There’s no shortage of options when it comes to food at Union Market. And yet even on a crowded weekend afternoon, there most certainly will be a dozen people patiently queuing up outside Yellow.

Yellow came with a lot of hype attached when it first opened as chef Michael Rafidi’s follow-up to Albi. And it lives up to the hype and its Michelin Bib Gourmand recongition, true to the Middle Eastern roots, but playful and accessible in execution. As a fast casual format, it goes harder than it needs to. The food, the drinks, the pastries, nothing misses.

The pastry program alone is worth the trip: za’atar labne-filled croissants, chocolate halawa pain suisse, orange blossom oat toffee cookies, many of which sell out early. The pita sandwiches are a must but save room for mezze (the shatta batata is addicting) and hummus (which come with house made pita chips dusted with za’atar). And then on top of that they have the audacity to offer both labne and tahini soft serves to really force you to over order. Then layer on their coffee program built around decadent drinks like baklava mocha, coconut cardamom coffee and peanut dalgona latte. Everything about this place is a treat.

They have two locations, one in Georgetown and the other in Union Market (which transforms into La’Shukran in the evening). There’s something indulgent about an all day place that comes together so beautifully. That’s casual enough to walk into spontaneously but feels special enough to be a meal you look forward to all week. If I lived in DC I would definitely be a regular here.