Xiquet

The story

Xiquet by Danny Lledó | Michelin-Starred Spanish Fine Dining in Washington, DC

Xiquet (chee-KETT) is the Washington, DC outpost of Chef Danny Lledó, a Valencian chef whose cooking earned a Michelin star in 2021 and has held it since. The restaurant also holds AAA’s Five Diamond rating and was named Best Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year by the DC Restaurant Association in 2023. Here, the focus is on the traditional cuisine of Valencia, interpreted through a wood-fire kitchen and a multi-course tasting menu that changes with the seasons.

A Personal Journey from Valencia

The name Xiquet comes from “Xiquet de Casa,” an endearing nickname meaning “house kid” that Chef Danny’s father, a Valencian chef trained in France, gave him. Alongside his Portuguese mother’s baking and rustic cooking, these dual influences shaped Lledó’s culinary voice. After working with José Andrés’ Think Food Group, Taberna del Alabardero, and the world’s oldest restaurant, Botín, Lledó opened Xiquet to bring the flavors of his upbringing to the Mid-Atlantic. He is now the most awarded paella chef in America, with eleven paella honors, including first-place wins for Valencian paella.

The Dining Experience

A meal at Xiquet begins as guests are guided upstairs to the airy third-floor dining room, the scent of woodsmoke growing stronger with each step. A welcome bite and a glass of vermouth are served alongside the chefs, who provide a brief overview of the open wood-fire kitchen where the evening’s dishes will be prepared. The tasting menu features over twenty compositions, with innovative preparations of classic Valencian ingredients—fresh seafood, rice, and vegetables from local and global sources. Rice preparations, including Alicante-style rice with rabbit and mushrooms cooked over the hearth, are a highlight. The meal concludes in the elegant second-floor mezzanine lounge with after-dinner drinks and sweets. The wine list, which has earned Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence, features an extensive yet focused selection that pairs thoughtfully with Lledó’s Spanish cooking.

The Michelin Guide has described dishes such as dill-cured bonito with ajo blanco and crisped-skin turbot with smoked trout roe beurre blanc. The experience is intimate, chef-driven, and rooted in the warm hospitality of the Mediterranean—a reflection of Lledó’s own story, told through every plate.