1. The Green Zone
Adams Morgan
Think of the Green Zone as an expat bar from the children of the Middle Eastern diaspora, brought to the streets of Adams Morgan. You might start off with a spread of muhammara and fresh lebanese sourdough saj mana’ish flatbread, crispy cheese filled fillo sigara böreği, and segue into fried Iraqi lamb and beef kibbeh.
One of their Green Zone Classics cocktails, the Toufan (“hurricane” in Farsi), made with rum, passionfruit, Iraqi citrus and pomegranate over crushed ice, is a no-brainer on summer nights. The Queens Park Swizzle, a less cheugy/more spicy Trinidadian take on the mojito, and the Beachcomber Negroni (from the dearly departed Existing Conditions in NYC) are also a must. Of course don’t sleep on their spirits book, featuring one of the strongest lineups of rums from Jamaica, Barbados, and Haiti you’ll find anywhere.