Image: Salmon al Carbón with shrimp, papas con rajas, and garlic spinach.
Last Updated: July 2022
Current Status: They are open for sit-down service in the restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. You can order take-out directly from them and it is listed with several delivery services.
Overview:
Anafre is the first version of a restaurant focused on Mexican coastal cuisine from the acclaimed Solis siblings. Recently, their newer Mariscos 1133 was named to the number one spot in the Washington Post Spring Dining Guide. Like Mariscos, the cooking here is sharp, well-seasoned, and bursting with flavor. Grilled food is the heart of the menu. Anafre is named after the portable charcoal grill that their mother cooked on when they were growing up.
During the pandemic era, they put in a pizza oven and started making “Mexican Pizza” to make the offerings more fitting with the dining preferences of the time. The pizza idea stuck and is now a key element of the menu. The crust is denser than Neapolitan-style pies, closer to round flatbreads able to support the large about of toppings and cheese. Having a sampled a good chunk of the menu, we have yet to find a dud. The tacos and enchiladas are great. The guacamole dotted with seafood may throw your meal off if you don’t have enough people to share it. The salmon dish was layered with seasoning and flavor that amplified and added to the fish.
The cocktail list is solid. Beer and wine also available. The service might be a bit strapped, but keeps things moving if you are just a little patient with them. For those that took a shine to the predecessor restaurant here, Little Havana, be warned the legendary pork shank might show up on the menu. But even if it doesn’t, Anafre is one of several restaurants on this strip that make a trip worthwhile.
Other Guidance: GF and vegetarians can find several things to choose from. The spot is neighborhood casual, no formality in the dress. Washington Post accessibility guidance: Dining room is easy to navigate, but restrooms are cramped.
Summary:
Cuisine: Latin American (Mexican)
Neighborhood: Columbia Heights/Petworth
Address: 3704 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20010
Website: https://anafredc.com/
Reservations: Walk-in.
Other Critics/Voices:
Washington Post: Tom’s initial take was 2 stars, pre-Covid and post-Little Havana (which he really liked).
Washingtonian: Preview of initial opening. 2021 story on the shift to pizza, including other restaurants with similar ideas.
DCist: Natalie Delgadillo’s preview.