Resy’s Guide to Exploring Levantine Cuisine in D.C.

Lebanese

While the food at Chloe showcases chef Haidar Karoum’s life experiences, another major theme that runs through his menu is the flavors and tastes of his Lebanese roots. His dinner and brunch menus feature Lebanese-inspired dishes like falafel served with tart pickled veggies and garlicky yogurt, cauliflower caramelized to a golden color and drenched in tahini, a seasonal hummus and za’atar-dusted fries – all of which are menu standouts and showcase the chef’s love for his heritage.

Turkish

With its made-from-scratch Turkish fare and inviting atmosphere, it’s little wonder Meze has been around for almost 20 years. The menu and name of the restaurant pay homage to meze, a Turkish small-plate dining format celebrated for its convivial nature. The menu at Meze is impressively large; luckily, each meze (dish) is designed for sharing, so take a group and order it all. Treasures on the menu include the spicy strained yogurt dip better known as atom; sigara boregi, cylinders of phyllo pastry stuffed with feta cheese and herbs; salmon kebabs served with an emerald-green spinach dipping sauce; and a whole selection of Turkish cheeses.

Middle Eastern

Named for the Arabic word for “gathering place,’ when you arrive at Maydan you’ll find yourself in an ornate, colorful space that’s perfect for gathering, dining, and drinking with friends and family. Even more alluring than the beautifully imagined. décor is the cuisine – choose from the a la carte menu or the family-style “tawle” menu that offers the best dishes of the day, each filled with culinary gems. From honey-soaked dates to fragrant saffron couscous, and from fuchsia-colored beet borani to a hearth-roasted whole cauliflower and the warm, yielding pita bread baked to order in their clay ovens, there’s no end to the kaleidoscope of flavors and textures offered here. If this isn’t already one of your go-to spots, it’s about to become one.

Iranian and Turkish

“Namak” is the Persian word for salt, an appropriate name for a restaurant that celebrates flavor. There are few things as irresistible as the zeytoon parvardek at Namak, where olives are doused in pomegranate molasses and tossed with walnuts, chard, olive oil, and garlic, or the kabak mutabal, a mashed harissa-infused butternut squash dip. There are also six different pides, including one with truffles and maitake mushrooms, and five kinds of kebabs, including chicken, swordfish, and shrimp. The sleek, tastefully appointed dining room is a pleasure to spend a couple of hours in, and there’s also a very good brunch service if that’s your thing.

Read more about Namak here.

Greece

At this sleek, airy estiatorio in Dupont Circle, Greek seafood is a point of pride on the menu. As well as a raw bar proffering fresh shellfish and bivalves, there’s gorgeous plates of crudo dressed with citrus and olive oil, plus a prized whole fish course that’s perfect for sharing. Greek cuisine being famous for its vibrant produce and love of cheese, vegetarians are also well taken care of at Balos with a wealth of options including pan-fried saganaki cheese drizzled with floral-tasting honey, crisp eggplant and zucchini chips served with a garlicky tzatziki, fried feta, and lemony roasted potatoes. Pro tip: Balos offers more than just a sublime Greek dinner – the venue has a serious party vibe with its island theme and a DJ spinning tunes several nights a week.

Palestinian

At La’Shukran, there’s the food, but even more than that, there’s the vibe and the drinks. The cocktail menu at Michael Rafidi’s nightspot is divided by a ‘with Arak’ section and one without (as well as a separate zero-proof one), and the liquor’s distinctive aniseed taste works well with a variety of flavors. Everything on the dinner menu is similarly playful and exciting: there’s shawarma, finished with pickled kohlrabi; a simple grilled cabbage that becomes revelatory with smoked apricot and goat curd; and maitake mushrooms glazed with date molasses and barbecued to a satisfying, sweet smokiness.

Read more about La’ Shukran here.

Iraqi

Regulars return to this popular — and award-winning — Middle Eastern bar in Adams Morgan for superb cocktails infused with Arabic flavors and small plates, but also for its irreverent spirit and the fun, relaxed setting. Dive into one of their hearty sandwiches (the Iraqi guss, loaded with marinated beef and lamb in sammoun bread, is unmissable) or mana’ish flatbreads topped with za’atar or cheese. Supplement with a bevy of their sides: muhammara, an intense red pepper and walnut dip, the perfect partner to za’atar doused pita chips; garlicky labneh and fries seasoned with hot peppers, coriander, lemon, and garlic. Meanwhile, the drinks are just as memorable — a Balkan martini, made with Jun Lebanese gin, Bosnian apricot Eau-de-Vie, Comoz vermouth blanc, and orange blossom or an old-fashioned made with high-rye bourbon, pomegranate, and Arabian bitters are just two cocktails on a widely acclaimed list.

Israeli

Prepare yourself for an exquisite feast when you make your dinner reservation at Sababa. Chef Ryan Moore’s mastery of Levantine cuisine is apparent in nearly every dish at Sababa, which means “great or cool” in Hebrew. Here, dishes showcasing modern Israeli food include eggplant that’s charred to bring out its natural smoky flavor, and dotted with ruby-hued pomegranate seeds; chewy roasted halloumi that offers the perfect ying and yang of sweet and salty from the cheese and date-infused hone; a bright and fresh Israeli salad with a spiced pickled apple for a twist; rice spiced with hawaji, a blend of cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, and cardamom, and cooked with dried fruit, nuts and caramelized onions, and the fluffiest pita you have ever tasted, served with a smooth, velvety hummus. Pro tip: Send your tastebuds soaring with one of Sababa’s house-made sodas, which are offered in flavors like pomegranate-rose, lavender-borage, and cucumber-mint.

Lebanese

While River Club is known for its skilful fusion of cuisines from Lebanon, Spain, and Italy, the Lebanese-inspired dishes are the real stars on the menu. The mujadara, a baked rice and lentil dish, crowned with crispy onions and infused with Lebanese seven spice, is both a perfect comfort food and a crowd-pleaser, and it’s difficult to imagine getting tired of their creamy hummus. Pillowy pita is the perfect vehicle for mopping up whipped labneh, and charred chicken arrives on a bed of saffron rice. The low lighting, ornate décor, and eclectic tunes (one of the owners also DJs!) offers an extravagant, celebratory environment for dining. Pro tip: Don’t snooze on the drinks at River Club, which are as spectacular as the food. Sample a Lebanese wine or a cocktail like the arak highball from the Lebanese section of the cocktail book.

Turkish

This Dupont Circle staple just celebrated their 15th anniversary, and their food has only gotten better over the years. Feast on chunky htipiti, a feta and red pepper spread, or imam bayildi made with baby eggplants stuffed with cooked tomatoes and onions, soaked in olive oil and baked. Then there’s kasar cheese flambéed tableside, karides guvec (shrimp sautéed with garlic and spicy red peppers), and Turkish pide and lahmacun. Casual, noisy and fun, you should plan to stay for hours.

Lebanese

With its spacious outdoor patio and gold-hued interior, Layli is a charming venue for date night or dining with friends. The huge menu has something for everyone – classic Lebanese cold meze like baba ghanoush, fattoush, tabbouleh, and tzatziki, along with hot mezze including chicken shawarma sliders and spinach pies. Entrees can be individual, such as sandwiches, or shared, like the mixed grill. Whatever you pick, make sure you end your meal with an order of the flaky, sugar syrup-soaked baklava.