But while the suburbs have long been perceived to be arbiters of authenticity, the gravitational pull of DC proper was inevitable. Restaurateurs here are building on the popularity of Middle Eastern cuisine with contemporary spins on traditional environs, and dishes that are both transportive and, even to those new to the cuisine, immediate favorites. One such Lebanese restaurant in DC is Villa Yara, which opened in 2023 in a gorgeous renovated Georgetown townhouse, complete with a flower-filled courtyard around a fountain, much like the ones Lebanese families gather in for hours-long meals. “You’ll get a lot of really good Lebanese food everywhere in DC,” says Majed Saadi, who co-owns Villa Yara with Ramzi Iskandar (who worked at Lebanese Taverna in DC before starting Iskandar Restaurant Group). “But that nostalgia hit, that’s our goal. To take you for an hour or two to Lebanon and make you experience the food there and the presentation and stories behind it.”
Villa Yara’s executive chef Layla Iskandar, who is also Ramzi’s mother, is the conduit for the sophisticated homespun Lebanese fare that’s become Villa Yara’s calling card. What makes her food so special, she says, is nafas, which means spirit (it literally translates to ‘breath’ in Arabic). It’s why two people can make the same dish using the same ingredients, but the different hands make the dish taste differently.
Biting into Iskandar’s kibbeh nearly moves me to tears—I could swear my sita’s hands had mixed the spiced ground beef and bulgur and added extra pine nuts to the filling. Reaching for additional warm pita to scoop up velvety kibbeh nayyeh (bulgur-steak tartare) and comparing notes on the best dips and meat combinations (the muhammara, a zesty red pepper dip, with makanek, or lamb sausage was a winner), I think, These are my people.
But as much as tradition is a through-line for DC Lebanese restaurants, innovation is a very Lebanese trait—which is why chefs like Massoud are pushing the cuisine into new territory. Massoud had initially considered Miami for a second location of ilili (the first opened in NYC in 2007). But then came a prospect at The Wharf, a waterfront DC neighborhood, giving Massoud an opportunity to share his approach to Lebanese cuisine with a city that had both formed strong opinions about hummus and tabbouleh, and had been primed for new culinary experiences. “When I saw the space at The Wharf I really thought I could do something spectacular there,” Massoud says. “It brought back all the most beautiful memories I had of Lebanon which was the sea, the sunsets, the beautiful light. And as we went into designing the restaurant we decided to replicate the culture of an old home in Beirut.”
The décor touches are as thoughtful as they are chic, like blue floor tiles and hand-embroidered upholstery sourced from Lebanese artisans, but the result is less replica and more modern Architectural Digest. Within the glass walls, you can also dine in a courtyard anchored by a burbling limestone fountain wreathed by citrus trees, and there are both classic mezze and sophisticated yet playful riffs: hummus topped with Maryland crab-falafel, smoked beets complemented by whipped labneh and burrata, duck shawarma to tuck into pita pillows, and Bluefin tuna nayyeh, plated with pomegranate broth, cured cherry plumcots, and smoked jalapeño. There are large format dishes that add to the communal dining experience inherent to a Lebanese meal, including a mixed grill platter with chicken shish taouk, beef kebab, kafta, and lamb chops, served with accoutrements like Lebanese salsa verde, lemon, toum, and harissa.
“We’re in it to really make a difference and tell a story,” Massoud says. “It’s a lot more than just a financial transaction when it comes to being a Lebanese restaurant. Because you’re by default, often, the cultural ambassador to that heritage.”
I live in Virginia, but I made this trip to DC because I was craving a connection to my maternal heritage. I knew that I’d be well fed, but I hadn’t realized how much I was searching for a sense of belonging. I board the train home laden with pita, kibbeh, and baklava in a tote bag—nourished, in every way.