Zaytinya

The story

Zaytinya Washington DC: Turkish, Greek and Lebanese Mezze with a Michelin Bib Gourmand

Zaytinya, at 701 Ninth St. N.W. in Washington, DC, is a Mediterranean restaurant serving Turkish, Greek and Lebanese small plates. The 2026 Michelin Bib Gourmand recognizes its good quality, good value cooking. The room is built for sharing mezze, and the menu follows the Eastern Mediterranean traditions behind each dish.

The kitchen

James Beard Award-winning chef José Andrés directs the menu, which starts from authentic ingredients and traditional techniques. The kitchen takes classical Turkish, Greek and Lebanese cooking and turns it into original, unexpected dishes. Small plates are the point here, so a drink, a few mezze and some conversation make up a typical evening.

On the table

Spreads such as hommus and baba ghannouge anchor the meal, and the grilled Mediterranean octopus comes with marinated onions, capers and yellow split pea purée. Drinks lean into the menu's flavors too, including a cocktail of lemon lavender mint tea-infused vodka with Aperol, vanilla, lime and grapefruit. Dishes change between locations, so ask your server what is currently on the menu in Washington.

Wine and the room

Zaytinya earned a 2014 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, and the restaurant lists an interesting wine list with wine pairing options. Outdoor seating and air conditioning are both available, and the space takes large groups and private parties.