightology, Diode LED and Ferguson. Personal touches, such as the handwoven Kente cloth from Ghana gifted by Adjepong’s mother, add charm, as do the custom-made decking, bespoke artwork by Charles Jean-Pierre, wallcoverings by Belarte Studio and artisan-crafted Sailrite fabrics.

The food itself is deeply rooted in tradition. ‘The menu is a love letter to the ancestors and recipes I grew up with,’ says Adjepong. ‘Although the focus is on Ghana, we recognise the entire African continent and the diaspora at large.’ Experiences on offer span a five-course tasting menu, a chop bar selection and a hearty brunch, with standout dishes including the comfortingly smoky jollof duck pot.

‘Jollof is one of the most popular dishes in West and Central Africa. We’re cooking the duck’s leg, breast and eggs in a way I haven’t seen in this country.’

Elmina is located at 2208 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009, United States; elminarestaurant.com

A version of this article appears in the May 2025 Design Issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.