Why Yellow In Georgetown Is Worth The Visit

Considering visiting YELLOW Georgetown? Here’s what to know before you go to Chef Michael Rafidi’s Washington, DC cafe!

If you are like us, finding the cutest posts in any given city for a quick bite is an important skill. When Dane suggested we visit YELLOW in Georgetown, my interest was immediately piqued. We had walked past the small cafe a few times, but all of them were on weekends. Admittedly, it was always packed with lots of people sitting both inside and outside, as well as a line out the door. Clearly people knew something we didn’t! On a recent weekday when we both had off, Dane and I headed down to YELLOW to see what it was all about.

YELLOW Georgetown: My Honest Review

Sometimes it’s better for me to know nothing about where we are going besides: it’s good. That’s how I felt walking into YELLOW. But if you’re wondering…it’s a Levantine cafe that opened in Georgetown in 2022. The breakfast menu isn’t huge, but there are plenty of delicious options to consider and they’re divided into sweet and savory. It’s also a quick-serve operation so you go to the counter and order as opposed to sitting down and getting a waiter or waitress.

Who owns YELLOW Georgetown?

YELLOW is owned by Chef Michael Rafidi. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because he also owns the award-winning restaurant “Albi” which is located in Navy Yard (another area of Washington, DC if you aren’t local). When YELLOW opened, Rafidi brought on Ayat Elhag to oversee the cafe’s coffee program that celebrates all the classics of Arabic coffee (think Ahweh Sada) there are specialty coffees like Baklava Mocha and Halva Honey. 

I didn’t know where to begin, so I asked the cashier what gets ordered the most. He recommended the Baklava Twice Baked Croissant and the Baklava Mocha drink, so I ordered both. A baklava double header, if you will. Dane ordered the Harissa Egg, which is an egg inside a croissant, and the Halva and Raspberry Cruffin, which I can only describe as raspberry jam inside a croissant muffin covered in sugar. The prices are average for DC. We got three food items and two coffees for $40, plus tip.

The menu offers more than bakery items for breakfast, including breakfast sandwiches. At lunch it shifts to items like wood-fired pizzas. We saw the (perfectly on brand) yellow tiled pizza oven and I am already thinking about which one I’d like to order.

If you’re thinking “Wow, that seems like a lot of money for bakery items and coffee” — that’s where you’re wrong. YELLOW is an experience and you feel it as soon as you step inside. The space is thoughtfully decorated and cozy (complete with witty nods to Arabic culture), and each menu item is curated down to the details on top of the croissant. The Baklava Croissant was out-of-this-world good. It’s crispy on the outside, but the perfect buttery layers of dough, combined with traditional balava filling inside against pillowy bread…I’m drooling again just thinking of it. While it’s *almost* too pretty to eat, I recommend eating the entire thing and maybe ordering a second one to go.

Dane said his choices were equally delicious, though honestly neither of us shared and just sat peacefully enjoying our treats with minimal talking, LOL!

The coffees were no exception. These we did share! If you are a fan of speciality coffee drinks, I highly recommend splurging for one. They offer both hot and iced options, though we both got hot, because it’s getting chilly again here in the northeast, and multiple milk options. In true Middle Eastern style, they are perfectly sweet, so just know that ahead of time 🙂

I can see why this place is always crowded and even though our time here is coming to an end, I am absolutely going back, even if it’s just for some to-go items. I highly recommend checking it out if you’re in Georgetown and honestly, it’s worth making a special trip just to enjoy some of the food and drinks.

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