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Last Updated: February 2026
Overview: Chop’d.
Karravan is justifiably one of the buzziest of a new crop of restaurants from 2025. In a corner of the Union Market complex in a fancy new building with soaring two-story interiors and a large outdoor dining area (enclosed and heated in winter), it is dramatic in setting. The food makes an equally strong impression.
For a place named after communal travel (and overlooking the train tracks), it makes sense that most of the dishes are best shared. Dips, dumplings, and lots of vegetables shape the appetizer options. The mains go big with a giant tagine of rice and veggies, slabs of meat, a whole fish, and heaps of rice. Chef Sanjay Mandhaiya of 14th Street stalwart Pappe designed the menu. It has some Indian dishes (Pappe’s butter chicken, mushroom biryani), but the menu stretches far for inspiration, from North Africa, through the Middle East (smoked eggplant spread, kebabs) across the Caucuses (an eggy, viscous khachapuri with smoked jalapeno cheddar, mozzarella, and ricotta cheeses), over the Himalayas (pork-filled momo dumplings), to China where the historic Silk Road – and this culinary version – terminates. Many of the dishes pull in more than one cuisine for reference. The vegetable tagine starts with the basic concept from North Africa, but then the chef explains, “I topped the vegetables with ginger julienned into matchsticks and added preserved lemon for brightness and then include the magic ingredient, ghee. I serve it with rice and sprinkle some cilantro on top for some fragrance.” Despite the layers and attention, each dish we tried on our initial visit was well-executed even on a busy Friday night.
The wine list is limited, but the cocktail list long. A large bar centers the space. The room above may be expansive, but the tables are bit small and packed in.
Other Guidance: Modern building located on ground floor. No barriers to entry, ADA-compliant restrooms. Vegetarians and GF can do well. Dress up a little, it wouldn’t hurt you.
Summary:
Cuisine: Rest of World
Neighborhood: Union Market
Address: 325 Morse St NE, Washington, DC 20002
Website: https://www.karravaan.com/
Reservations: Resy
Other Critics/Voices:
Washington Post: Made Tom’s Fall (final) 2025 Dining Guide.
Washingtonian: Talking with the chef about the idea while still in conception.
Michelin: Listed