YELLOW Union Market
Cafe · Capital City Market ·
Levantine pastries with French techniques, charcoal-grilled kebabs, and coffee
Levantine pastries with French techniques, charcoal-grilled kebabs, and coffee
"Chef Alicia Wang is the force behind Yellow’s premiere pastries combine Levantine flavors with classic French techniques. Think za’atar and labne croissants, chocolate 7-spice cruffin, and pistachio olive oil cake. In the evening the bakery serves an “All the Kebabs” menu with a rotating selection of charcoal-grilled kebabs and meze prepared on an open hearth. The Bib Gourmand-designated establishment from chef Michael Rafidi also maintains an additional outpost in Georgetown specializing in pizza." - Tierney Plumb
"The famous za’atar croissants and fragrant coffees from 2024 James Beard Award winner Michael Rafidi reached yet another quadrant of the District. Beyond the inventive Arabic ingredient-studded pastries and egg-based entrees served til 11 a.m., a massive grill is churning out pitas stuffed with an array of kebabs, smoked lamb shoulder, falafel, and coal-fired cauliflower for the lunch rush through 3 p.m. If you have any room left, don’t miss the creamy labne and tahini oat soft serves." - Tierney Plumb, Emily Venezky
"The casual concept restaurant YELLOW is by Michael Rafadi, the chef and owner of One MICHELIN Star Albi (also on this list). Across multiple locations in DC, YELLOW serves an array of Levantine food that comprises baked goods, mezze, and wood-fired pita sandwiches. The baked goods playfully reinvent staples like baklava in the form of a croissant, which also comes made with za’taar and labne for those who perfect a savory breakfast. The wood-fired pita sandwiches are made with the classics: chicken shawarma, falafel, or lamb. And for the vegetarians, there’s a barbequed harissa cauliflower pita. Those who save room for dessert are rewarded with soft serve and affogato – again with Middle Eastern flavors like labne and Turkish coffee. Most items can be taken to go, perfect for bringing to a dinner or cocktail party." - Khalid El Khatib
"I always find Yellow keeps me on my toes by switching up morning pastry fillings; the baklava croissant marries rose petals and pistachios with one of the best baklava mixes I’ve tasted — perfectly sweet, full of crunchy nuts, and with a subtle rose water note — while the jammy egg croissant has an even stronger shakshuka flavor than usual, with soft pieces of onion and bell pepper beneath the egg. My top tip is to get there within the first two hours so the pastries are at peak freshness." - Eater Staff
"I found that Yellow’s months-old Union Market location (417 Morse Street NE) launched a playful, kebab-focused dinner service called “All the Kebabs” beginning Saturday, November 14, exclusive to that site and cooked on the cafe’s open hearth. The rotating, charcoal-grilled lineup opens with six kebabs — including barbecued pomegranate lamb kefta, soujek-spiced octopus, and autumn vegetables with halloumi — plus a harissa chicken wing kebab that, as director of operations David Van Meerbeke notes, has “a nice level of spice” because the harissa is cut with lemon and delivers the charcoal-grilled chicken-wing flavor you’d expect. Individual kebabs are $26–$32, and there’s a $75-per-person tasting menu that loads the table with chef-selected kebabs, salads, pickles, wood-fired pita, hummus, habibi rice, and soft serve. This marks the locale’s dinner service debut (Tuesdays–Saturdays, 4–9 p.m.), with plans to eventually accept walk-ins and offer takeout; reservations went live and have nearly sold out for November. Rafidi conceived the menu as an homage to his grandfather’s D.C. kebab specials from the ’60s and ’70s." - Lenore Adkins