The Most Flavorful Turkish in Washington

Cafe Divan

★★★★☆ 3.5 (433) • $$

"We shared a chicken sandwich and pide (Turkish pizza) along with some Turkish mint tea. The food tasted good and the chicken was juicy even before adding some yogurt sauce. There were a bunch of other things I would happily try next time when in the area."

Akivva Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (133) • $$

"This place was walking distance from our stay in Washington D.C. so we stopped by for lunch after checking out. Akivva is a Mediterranean and Turkish spot that serves bowls (Chipotle style) and pide (pronounced pea-day) which is a Turkish flatbread pizza. I had never had pide before so I was curious to see what I was walking into!We ordered the custom bowl ($12.50) and the meat lovers pide ($13.50). For the bowl you choose your base, protein, and toppings. The bowl was super flavorful and the ingredients were fresh. The garlic cream was super garlicky like others have mentioned here. It was so garlicky I still tasted it in my mouth hours later. The hummus was really good and had a lot of cumin flavor. Our favorite was definitely the pide though. The bread and crust were soft unlike American pizza with a hard crust and bottom. There was a variety of meats like their sujuk smoked sausage and was loaded with cheese. It was very oily and was seeping out onto the tray but it was fantastic and the flavors were delicious. Along with the two dishes we also got complimentary fresh bread. It was so warm and soft and we loved dipping it into the hummus.What we walked into was something delicious. I was thoroughly surprised with everything we ate and the service was great as well. I wish they had more locations around the country and some closer to me. My tip: get the pide!"

Eerkin's Uyghur Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4 (320) • $$

"Great authentic Uyghur food and nice service. Noodles here are perfectly al dente, which gets 6 stars out of 5 for me!! My friends and I had the following dishes:- Eggplant salad - great and tasty- Uyghur lamb kebab - amazing!! Very tender, succulent, and flavorful. Definitely a must-get. - Eerkin's butter naan - buttery and lightly flavorful- Depanchi (with chicken) - great noodle dish, and the potatoes were soooo soft and tender (so good om nom nom). - Chop fried soman (with lamb) - the noodles were cut up in small diced pieces, which was a unique sight (and texture) for me. Tasted just like noodles but with completely different texture. Delicious and a delightful novelty."

Rosemary's Thyme Bistro

★★★★☆ 3.8 (237) • $$

"Not great, not terrible. More than likely will not return. The seafood pappardelle pasta was meh."

Agora DC

★★★★☆ 4 • $$$

"We went for the restaurant week brunch and were not disappointed. It's a bottomless brunch with too many options to choose from. We loved all the mezze, but were not as great as we anticipated. I personally loved the labneh, tzatziki and baba ganoush. The service was excellent though, and they kept the food coming. The place also has a lot of natural enough space so that you can have your individual conversation without overhearing everyone else. I definitely get the appeal!"

Yayla Bistro

★★★★★ 4.5 (726) • $$

"Came here with Mom and her next door neighbors. I made a reservation for a Tuesday night, but it was completely unnecessary, as the place was very empty. Free limited parking in the garage next door. Our server was very nice, he could see that we were all chatting and was not intrusive with taking our orders. We ordered drinks, appetizers, and our main all at separate times while we gabbed away. The mezze platter was very good, and a great way to share 'tapas style' and get a sample of different tastes. My main was the kofta (very generous portions). I loved the couscous, everything was perfectly spiced and seasoned. My companions said their moussaka and manti were excellent. Dessert, of which I did not partake, they say was good. They had all been to Maya Bistro as well, but agreed it is slightly better at Yayla.The only negative was at the beginning of the night, when one of the owners/employees was walking back and forth through the dining room in a T-shirt and baseball cap talking loudly on the phone. I understood it was about an issue about equipment in the kitchen; not deducting stars for it, but there's a time and place for that stuff."

Istanbul Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.5 (68) • $$

"I first met Ferida at the Rosslyn Farmers Market in 2020. I've been a huge fan of her food and business, Ozfeka Catering, ever since! When I moved to Ballston, I continued to buy from the Ozfeka table at the Ballston farmers market.I was super happy to see Istanbul Kitchen open its doors after hearing Ferida speak about her ambitions for the restaurant before she had even found a location. Every time I go to Tysons Corner Center, this is my go-to for food and sweets. I love how open the space is, but still ensconced from the noises of the mall. Whether you come across Ozfeka at a farmers market or go to Istanbul Kitchen, I highly recommend the burek, kofte, tzatziki, babaganoush, Zucchini Fritters, almond cookies, and çai."

Capital Doner Shawarma Gyro

★★★★☆ 4.3 (115) • $$

"Very cosy place! And friendly Turkish staff! If you like kebap, you can try İskender Kebap here for sure!I really enjoyed it. The presentation also very ethnic and nice!Iskender one of traditional Turkish dish!Lentil soup also Turkish traditional starter. Taste wasn't bad. But I prefer thicker. This wasn't my favorite!Nice patio! But they need better vent! Because unfortunately after I had the meal, all my clothes and hair was smell :(Yes but for Iskender I think I can take it:)"

Kolbeh Turkish Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.6 (50)

"Everything here is a 10 out of 10 100% authentic Turkish cuisine I can eat here every day. I would recommend this place to anybody and everybody."

Sofra

★★★★★ 4.5 (32)

"SOFRA is a newer Turkish restaurant in the AdMo area.We came here for an earlier lunch, as we had read that they source their lamb from MD and all their breads are baked in-house.Looking over the menu, we knew we wanted to try some apps as well as some of their kebap entrees:+Fried Vegetables - with potatoes, eggplant, and zucchini, served with yogurt and tomato sauce+Falafel - served with hummus+a Sigara Borek - filled with white cheese and parsley+the Grilled Chicken Wings +Lamb Chops +and, the Adana - ground beef and lamb on skewersThe kebap were cooked on charcoal grill, which provided that extra flavor; these entrees were served with rice and a tablaci salad (prepared with tomatoes, parsley, onions, sumac, garlic, and pomegranate molasses).The staff were friendly and attentive, and the interior of this place is cozy and intimate, with dim lighting.+offering Turkish cuisine+friendly service"

O Kabul

★★★★☆ 4.1 (14)

"O kabul was a good casual place for casual middle eastern food. It's a small place so you can ordernto eat there, but it's more of a lunch counter vibe. They do cook everything fresh, but I get the sense they get a lot of to go orders so it may be best to call in your order early. I got the combination platter with lamb kebab and chicken kebab to split. It was great to share for two people, but I would recommend getting an appetizer to share or dessert so you feel satisfied. I will say the entree was good, but it needed some sauce to bring the meal together as the rice is pretty dry. The cheese filo appetizer was excellent and I could eat those all day. A great casual dinner place that Bloomingdale definitely needed!"

Moda Cafe and Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (64) • $$

"Last night I had a chance to visit Moda Cafe and restaurant for dinner. It's located a little west of highway 50 (Lee Jackson highway) and 28 intersection. There are about half a dozen other businesses in the same complex, all share the same parking lot. We reached there at around 7 PM and found parking a little away from the restaurant. The place was pretty busy and we had to wait at the front door for about 7 minutes before the server got us seated. As soon as you enter the place, you find yourself in an upscale eatery with seating arrangements in a variety of styles. The place is decorated in modern Middle Eastern style appealing to your eyes. The cafe showcasing various pastries is located on the left hand side of the restaurant for people to walk to and place an order. If you are there for a dining experience, you will have to wait for seating. We were a party of five and were given seats in the right hand corner. We ordered the Trio burgers (3 mini burgers) for the kids which comes with a small basket of fries. Although we added another order of fries but realized that one order was enough for three kids once we received the food. We also ordered their Anatolian meat sampler, which has a variety of chicken, lamb and beef kabobs and chops variety. The burgers came out early and the meat platter was served a little bit later. I was delighted by the nice arrangement of the food but wanted to put it for taste test before giving out my final verdict. I must say, it's one of the best kabobs I've tasted in a long time. The chicken was not charred, yet cooked to perfection all the way inside. So were the lamb and beef kabobs. It had a tomato and a white sauce, that was made fresh and added the flavor to perfection. Overall I was very impressed by the place, its ambiance, their service, the appearance of the food, the quality of the food and its taste. I usually keep my 5 stars for the very best places but am inclined to give it away for this place. I think it's a great addition to the Virginia culinary scene. Best of luck and please maintain this standard."

Lezzet - Centreville

★★★★★ 4.5 (177) • $$

"Got this to go from Uber eats so I'm very surprised that they got the order correct, but thankful they did. This Mediterranean restaurant has decent food. Their moussaka is a very large portion and comes with a side salad. It's very flavorful and I would order it again. However I wish they had an option for salad dressing with their side salad; The side salad wasn't too great without it.I also got the lezzett cigars appetizer which is fried phyllo dough rolled and stuffed with feta cheese. These were decent as well and I enjoyed them. I ordered rice pilaf as a side and unfortunately it had absolutely no flavor, I definitely need to try the bulgur pilaf instead next time. Overall the order was right, it was fresh and hot when it arrived and it was pretty good. I will come back but need to try some other items on the menu before deciding on if I'd regularly eat here."

Cafe Zevian

★★★★★ 4.7 (11)

"Cyndy's Bottom Line: Delicious Mediterranean food in Falls Church*Walk ins welcomed for lunch *Reservations on TOCK*Hours: Mon-Fri : 7.30 AM- 10.00PMSat-Sun (Brunch) : 10.00 AM - 9.30 PM*Serving Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner*Credit cards accepted *A gratuity of 22% will be charged for a party of (6) or more.*Street parking and garage*Available for private functionsI went to the newly opened Cafe Zevian for lunch craving a doner kebab like the one that I had in Berlin. The menu is good for not only lunch but also breakfast and dinner. The restaurant is spacious, great decor and ambiance. Nicely appointed seating with large windows.This is what we ate:+Complimentary bread and spicy tomato dip. Yummy+Doner sandwich -Turkish dish of veal and lamb marinated for about 12 hrs, cooked on a vertical rotisserie with tomatoes and fresh green peppers.*The doner kebab is so tasty delicious. The veal and lamb so robust in flavor, tender and perfectly assembled in the lightly grilled thin flatbread. Delish!! I can't wait to eat another one!+Sarma -Grape Leaves stuffed with rice, served with fresh lettuce, pomegranate and lemon.*Beautifully plated and well executed. The rice in the grape leaves so flavorful, the lettuce perfectly chopped and dressed. The pomegranate adds a burst of sweetness, followed by a subtle tartness. Fresh and delicious!+Turkish tea -a strong, full-bodied black tea served piping hot in small tulip-shaped glasses, accompanied by sugar and a yummy cookie.*Love the flavor of Turkish tea. *Friendly & attentive service.*Highly recommend!"

Agora Tysons

★★★★☆ 4.1 (541) • $$

"The brunch was delicious. All of the dips and pita bread or a must try. The parfait was yummy too. I am definitely going back."

Jyve Turkey

★★★★☆ 3.5 (19)

"Do you want a flavorful meal? Ready to start eating healthy but not sure what to eat? You gotta try this new spot! I'm not a Turkey person I must say. But I love supporting new Black Owned Businesses. So I came to Jyve Turkey yesterday for the first time! The decor was inviting and conversation sparking. Clean and fresh smelling and looking. Staff 10/10 very sweet and even brought me a menu to my car when she saw I was waiting for them to open them she gave me very good advice and direction on the menu. ( what's good) I had: Turkey Burger with all the toppings ( lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup and mayo, grilled onions) combo with garlic mashed red potatoes. 10/10Hubby : Turkey chops with gravy and peppers dinner 10/10 We also had the sweet potato pie 10/10 and sweet potato pound cake 9/10 ( wasn't sweet and was a tad dry but good) We came back today for the Turkey burgers again!!! This time we had collard greens 9/10 and the string beans 9/10! Remember what I said? I don't do Turkey but this was GOODT! Looks like I do Turkey now, but only from Jyve Turkey"

Kazan Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 (221) • $$

"Authentic Turkish mom and pop restaurant with lots of meaty options and great homey service. Highly recommend the lentil soup!Vegetable Musakka (3/5) - Left more to be desired. The roasted eggplant topped with a coat of melted cheese was tasty, the mixed vegetables of green beans, carrots, corn, peas were out of a frozen box and a miss. The fresh medley of vegetables would really elevate the flavor. While the Eggplant Moussaka was a miss, there were plenty of sides that rounded out the meal equipped with lentil soup, pita, and a side salad with delicious dressing! The staff is super nice and kindly swapped out the rice pilaf for the lentil soup - glad I asked for it! The lentil soup is a puree full of flavor with a generous serving. Would be nice to see more vegetarian dishes on the menu. If you're looking for authentic Turkish food, try Kazan!"

Smyrna Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.7 (145) • $$

"I found myself on the hunt for a bite to eat for lunch and stumbled across this Mediterranean spot. It is located in a strip mall, so parking to eat here is not an issue. They have a few tables out front for customers to eat and an modest dining area as well. The staff there is very friendly. The menu is limited and to be honest, I had no idea what most of the items were. I had to look a pictures to get an idea. They serve items such as wraps, hummus, tzazitki, babagannush, falafel, Greek potatoes, Brussel sprouts, calamari, aegean kebab, lamb chops, Keftedes, manti, fasulia, and Mousakka. If you are looking for some adult beverages, they also have a decent beer and wine selection. They have an express lunch special that I took advantage of that I had to pick three courses to complete my meal. I had the Greek salad (1st course), chicken souvlaki (2nd course), and balaclava (3rd course). The food was really good, but it was a smaller lunch version of the regular entree.This is not a fast food place. This is a chill spot that flirts on the verge of being a high end joint. It is a bit pricy, but offers some good food and quality service. I recommend checking this place out."

Diyanet Center of America

★★★★☆ 4.4 (19)

"Delicious food and and friendly service. Adana kabob was soft and juicy, as was the chicken sandwich.Great view of the beautiful mosque from the restaurant as well!"

Janti Cafe

★★★★★ 4.6 (43)

"I had some time to kill, and decided to pop in here for an afternoon iced coffee. It was delish! I also got an almond croissant that was delicious. I got another coffee on my way out. I will definitely be back if I'm in the neighborhood! There are a few small tables inside and a couple outside as well. Prices are very fair. Highly recommend!"

Zaytinya

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$$

"This is my favorite restaurant in DC. I've booked an office dinner here and was treated well in the upstairs space. This last time I came for restaurant week lunch for $35. The online restaurant week menu is different from the printed menu in the restaurant. The labneh is always my favorite. The brussels sprouts were perfection. Each dish was beautifully presented and packed with fresh, vibrant flavors. The warm fresh bread was amazing.The falafel was a disappointment because it was tiny which means most of it is the crispy outside and little of the flavorful inside. My friend got the salmon and I compared the size of her food, and how filling that makes her, and how she had to box it up to take home because her second entry the chicken filled her up. You can't compare a salmon steak to falafel, its not comparable. They should have had a better third course for vegetarians that is more filling. Falafal is street food in the middle east and so cheap to make. For desert I got the olive oil cake which was an embarrassment. Also I follow all the wonderful work World Central Kitchen does and after their volunteers were deliberately bombed and Jose spoke out against it, his restaurant should stop selling wine from the country that murdered his volunteers."

Maya Bistro

★★★★★ 4.8 (175) • $$

"My husband and I are both Turkish, so I decided to find a Turkish restaurant while we were visiting DC to enjoy for his birthday. The original restaurants I picked did not serve döner on the day we wanted to go, so I had to find a place that served his second favorite- Mantı. I was in it solely for the Pide, especially as a vegetarian. I also ordered the fried cauliflower with cacık (yogurt sauce) instead of tahini... and it was wonderful! In fact, I thought MY food was so good, that I ordered it for delivery again the next night! My husband and I both agreed that we didn't care too much for the lahmacun, (yes, the vegetarian tried a BITE because I had to... It's in my blood.) but the Pide was baked perfectly. I could taste a hint of feta or a sharp cheese inside, but just enough to add the perfect amount of flavor! Dining in was a calm atmosphere, but my husband and I were dealing with a few family issues at the time so our visit was cut short. I wish it wouldn't have been, because I wanted to stick around for coffee and dessert! I did manage to order Künefe to go, and it was really good too. Not the first restaurant I had in mind, but definitely a cute little hidden gem. Go support this small business, solely for the Pide!"

Istanbul Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (283) • $$

"Cool interior with Turkish design. Service is super nice as well. The food was delicious. I enjoyed the cold mezze platter with dips, especially the hummus. The doner kebap was flavorful and portions were well sized for the price"

Ottoman Taverna

★★★★☆ 4.3 (852) • $$

"Lovely atmosphere and very tasty food! We enjoyed a spread with a bunch of their items. The salmon was especially delicious as was the rice pudding! Service was very friendly!"