"Nelo Mayar’s cafe is now a full-service restaurant serving both lunch and dinner. Soft set dumplings, spins on Afghan street food, and long-grain rice dishes top seasonal menus, along with pressure-cooked proteins. Vegans will be pleased with vegetables individually sauced, and Aryana remains a top dining destination for vegetarians. Mayar shows off her acumen with legumes, from kidney beans to lentils to chickpeas and split peas. A vinegar-based condiment Mayar calls “chutney” feels more akin to chimichurri. Mayar’s cookbook, The Afghan Table, is in its third printing, and locals buy half gallons of the restaurant’s signature cardamon tea. Aryana’s menu rotates weekly — it’s seasonally focused based on the Afghan calendar — and is posted on their Facebook page each Sunday." - Stephanie Burnette