Little Sesame
Restaurant · Downtown
1828 L St NW, Washington, DC 20036
Highlights
Hummus bowls, pita sandwiches, chicken shawarma & oat milk soft serve
Hummus bowls, pita sandwiches, chicken shawarma & oat milk soft serve
"A Middle Eastern rotisserie chicken pop-up in Washington, D.C. that extended an existing fast-casual concept; the operators deliberately partnered with an industry friend to align expectations, share downside risks from scheduling or city disruptions, and avoid the pitfalls of working with landlords or hosts who prioritize maximum revenue over operational realities." - ByMahira Rivers
"The retail hummus operation for budding fast-casual restaurant Little Sesame just got a major boost. Little Sesame, which makes blitzed chickpeas the focal point of its bowls and pitas, began selling three flavors of a new, packaged hummus at Whole Foods last week. The company, which touts itself as eco-friendly and sources all of its beans from a regenerative farm in Montana, has a deal with the grocery chain to enter 13 locations across the Mid-Atlantic." - Gabe Hiatt
"Fast-casual hummus and pita shop Little Sesame will open a months-long pop-up on the outskirts of D.C. next year that puts an emphasis on family-style, shawarma-spiced rotisserie chickens. Washingtonian reports the company is expanding away from downtown with a winter residency at Chevy Chase ice cream shop Sugar Fox, that will run from Wednesday, January 6, through Sunday, March 14. The pop-up (5027 Connecticut Avenue NW) will offer takeout and in-house delivery Wednesdays to Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. A representative for the company tells Eater the pop-up will also feature limited quantities of its classic hummus bowls as an off-menu item. The main attraction is a menu item Little Sesame introduced at its Chinatown shop this fall: whole- and half-portions of spit-roasted rotisserie chickens or spiced and marinated cauliflower. The poultry is raised humanely without hormones or antibiotics. Sides like maple roasted carrots and rotisserie potatoes with drippings are available for $5 a piece. They come with family-style chicken or cauliflower meals for two to four ($20-$48), along with a choice of sauces like harissa barbecue and labneh ranch. Other options include a family-style veggie fattoush salad, retail portions of hummus by the pint, marinated peppers, and five-packs of pitas. There’s also a selection of natural wine, canned beers, and Middle Eastern-inspired sweets made in collaboration with Sugar Fox’s bakers while their ice cream counter goes dark through the winter. Because 9-to-5 lunchtime traffic near Little Sesame’s downtown and Chinatown locations is still sparse, the brand decided to try a family-friendly neighborhood on for size. Little Sesame co-owner Nick Wiseman has longtime ties to the upper Northwest neighborhood: he went to high school nearby, and he’s also buddies with Little Red Fox owners Matt and Jena Carr. Wiseman partnered with his cousin, David Wiseman, to start Little Sesame as a basement pop-up below their (now-closed) DGS Delicatessen in 2016. The pair brought in Nick Wiseman’s former chef colleague, Ronen Tenne, as a partner and opened the first standalone shop at 1828 L Street NW in 2018. The Wisemans closed their other D.C. restaurant, well-regarded Navy Yard raw bar Whaley’s, last year to focus all their efforts on Little Sesame." - Tierney Plumb
"Little Sesame opens its doors for lunch downtown, lines snake outside the door, and seating becomes a rare commodity. Every weekday, swaths of workers, families, and tourists visit the shop for fast service, a breezy, West Coast-meets-Negev desert atmosphere, and its most popular item: the humble hummus bowl." - Kalina Newman
"Hummus bowl destination Little Sesame has grown to two locations in the past year." - Gabe Hiatt
