Lebanese-Inspired Cocktails + Kebabs at Yasmine in Union Market

Yasmine, the newish kebab and cocktail joint anchoring Union Market, is a love letter to Lebanon and the Lebanese people, says Said Haddad, one of the eatery’s co-owners. With a menu bursting with toshka, balila, hummus, and Lebanese riffs on classic cocktails, owners hope it’s accessible to everyone. 

“I grew up eating this food like on the hood of my car outside of a club down a weird alley to find the best shish taouk,” says Haddad, who hails from Ras Maska, a Lebanese village near Tripoli. “A lot of this stuff gets grilled by the side of the road.”

Haddad, Yasmine’s general manager, teamed up with chefs Gerald Addison and Chris Morgan to open the Lebanese-inspired kebab shop in late October, named after Haddad’s grandmother, Yasmine Haddad, now in her nineties. The massive family dinners the matriarch organized in Lebanon helped the younger Haddad stay connected to his roots. 

The trio are alums of the Michelin-starred Maydan, the upscale Middle Eastern and North African restaurant — Morgan and Addison were the owners and opening chefs, and Haddad served as its original general manager. Morgan and Haddad have been friends since 2014 when they opened The Partisan, which is now closed. Morgan and Addison, meanwhile, are co-owners and co-executive chefs of Bammy’s and Little Chicken. 

Yasmine was born over the late-night drinks the trio shared after their shifts ended at Maydan. That’s when they started talking about how much fun it would be if they opened a kebab shop together. They spent years bringing it to fruition. 

“We love this cuisine so much … and it’s so rich in history the flavors are so amazing,” Morgan says. “It’s bright it’s fresh it’s quite healthy, I think it checks a lot of boxes for me and it’s so much fun to cook. There’s so much energy behind this cooking, from the people, the history, the music, everything.” 

The team curated Yasmine’s menu so it works for carryout, delivery, and in-house dining. This explains why there are so many platters, sandwiches, salads, spreads, and condiments. But the lamb kebab, comprised of ground halal lamb, hummus, labneh, harissa, cabbage salad and more, is “our baby,” because that dish launched the entire concept, Morgan says. 

“It is not a traditional combination,” he says. “You obviously see all these things, all the sausage and spreads maybe on the same table, but putting them all into one sandwich, was just one of those random creations that we absolutely fell in love with.”

Haddad, a longtime D.C. bartender, helms the beverage program. Several non-alcoholic drinks are among its brightest stars because not drinking is a big part of the culture in his village, he says. At Yasmine, you’ll find limonata, a lemonade blended with mint, and a mainstay in neighborhood kebab shops. There’s also jallab, a drink from Haddad’s childhood made with dates, grapes, raisins, and ground pistachios. 

Alcoholic options include Almaza, Lebanon’s famous light pilsner, arak, an anise-flavored spirit distilled with cool water, and Lebanese wines. Haddad took existing cocktails and added flavors he says are indigenous to Lebanon. Haddad took a classic gin martini and added cucumber, dill, and vinegar for a “refreshing, almost salad-like refreshment.” You can also add alcohol to the non-alcoholic beverages.

For Haddad, the smile he sees when people eat the food and sip the drinks is the most important thing. 

“Whether it’s nostalgia to an old man who ate this food growing up, to a young kid that misses home and is here for college, that kind of look … really touches my heart, because being separated from the Middle East growing up, it would have meant that much to me as well,” Haddad says. 

Yasmine: 1309 5th St NE, DC; yasmine.us // @yasmine_kebab

Lenore T. Adkins