Bistro Aracosia
Bistro Aracosia
Marinated and charbroiled lamb shoulder chops, lamb rib chops, lamb tenderloin and beef tenderloin, served with spicy fresh herb chutney
Marinated and charbroiled salmon, ground beef, beef tenderloin and lamb rib chop, served with avocado yogurt
Aushak, mantu, baadenjaan, kadoo, topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne Vegetarian option available
Afghan bread topped with a minced beef and lentil qorma, yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Roasted eggplant topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Butternut squash topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Julienne carrots cooked with brown sugar and cardamom, chilled and tossed with fresh citrus
Stuffed with potatoes and leeks, fried until crisp, served with a side of avocado yogurt
Stuffed with slow cooked greens, fried until crisp, served with a side of avocado yogurt
Stuffed with butternut squash, fried until crisp, served with a side of garlic yogurt
Stuffed with mushrooms, fried until crisp, served with a side of avocado yogurt
Stuffed with a minced beef and lentil qorma, fried until crisp, topped with powdered sugar and cardamom
Steamed and stuffed with butternut squash, topped with a minced beef and lentil qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Steamed and stuffed with leeks and scallions, topped with a minced beef and lentil qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Steamed and stuffed with spicy minced beef, topped with a carrot and pea qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Steamed and stuffed with slow-cooked greens, topped with a spicy bean medley qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Steamed and stuffed with mushrooms, topped with a spicy bean medley qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Marinated and charbroiled ground beef, served with cucumber and dill yogurt
Marinated and charbroiled, served with cucumber and dill yogurt
Marinated and charbroiled ground beef, mixed greens and spicy herb ketchup on a toasted brioche bun with a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Marinated and charbroiled ground beef with mixed greens, spicy herb chutney and avocado yogurt in a lavash wrap, with a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Marinated and charbroiled chicken breast with mixed greens, spicy herb chutney and avocado yogurt in a lavash wrap, with a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Marinated and charbroiled salmon with mixed greens, spicy herb chutney and avocado yogurt in a lavash wrap, with a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Minced beef, lentils, chickpeas and mung beans, topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint, cayenne and fresh dill
Mixed greens, bell peppers, tomatoes, croutons, bleu cheese crumbles and walnuts, tossed in a balsamic dressing
Mixed greens, bell peppers, tomatoes and croutons, tossed in a balsamic dressing
Braised bone-in lamb shank served with saffron infused basmati rice and slow cooked greens, topped with fresh dill
Braised bone-in lamb shank served with seasoned rice topped with carrots and raisins and a side of roasted eggplant topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Braised bone-in lamb shank served with spicy short grain rice, chickpeas, lentils and kidney beans topped with fresh dill
Steamed and stuffed with leeks and scallions, topped with a minced beef and lentil qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Steamed and stuffed with butternut squash, topped with a minced beef and lentil qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne Vegetarian option available
Steamed and stuffed with spicy minced beef, topped with a carrot and pea qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Boneless chicken thigh in a garlic yogurt based stew, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless chicken thigh in a garlic yogurt based stew with slow cooked greens, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless chicken thigh in a garlic yogurt based stew with diced tomatoes, topped with fresh basil, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless chicken thigh in a yogurt based stew infused with saffron, lemon and fresh dill, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless chicken thigh in a spicy tomato based stew with eggplant, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless chicken thigh in a spicy tomato based stew with eggplant and garam masala, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless chicken thigh in a sweet and spicy tomato based stew, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Bone-in braised lamb shank in a spicy tomato based stew with eggplant, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Bone-in braised lamb shank in a spicy tomato based stew with slow cooked greens, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless veal in a garlic yogurt based stew, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless veal in a garlic yogurt based stew with mushrooms, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless veal in a garlic yogurt based stew with slow cooked greens and mushrooms, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless veal in a garlic yogurt based stew with diced tomatoes, topped with fresh basil, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless veal in a spicy tomato based stew with chickpeas, garam masala and cinnamon, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless veal in a spicy tomato based stew with eggplant, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Boneless veal in a spicy tomato based stew with eggplant and garam masala, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Marinated and charbroiled, served with qabuli rice and a side of roasted eggplant topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Marinated and charbroiled lamb rib chops, served with seasoned rice and a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Marinated and charbroiled, served with qabuli rice and a side of roasted eggplant topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Marinated and charbroiled lamb rib and shoulder chops, served with qabuli rice and a side of roasted eggplant topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Marinated and charbroiled lamb tenderloin, lamb rib and shoulder chops, served with qabuli rice and a side of roasted eggplant topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Marinated and charbroiled lamb rib chops and beef tenderloin, served with qabuli rice and a side of roasted eggplant topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Marinated and charbroiled, served with qabuli rice and a side of roasted eggplant topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Marinated and charbroiled, served with seasoned rice and a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Marinated and charbroiled, served with seasoned rice, saffron rice and a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Marinated and charbroiled, served with saffron rice and a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Marinated and charbroiled, served with seasoned rice, saffron rice and a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Marinated and charbroiled, served with saffron rice and a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Marinated and charbroiled, served with saffron rice and a side of a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Marinated and charbroiled, served with saffron rice and a side of slow cooked greens topped with fresh dill
Marinated and charbroiled salmon and beef tenderloin, served with seasoned rice, saffron rice and a side of roasted eggplant topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Roasted eggplant in a spicy tomato based stew with eggplant, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Roasted eggplant in a spicy tomato based stew with eggplant and garam masala, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Slow cooked greens in a spicy tomato based stew with eggplant and garam masala, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Slow cooked greens in a garlic yogurt based stew with slow cooked greens, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Spicy chickpeas in a garlic yogurt based stew with mushrooms, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Spicy chickpeas in a garlic yogurt based stew with slow cooked greens and mushrooms, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron infused basmati rice
Spicy tomato based chickpea qorma with garam masala and cinnamon, topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron rice
Roasted eggplant topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne, served with saffron rice
Butternut squash topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne, served with saffron rice
Slow cooked spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip leaves and cilantro, topped with fresh dill, served with saffron rice
Four variations of our vegetables: sabzi, nakhoud, kadoo and baadenjaan, served with qabuli rice
Spicy short grain rice, chickpeas, lentils and kidney beans topped with fresh dill, accompanied with sides of roasted eggplant and butternut squash topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Steamed and stuffed with leeks and scallions, topped with a carrot and pea qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Steamed and stuffed with butternut squash, topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Steamed and stuffed with mushrooms, topped with a spicy bean medley qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Steamed and stuffed with slow-cooked greens, topped with a spicy bean medley qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Spicy tomato based stew with okra topped with fresh cilantro, served with saffron rice
Marinated and charbroiled portobello mushroom, zucchini, onions and tomatoes, served with saffron rice and a side of a spicy tomato based chickpea qorma, topped with fresh cilantro
Spicy tomato based chickpea qorma with garam masala and cinnamon, topped with fresh cilantro
Roasted eggplant topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Spicy lentils topped with fresh dill
Slow cooked spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip leaves and cilantro, topped with fresh dill
Butternut squash topped with garlic yogurt, dried mint and cayenne
Seasoned basmati rice topped with julienne carrots & raisins
Seasoned basmati rice
Saffron infused basmati rice
Mini Taste of Aracosia - Chicken Sabzi Lawaan, Rumi's Veal, Lamb Chops, Beef Tenderloin, Nakhoud, Kadoo, Banjaan, Daal
Rice pudding
Pomegranate and cardamom tea
Dumpling Assortment - Spicy Beef, Leek & Scallion, Pumpkin
Indoor seating
Sweet and juicy sliced mango
Dining room
Lamb Shank Moghuli
Assorted Dumplings
The complete menu
Lamb tenderloin
Potato & Leek Turnovers
Qabuli Combination Platter
food
salads, food
Salmon kabob
Dining Room
Store front
From outside a simple enough look. But inside, everything exceeds one's expectations!!
Sauces and bread
Store front
Michael C.
Dec 30, 2024
Wow. And again, Wow.This is without a doubt the best Afghani restaurant in the greater DC area. Great digs, great service and wonderful food. I am normally quite chatty in my review, but this time, I'm going to let the food do that talking for me. I do want to highly recommend the Pumpkin Dumpling and the Saamarooq Dumpling appetizers. Amazing!We visited on a cold January night for the first time. Then again on a lovely Spring evening, and a hot summer late afternoon and again as the leaves turned in the Fall. Oh my, this is food is for all seasons!
Read More
Joshua K.
Dec 22, 2024
A fantastic Afghani restaurant in DC! Although on the expensive side, the portion sizes, were large, the service and ambiance were fantastic, and the food was delicious. I recently went here for a weekend dinner with two friends and we were seated soon after our scheduled reservation time. We were able to order and receive our food in a timely manner despite a nearly full restaurant. Bistro Aracosia provided complementary Afghani bread and dips to start off the meal. The bread was fresh and delicious and the dips flavorful-I especially liked the mango-based sauce. I got the Spicy Shinwari Karahi as my main and loved it. The lamb was perfectly cooked and seasoned, falling off the bone. The lamb paired perfectly with the fresh-baked bread and had excellent spice levels. The onions added excellent freshness and crunch. I would highly recommend Bistro Aracosia for your next night out!
Read More
Una D.
Dec 21, 2024
I'll preface this by saying I'm not the biggest fan of this type of cuisine, kabobs in particular. This used to be the old listronis which I used to love but unfortunately they closed. This is a Afghan joint. It's been around for at least a decade. Brittany, okay. Solid food. Nothing spectacular and it certainly not meeting my price expectations given the rent in the area. I understand but the food really needs to be amazing for me to justify those prices. Parking is on the street and service there are no issues. Everything on the inside was clean.
Read More
Jose P.
Dec 6, 2024
Came here for a late lunch/early dinner. Always love Mediterranean food since it mostly gluten free. We sat outside as it was a nice day and the service was good. I had a steak kabob which I enjoyed. The sauces were good although a few were too much on the sweet side. Overall this is a nice place for Mediterranean food in the Palisades.
Read More
Ken S.
Dec 4, 2024
KenScale: 8.0/10Visit: October 2023Throughout our culinary journey together, my wife Jun and I have tried so many delicious dishes from all over the world. One cuisine that has escaped us was that of Afghanistan. Perhaps due to the country's history of tragedy from the Soviet invasion in the late 1970s through the rule of the Taliban (with the post-9/11 U.S. invasion and occupation in between) that made the country inaccessible to most outsiders, Afghan cuisine does not seem to have found a footing in the United States (at least in big cities, but I am happy to be corrected on this one) as prominent as, say, Middle Eastern or Indian from countries nearby. What our recent visit to Bistro Aracosia has taught us, however, is that Afghanistan's food should be much celebrated with enthusiasm for its diversity of influences and flat-out delicious dishes. When we sat down and started browsing the menu at Aracosia (we visited the original DC location but the restaurant has another location in McLean, VA), we were quickly overwhelmed by the number of dishes. We pleaded our server for help and she suggested that we try the Complete Taste of Aracosia tasting menu at a generous price of $50 per person. After we chose that option, we were greeted with an assortment of dumplings. Jun, having tasted delicious dumplings from all parts of Asia, initially looked at these dumplings with skeptical eyes but was immediately won over after she got a bite of leek and scallion dumpling. Other dumplings with spicy beef and pumpkin inside, respectively, were also quite delicious and set a great tone for what's to come. The subsequent assortment of dishes, called Mini Taste of Aracosia, turned out to a great introduction to Afghan cuisine. You get solid meat dishes like the skillfully grilled lamb chops and boneless chicken thigh in a garlic yogurt-based stew, but it was really in the vegetable section that we ended up focusing, from chickpeas to squash to lentils, all in different types of stew with aromatic flavor. We were so preoccupied with digging into these smaller plates that we barely had room for the larger lamb shank in spicy tomato-based stew that came separately. What we discovered from Aracosia was how diverse the Afghan cuisine was in the flavor of dishes; Jun remarked that she was able to taste a bit of Middle East and a bit of India here and there to create a distinct culinary identity and I couldn't agree more. After our feast, we ended our meal with a light milk pudding called firni with rose water and cardamom that offered a nice break to our palate after all the rich, savory dishes. Getting a reservation at Aracosia won't be terribly difficult as long as you plan a few days ahead; the restaurant was pretty much packed by the time we finished our early dinner, so I do suggest booking in advance if possible. There is a full bar with a surprisingly diverse wine list and playful cocktails using ingredients used in the country's cooking. I also liked the décor of the restaurant with colorful photos of Afghan people back in the days that made me wonder what the country's capital Kabul would've looked like back when it was a thriving city. Aracosia is a great introduction to explore Afghan cuisine, and Jun and I are happy to go back again (or even order delivery) to try more dishes in the near future.
Read More
Monica W.
Sep 10, 2024
My normal place was closed, so I tried out this spot. I opted for delivery because who wants to drive into the city on Sunday/first pro football day of 2024? I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED! The food was perfect! I opted for vegetarian dishes so I could take them to work throughout the week with the middle eastern meatballs I had already prepared. The pairing and flavors were amazing. Would I order from therm again? ABSOLUTELY!
Read More
Stephen J.
Jun 20, 2024
The renown ambiance, service and food are a must culinary experience for a foodie. The Qabuli Combination Platter is my favorite meal and is vegetarian with a vegan option. The platter consists of a heaping helping of four variations of traditional Afghan vegetables: sabzi, nakhoud, kadoo and baadenjaan, served with qabuli rice. I ordered the green tea with cardamon pot for the table. The tea was great and loose leaf. Treat yourself!
Read More
Megan K.
Jan 6, 2024
We made reservations on January 2nd, forgetting that DC is empty over the holidays. But any other time, even on a Tuesday, this place would be packed more than it already was, deservedly! So, reservations recommended. The place is warm and cozy. We were seated in the back room, which was quiet and the lighting was perfect for being bright enough to read the menu but not too bright that I could see what was in everyone else's plates on other tables.The wait staff were very attentive and shared tables (so someone was always making sure we were taken care of). One gentleman helped us pronounce the menu items with patience. Kudos to him for reinforcing our wanting to learn!We had the Kichir-e-Quroot (eggplant) special and Afghania Nakhoud Chalou, as well as the best side dish, Qabuli Rice (with carrots and raisins). Husband ordered beer and I had cardamom green tea (so good). To wrap up the evening, I had the sheer birinj rice pudding with pistachios on top. Nice and cold, too!The tab came in under $100 before tip, which was a nice surprise considering how much food we took home to eat the next day! We will definitely be back!
Read More
Kelsey S.
Sep 29, 2024
Phenomenal!We did the tasting menu and our favorites were: pumpkin dumplings, veal, butternut squash, beef kabobs and lamb.Service was great too!
Read More
Jordan N.
Dec 2, 2023
This restaurant is a great spot to get a sample of Afghani cuisine, as there are more than one option to taste a plethora of dishes this place offers. Friendly service, great menu, delicious food, and good selection of wines. My least favorite part of the meal was the dessert - there may be better, but what I had was similar to the more ubiquitous tres leches cake. I recommend trying something else - but otherwise the meal was worthwhile.The manti (dumplings) are delicate and worth ordering, for sure.
Read More
