Image: Falafel Sandwich
Last Updated: April 2023
Overview:
Fava Pot is one of those great sui generis places that have added so much to the dining scene of D.C. over the last few years. In this case the food is Egyptian, which is similar to other food at that end of the Mediterranean (Lebanese, Turkish, Greek, Israeli), but also distinct. What sets Fava Pot apart is the commitment to freshness. The falafel made from fava beans (in lieu of chickpeas) are seasoned with coriander, cilantro, parsley, and scallions, fried and then placed in a pita pocket brimming with greens and onions. It is a garden of delight in your hand.
In addition to falafel, other sandwiches and bowls are available, including ground beef, chicken and liver! The dish that became the calling card is Koshary, a pasta bowl with lentils, chickpeas, rice, caramelized onions, and spicy tomato sauce. The Falls Church is more of a proper sit-down restaurant with a larger menu of entrees, while the D.C. locations focus on bowls, salads, and sandwiches. Non-alcoholic beverages are available at all locations (don’t sleep on the mint limeade). The Dupont and Virginia locations serve alcohol and do happy hours.
The restaurant’s webpage goes into detail about the sourcing for their plates, as well as coffee and beer. That this is a passion project is evident. Started as a food truck by Dina Daniel (the sui in the sui generis) in 2013, they went brick and mortar in 2018 with a Falls Church location. A stall at Union Market followed [NOTE: Now closed], and then the little shop on M Street in Dupont. The Dupont location is just around the corner from Cava, but it is a step up. It is worth a little extra walk.
Summary:
Cuisine: Eastern Mediterranean (Egyptian)
Dupont: 1817 M St NW, Washington, DC 20036
Union Market: 1309 5th St NE, Washington, DC 20002 (Main Hall) – CLOSED
Fall Church: 7393 D Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA 22042
Website: https://www.favapot.com/
Reservations: Walk-in
Other Critics/Voices:
Washington Post: Tim heaped praise on the newly-opened Virginia spot in 2018.
Washingtonian: A rare spot to make both the Top 100 (#89) and Cheap Eats in the same year (2019). Also made Cheap Eats in 2018.