Perched on a busy corner in Washington, D.C.’s buzzy Navy Yard neighborhood, warm light pours out of Albi’s floor-to-ceiling windows offering a tantalizing glimpse into its hearth-powered kitchen and artfully arranged dining room punctuated with greenery. Stepping inside, you’re gracefully enveloped by the whiffs of woodsmoke and caramelizing meats, as bubbling conversations mix with the whirling, swirling playlist and efficient hum of the staff.
Helmed by Michael Rafidi, winner of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef and the RAMMY Award for Chef of the Year from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, Albi specializes in fine dining-minded progressive Levantine cuisine that honors tradition while keeping an eye on the future and staying grounded in a farm-to-table ethos. Along with Rafidi’s own modern-Levantine inspired creations, the menu is punctuated with cheffy renditions of dishes he learned to make from his Palestinian family, including sfeeha (open-faced meat pies), dawali (stuffed grape leaves), and knafeh (syrup-soaked dessert of cheese topped with crunchy pastry threads). Dishes are built on key ingredients sourced from Palestine – olive oil, sumac, tahini, and za’atar – while the wine list by wine director William Simmons—winner of the Michelin Guide’s Washington DC’s 2024 Sommelier of the Year award—showcases notable bottles from throughout the Levant.
Guests in the main dining room can order a la carte or opt for the sofra menu, a chef-guided tasting experience highlighting the best ingredients of the season. Those who book the two hearth tables in the kitchen (each seating two or three diners) are treated to an exclusive tasting menu as they get a front row seat to the action and enjoy frequent interactions with the chefs.
