Popular Levantine pita shop and café Yellow just opened a second location in the Union Market District .
Why it matters: Chef/owner Michael Rafidi is on a roll with a recent James Beard Award and a growing restaurant family — and based on the line out the door at Yellow's opening today, diners can't get enough.
Dig in: Rafidi originally opened Yellow as a pandemic pop-up adjoining his Michelin-starred Navy Yard restaurant, Albi , serving elevated wood-fired pita sandwiches, whimsical Levantine pastries, and coffee drinks in a casual cafe setting.
- That Yellow has since closed, but its offspring in Georgetown and now Union Market have stayed true to the original concept while growing their offerings (e.g. nighttime pizzas in Georgetown, which just landed on the New York Times best pies in America list ).
Yellow café's new digs. Photo: Courtesy of Rey Lopez
What's new: Yellow Union Market has a similar daytime menu , but it's centered around a new charcoal kebab pit. Grilled skewers (meat and veggie) are stuffed into pita sandwiches with herbs and various saucy, pickle-y things — think a marinated chicken kebab sandwich with crispy potatoes, farm pickles, and spicy green labne.
- New treats fill the early menu, like a cheesy morning bun or pull-apart cardamom-raspberry croissants — perfect with a spiced coconut iced coffee.
Good to know: This location is larger with 60 seats and a carryout window (online ordering for weekdays only, coming soon).
- Egg-stuffed pita and "urfa-thing" bagel sandwiches are available from 8am to 11am, after which lunch runs until 3pm.
A kebab pit and wood-fired oven fuel the restaurant. Photo: Courtesy of Rey Lopez
What's next: Dinner service will start this summer with a kaleidoscope of kebabs, more mezze and creative hummuses, soft-serve, and cocktails from Albi bar manager Alexandra Bookless. Also: reservations.
- "Traveling throughout the Middle East, kebab shops are more casual than the stuff I will do, but I want to keep that soul to what we're doing at Yellow," Rafidi tells Axios.
- Later this year, Rafidi will open La'Shukran (Arabic translation: No, thanks) on a nearby rooftop. The "bistro-ish" cocktail spot will be a nightlife complement to the all-day café with DJs and "Levantine funk" vibes.
Chef Michael Rafidi. Photo: Courtesy of Scott Suchman/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Between the lines: Rafidi, a Palestinian American chef from Maryland, grew up cooking with his grandparents and mother (whom he credits for his success).
- You'll find some family recipes at Yellow come dinnertime, like his grandmother's rice with seven-spice, egg noodles, and brown butter.
The big picture: The Union Market District is booming with big-name chefs and restaurateurs. In addition to Rafidi's projects, some other marquee names coming in include Minetta Tavern by Keith McNally , an offshoot of Asheville's award-winning Indian spot Chai Pani , Bar Betsie from D.C.'s Jane Jane crew, Apapacho taquería, and chef Matt Baker's Non Se .
If you go: Yellow , 417 Morse St NE. Open Tues-Sun.
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