Looking to satisfy your appetite for Middle Eastern fare?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best high-end Middle Eastern restaurants around Washington, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to satisfy your cravings.
1. Zaytinya
Topping the list is Zaytinya, under the direction of chef José Andrés. Located at 701 Ninth St. NW in downtown Washington, it is the most popular high-end Middle Eastern restaurant in Washington, boasting four stars out of 4,618 reviews on Yelp.
Yelper Bonnie M., who reviewed Zaytinya on March 8, wrote, "This is a restaurant that truly meets and exceeds expectations in service, quality of food, interior and ambience. The food here is exceptional in terms of the balance of the ingredients and how well the individual flavors all come together. My go-to dishes are baba ghanoush and the lamb baharat."
Yelper Jordan A. wrote, "Zaytinya takes your classic Greek and Mediterranean favorites to the absolute next level -- gourmet but still honoring the classic recipe -- while also offering upscale, prepared-to-perfection dishes. Every single spread was so rich with stunning Mediterranean flavor and the flawless texture."
2. Bistro Aracosia
Next up is the Palisades' Bistro Aracosia, situated at 5100 MacArthur Blvd. With 4.5 stars out of 191 reviews on Yelp, it has proved to be a local favorite for those looking to indulge.
We turned to Yelp for more information about the restaurant.
"Bistro Aracosia is an authentic Afghan gourmet and chop house," the business writes on its Yelp page.
Among Bistro Aracosia's specialties are spicy beef dumplings, lamb shoulder chops and tenderloin, ground beef and chicken breast kebabs, chicken stew and lamb shank stew.
3. Sababa
Cleveland Park's Sababa, located at 3311 Connecticut Ave. NW, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the restaurant four stars out of 177 reviews.
If you're looking for more, we found these details on Yelp about Sababa.
"The cuisine of Sababa exemplifies the true melting pot that is Israel. Israeli food encompasses the traditions of over a hundred cultures that have been in Israel and in Palestine or moved from the diaspora to modern-day Israel," the business states on its Yelp page. "There are foods from Bulgaria, Romania, North Africa, Yemen, Ethiopia, Georgia, the Balkans, Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus and Turkey -- just to name a few."
Hummus, kebabs, lamb shank, vegetable tagine and handmade sodas and juices are among the many menu offerings.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
