To all vegetarians tired of tofu: This is your place! I had the cauliflower shwarma and it was so flavorful, tender and delicious

So much yum! We came in just for the ice cream - so this review is just about the soft serve. It's the perfect little sweet treat for a warm day. They have indoor seating and a cute little outdoor seating area as well. For soft serve, at the time we visited, they had vanilla tahini, cinnamon apple, or swirl. They have a few mixins. We each got a different one. The cookie seemed to be a favorite. The halva dust tasted good but the texture may not be popular for a lot of people. The service was great, very friendly and extremely fast given the lunch rush. I really enjoy their store bought dips and I can't wait to come back in and try other menu items! read more

Little Sesame - Soft serve with halva and soft serve with cookie crumble - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Pretty fresh and good. I recommend the Greek wrap. If you get lucky (with the timing) you'll have an incredible pita bread experience Those hummus bowls are good but gd $15? The more I thought about it the madder I got. So unfilling. At the moment I don't think I would come back because of this but if I decide to I will update this to a 4 star. The thing is I would want my order to be a wrap + some hummus but the tax is too heavy! Maybe I'll get over it and just order two wraps one day read more

Came for lunch today with a couple of friends. I ordered the Seasonal Chili Crisp Roasted Squash Bowl, which was very good and very filling. The bowl came with a tasty pita. Also ordered a container of Pumpkin Spicy Hummus, which was good. The Hibiscus Lemonade was flavorful and refreshing. There's not a lot of seating in the restaurant, but we were able to grab two small tables in the corner and sit for about an hour. The restaurant is very well lit and comfortable. The Staff were helpful and friendly. read more

Little Sesame - Seasonal item - spicy squash bowl. Very tasty. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

decent oat milk soft serve. it tastes a lot like oat, but its a good portion size and mildly sweet read more

Little Sesame - soft serve - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came here right off the Amtrak just as a casual Friday lunch to celebrate my partner's birthday. Simple but yummy food - I really enjoyed Cauliflower Shawarma, and the Butterfly Pea Flower Lemonade was refreshing, cold, and just the right amount of sweet. I'd recommend Little Sesame as a fast-casual spot with something different than your usual Chipotle or Cava. The hummus is also very very good! read more

Little Sesame - Butterfly Pea Flower Lemonade - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Oh. My. Stars. This is a healthy fast casual eatery with delicious Mediterranean food AND ridiculous soft serve. They sell their hummus nationally at special grocery stores so be on the look out for it. I saw it at mothers in Irvine, CA. Staff was friendly and fast. Good seating inside with a few tables outside. I ordered a kebob bowl and enjoyed it immensely but the soft serve afterwards...chef's kiss! read more

A New Yorker is rating this place. little sesame truck came to NYC! Staff members gave us hummus and crackers :) I was so happy to hear that their promotion is from DC! We were there not long ago. When we were return, we def check here out! read more

Little Sesame - spring 2025 appetite! appreciations :) - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Service here was SPEEDY! The only thing I tried was the chocolate soft serve (which is vegan!) and it definitely put the soft in soft serve. Despite scarfing it down, it was definitely melting very quickly. The soft serve was flavorful without being overpowering. Would want to return to try the vanilla tahini soft serve! read more

Little Sesame - Chocolate soft serve - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

A solid downtown lunch option. I recently went here to get a chicken shawarma to go and was able to get it in under five minutes. The chicken shawarma was fine, although it could have used more shawarma. The pita was warm and fresh and the shawarma was seasoned well. read more

Little Sesame - Chicken Shawarma - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Oh, Little Sesame! With your hummus and pita, how I adore thee! Yeats back I used to frequent the Chinatown location. Since that closed awhile ago, I'm happy to see thus one still standing! While I don't get to enjoy it as often, it is still a treat. On my most recent visit, I had the Cauliflower Shawarma bowl (yum) and finally tried the oat milk soft serve. Yessss! My bowl was missing the pita (sad face) so minus one star as I had left the area and couldn't return for it. The location is downtown which means the core lunch hours are busy. Not uncommon to see the line at/out the door but it moves pretty quickly. There are a few tables to eat in but I'd plan for to-go/takeout. A great lunch choice that is vegetarian and vegan friendly! read more

Little Sesame - Cauliflower Shawarma Bowl - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I wanted to give this places 5 stars but the flavors were not good. The peta bread was really dry, the hummus lacked spice, and the chicken was kind of chewy. For the price, I wouldn't go back. read more

I am reviewing this business off of the food and experience I had. I would absolutely come back to give it a second try, but was not wowed by my first visit. I came here for a business lunch and was immediately struck by A) how busy this place gets from 1pm-2pm and B) the lack of accessible seating. There were very few spots for two people to eat and have a conversation: four two-seater tables inside, approximately 10 high-seater chairs around a long bar inside, and five or so tables outside. When I arrived, there were only high seaters available. I hate when places utilize this seating style because as a relatively short woman, I am often not able to reach to place myself elegantly into these seats. The food itself was decent. I had the Heirloom Tomato melt and added in fried hot peppers. I was glad I made that addition because, for one of the most expensive items on the menu, there was not much food/variety there in the sandwich. I think the hummus bowls might be the better move here. I LOVE heirloom tomatoes and would try that in the bowl the next time. I also had the sesame ice cream. This was tasty, but melted far too quickly inside to properly enjoy it. I wish they offered multiple sizes so I could choose the smaller one and not have to had wasted so much. read more

Little Sesame - Big Slice of Seasonal Heirloom Tomato Grilled Cheese Panini - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Bought their jalapeno hummus at Giant, not spicy. Wrote to the company. It's difficult to get a timely email reply. This is a sign of less than satisfactory customer service. read more

This was by far one of my favorite eats in DC! The employees were super friendly and efficient. The food was super flavorful. I opted out for the chicken shawarma pita. From the fresh herbs, the roasted veg, the green tahini, all the components worked well together. Not to mention that they don't skimp out on the chicken and the pita is super fluffy! Also make sure you save room for dessert! After I ordered my sandwich, I asked for a sample of the soft serve (which they gave a super generous amount of) and I knew I had to have a full serving after my sandwich. They have a great vanilla/dark chocolate oat milk soft serve which is extremely smooth and just the perfect amount of sweetness. I got mine with some soomsoom crumble, which is essentially a sesame bark/cookie that adds a great texture to the smooth soft serve. read more

Little Sesame - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The hummus here is honestly unbeatable and is some of the best hummus I've ever had, at a restaurant or otherwise. I still find it a little wild just how much hummus they put in their hummus bowls. Definitely a bit too much for one serving (at least for me) but makes for a great snack later! I usually get the chicken hummus bowl and the chicken is always juicy and packed full of flavor. This is a great quick lunch spot and I highly recommend it! read more

Close your eyes, take a bite from your dish and you are instantly transformed to another region. A marketplace in Tel Aviv, Israel? A small stall in Rabat, Morrocco? Algiers perhaps? All candidates for that trip of your imagination folded into a bowl of GOOD hummus. Hummus as it is, is a simple dish. Ever-present at the table in the Middle East, acting as both a filler and condiment, this dish can be both the main dish or the backup singer. My chief complaint about hummus in the US is that somehow Americans got used to a hummus that has barely any Tahini (sesame paste), and for those who know hummus, it's like having a hot dog with no ketchup (sorry Chicago!) Enter Little Sesame. Its name alone implies the added ingredient in the hummus. Tahini! Thina! Whatever you call it, there it is. Subtle, building the flavor of the already flavorful paste. Top it off with roasted squash, flavorful greens, crunchy chickpeas and flavor-packed olive oil, and what you get is a dish unlike other ever-so-common-in-DC run of the mill hummus places. This? This one shines at every corner. Staff is friendly and efficient even at lunch crunch hour and food is fresh. This is almost "fast food" but only because of the time it takes to be served to you. Don't confuse this with sub-par fast food joints that littler DC. Little sesame does it right! Give it a try. Two last tips: leave room for the oat milk soft serve. Get it with Halva. You'll thank me later. This is also a great solution for those who want a non-dairy ice cream. Get TWO pita breads. One is just not enough! read more

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Are you a hummus fiend? Have you ever looked at a giant tub of hummus at the grocery store and had a random urge to just eat the whole thing in one go? If so, Little Sesame is the perfect place for you! Not only will they give you a giant heaping of hummus, their store-made hummus is some of the best hummus you'll ever eat! It's perfectly rich and creamy, with a prominent but not overwhelming sesame flavor from the tahini, and it's an amazing base for literally anything on their menu (or anything in your fridge if you want to buy a tub of their hummus to enjoy the Little Sesame experience from the comforts of your own home). Their bowls are all fantastic, with a generous portion of their delicious hummus topped with a smattering of perfectly cooked veggies or meat, and paired with a warm, fluffy pita. Their "Keep it Classic" is, well, a classic for a reason -- topped with roasted chickpeas and tahini, since you obviously didn't get enough from the hummus itself. They also add a nice drizzle of their cilantro jalapeno hot sauce to add a good kick of spice and acidity to break up the rich hummus. I usually opt for one of their seasonal offerings, particularly any bowl that features their partnership with Fly By Jing! My spring / summer favorite is topped with mint, peas, and green beans, which are just such a refreshing contrast against the hummus. The drizzle of Fly By Jing chili oil gives the bowl a great hint of spice, but also an intense umami, and I love topping any of their bowls with their perfectly soft-boiled 7-minute egg. If you're looking for something sweet, Little Sesame also has more to offer than just giant heapings of hummus! I love their oat milk soft serve, which you can get in either their decadent vanilla tahini or chocolate Turkish coffee (or, if you're indecisive like me, get their twist). I love that they have the basic vanilla / chocolate, but executed perfectly and with a slight twist. I love topping it with their halva or home-made sesame crumble for the perfect summery mid-day pick-me-up. Beyond their outstanding food, Little Sesame's service is also fantastic -- everyone is super friendly, and the service is efficient. They're usually pretty busy around lunchtime, but if you're in a crunch, you can order ahead online and get your food within 10-15 min. read more

Little Sesame - Seasonal summer vegetable bowl - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I absolutely love this place! The food is so delicious - the pita is warm and fluffy and quite possibly the best I've had; the chicken shawarma bowl had wonderful flavor and I loved the addition of the creamy tahini; and of course their tahini soft serve is delectable, it's got a lovely nutty finish and is really high quality, I see vanilla bean specks in it! The service service team is also top notch, so kind and wonderful. They recognized us when we came back two days later craving this meal again for our last meal in town. This place is absolutely worth trying and also fantastic value and cute inside! read more

I came in on a whim while walking by so I only had the Turkish coffee soft serve and wow I love a vegan treat that doesn't substitute the health benefits for the taste! It's so cold and refreshing and doesn't make you feel guilty after. I am a girl that loves the flavor of coffee but not actual coffee so this was a nice balance for me. I will definitely be back to try other stuff! read more

Little Sesame - Dark Chocolate Turkish Coffee - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've been curious about Little Sesame for a while, and I finally stopped in for lunch today. I'm going to have to update this review after my next trip, because I'm going to have to give LS another chance. Why is that? Well, I had to be an apostate and get something that was not loaded with their hummus, and therefore I was left feeling kind of meh about it. I mean, the roasted cauliflower grilled cheese pita wasn't bad, it just wasn't GREAT. Maybe next time I would get the hummus bowl instead, or the regular pita version with hummus on the side. Since they don't do a side order size of hummus, I'll share with my partner, because hummus is literally one of his favorite foods. Come to think of it, I should come with him next time - if he doesn't like the hummus, that's it! I do want to note the compostable containers, the fact that the hummus is organic, and I appreciate that LS is compliant with DC laws against giving customers disposable items like utensils unless they ask. I appreciate the social responsibility, and that's why I'll be returning. read more

I stopped by to grab a quick bite with a friend. We got a chicken hummus bowl which was A LOT of hummus. If you are into that, then you'll love this place as much as I do. Although the food was tasty, knocking off 2 stars bc the restrooms did not have a changing station for me baby. As a new mommy, I've been paying attention to this type of amenity and unfortunately, this missed the mark. read more

Delicious hummus bowls, super crispy chickpeas, tender, braised short rib. Got lunch delivered so cannot speak on ambiance/service too much. This is a great place for lunch to go and there's tons of vegan options. The pita is also super fluffy perfect with any of the Little Sesame hummus. read more

I had a phenomenal experience here. The employees are extremely kind and patient - we came in about 15 minutes before closing to order takeout, and although we were mindful of the time, we didn't feel rushed at all. The hummus was amazing - it was fresh, creamy, and well-seasoned with mint and dill. The pita complemented the hummus perfectly - I wish I had ordered multiple pitas for later! Finally, the oat milk soft serve was creamy and balanced - Little Sesame is the perfect midday meal. read more

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Great place for a quick and healthyish lunch! We got the chicken shawarma pita sandwich and the cauliflower shawarma pita sandwich. I thought the flavors were super well balanced with the chicken, roasted peppers, tahini, and herbs (I think there was dill, parsley, and mint?) and it was really stuffed, so definitely a filling meal. By far the best part was the pita - perfectly soft and airy. Definitely will be back to try the other menu items! read more

Little Sesame - Cauliflower shawarma pita - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I got the Seasonal Roasted Eggplant Pita. Could hve been spicier, but ingredients and preparation wer top-notch. Elevated lunch take-out spot. read more

This is officially one of my staples now. One of those meals that leave you really satisfied and not feeling sick. I got the chicken shawarma hummus bowl and shakshuka hummus bowl. Both were incredibly tasty but the chicken shawarma is superb. Great quality chicken & amazing flavors --the herbs and pickled onion elevate it so much surprisingly. Also got a swirl of the ice cream flavors, the Turkish coffee one was INSANE. All together it came out to around $36 with an extra pita. For the quality, flavor, and price, this is for sure a new favorite lunch spot. Wish I got pictures. read more

Grubhub gave ma a refund! I appreciate the great service. Thanks. The bowls tasted great!

Oh. My. Goodness. I came in on a hot July afternoon for a quick bite, and when I saw tahini soft serve on the menu, I had to go for it. I got it with soom-soom crumble, which added such a lovely crunch and an additional nuttiness. The soft serve is dairy free, which isn't necessarily a selling point for me, but I do notice that I don't feel weighed down by it. More importantly, it's delicious. It's sweet, yet savory. What a great treat! I'll have to come back to try the food. Also, the interior is really cute! I love the color scheme and plants. read more

Little Sesame - Vanilla tahini soft-serve with soom-soom crumble - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food was great but Little Sesame was having a REALLY bad day on Wednesday last week. I ordered online and came into the restaurant to pick up (as did 50+ other people). Lots of food being made but absolutely none of it was being passed out. Ended up waiting over an hour just to eventually see a hummus bowl with my name on it (literally) which I had to ask for. Ended up missing 2 or 3 sides but I am convinced I wouldn't have ever received my food if I hadn't asked. Am wondering if this is the norm or not, prob would still go back and give them another shot next time I'm in DC. read more

Little Sesame opened in early August 2018. The register is at the opposite end of where you walk in, seats to the left, high tables and chairs to the right, water station to the rear right, and a partially visible kitchen behind the front counter. Lots of plants including Zanzibar gem and golden pothos adorn the left wall. I ordered the #3 Hummus Bowl, which includes a "whole roasted cauliflower, tahini, everything spice, and green onion." It was served with a warm pita. The hummus dish tasted great---fresh ingredients, good balance of unique flavors, and a stunning visual appeal. It was either not a whole cauliflower or was a very small whole cauliflower. I was thinking a big head but it was actually chopped-up pieces (makes it easier to eat, of course). Here are few things to consider: 1. The interior is very small and seating is limited. Maybe because I had just dined at Flower Child yesterday, the contrast seemed stark. There is outdoor seating (i.e., four fenced-in tables), which my coworker and I made use of yesterday with the 70 degree weather! 2. The menu lists some ingredients that I conclude most people wouldn't recognize. Kombucha everyone has heard of at this point (though I still couldn't describe it apart from it being bitter), but what does "everything spice" include, what is "za'atar", what is a "10 hour egg" and a "7 minute egg", what is "taalia", what is "halva dust" and "soomsoom", and what is "green schug" and is that the same "schug" that's in the #6 or is a different schug? I wonder if most visitors know what "amba" is (I do, being Indian, though). The reality is that there is Google, but another reality is that hungry people are attracted to convenience and some are even spontaneous and would probably prefer not to look these things up. I've added a glossary to the bottom of this review. 3. The heat level is not indicated on each of the dishes. One, two, and three chilis could address that need. I asked the cashier if "everything spice" was spicy, and the cashier said no but that I could add green schug to make it spicy. The green schug was not spicy; it tasted like pesto and had no heat to it. The pickled red peppers that my coworker got were very spicy but the cashier didn't mention those. Overall, food was tasty and filling ($12 or so with no beverage purchase), the hospitality was warm and affable, and the ambiance was inviting. I'd come back. GLOSSARY Amba = tangy mango pickle Everything Spice = not spicy Green Schug = fresh green hot (but not spicy) peppers with coriander, garlic, salt, and black cumin Harissa = hot chili pepper paste Taalia = an Egyptian condiment with roasted garlic, cumin, and coriander Za'atar = herb mix of dried thyme, oregano, and marjoram read more

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Me and my cousins were super excited to finally meet up and try this place out. We came in right at noon and luckily it wasn't too busy but filled up shortly after. The dining room doesn't have too many seats or much standing room. I ordered the Chicken Shawarma bowl and added a 7 minute egg (in between a soft boiled and a hard boiled egg). The hummus bowls also came with a pretty thick, warm pita. The hummus was topped with pickled red onion and a healthy amount of chicken which I loved. I really loved the pita and wish I would've ordered an extra one (only another $1) since I had a good amount of hummus and chicken leftover. Their red hot sauce was a good compliment and a small kick to it. My cousins wanted more texture so if you want that, I suggest adding the crispy chickpeas (it helps). My favorite part of the meal was dessert because we ordered their soft serve. They have vanilla tahini and dark chocolate Turkish coffee with a variety of toppings so we ordered a swirl. Definitely worth $5 based on the size alone but the flavors were so unique and complimented each other. The toppings also helped give it a nice crunch as well. We're definitely coming back to try more stuff and maybe put more add ins. Of course, we're going to also order more soft serve next time too. read more

Little Sesame - Our soft serve swirls - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The chicken pita was good--I was hungry and it wasn't so tiny I was disappointed. A little expensive for just a sandwich. It was soggy for a 9-5er sandwich as well. I thought the fresh herbs were odd additions at first, but the overall effect was good once I was in the middle of the sandwich. No bags, but it's nice they were environmentally friendly. The service was fine and the ambiance was decent. Wouldn't be upset to have someone suggest meeting here but I'd probably eat everything with a fork. read more

Little Sesame - Chicken Shawarma Hot Pita - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place has changed considerably since I first reviewed it, having moved from a tiny basement to a central downtown shop at street level, and having expanded its menu and added dessert. Their trademark hummus bowls are now complemented by sandwiches and coconut-based soft serve. The hummus bowl I got was described as "winter greens", which ended up being mostly brussels sprouts, quite a lot of them in fact. Not my favorite, but they were roasted pretty well and I enjoyed the bowl. There wasn't much to the little side salad, though it was tasty as well. The coconut soft serve dessert is a fairly impressive addition; it's not the sort of dessert that tastes like a dairy product, but it's good on its own merits, and comes automatically with a topping. It's pricey for fast food, but it is nice fast food. It's not a vegan place, but it's definitely the sort where you can eat vegan and have a good experience. And it's definitely one of the better quick options you'll find in the area. read more

Little Sesame - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Thoroughly enjoyed the fattoush salad (chose chicken shawarma). The chicken was tender, and with good flavor and balanced with with the salad which included cucumbers and tomatoes. Although the line was to the door, it went by fast and time from ordering to food being ready was a few minutes. read more

Love, love, love Little Sesame. So many delightful, seasonal, high-quality vegan options. Thank you for using organic chickpeas to lighten our glyphosate load. The oat milk soft serve is absolutely delicious. read more

Just started my vegan/Vegetarian journey and I must say this will be one of my go to spots when I'm in the city. I never thought in a millions years I would be eating a bowl of hummus lol. It was actually really good. The flavors the oils all mixed really well. The service was great. Nice staff and the food was completed and done quickly. Oh I almost forgot to mention I got the cauliflower hummus bowl. Give it a try!! read more

Little Sesame - Middle Eastern Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Still salivating from my first trip to Little Sesame I decided to return with a few friends to their brand new, bigger location. On a Friday night the spot was HYPE, who knew that TGIF meant hummus bowls for everyone? I've got to be in my 30's.... I was still pleased with my food which was healthy and filling but there were a few things that could have been better: + Roasted cauliflower was served semi cold + The dairy free soft serve was a bit icy and thin tasting. Attendants should work on their swirl skills because mine kind of flopped over to the side and didn't event fill the top of the cup. I was still impressed with their flavors which was vanilla tahini and dark chocolate turkish coffee. I just could see the flavors being a little bit more pronounced and creamier (perhaps try alternative milks -- I know great dairy free soft serve exists, just not here). read more

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Great fast casual food downtown! The folks I was with also enjoyed the Oatmilk ice cream.

I walked by this place at 11:30am on Thursday and it was empty. By the time I returned at 12:15pm to actually have lunch, the place was packed with a line of customers outside the door. I waited in line for fifteen minutes to place my order while I perused the restaurant's hummus-themed menu on my phone. The vivid pictures of each item on the menu, ingredients list and pricing helped me to narrow down my order very quickly. I ordered the chicken shawarma bowl and it was ready two minutes. I initially planned to take my meal to go but I seized the opportunity to eat my lunch inside the restaurant once I saw a seat open up at the communal table. My bowl consisted of a generous portion of hummus with chicken shawarma, herb tahini, pickled red onion, and fresh za'atar in the center. A pillowy round of pita bread accompanied the order. The dish was creamy, filling, and delicious. The hummus is the star on the plate and there's a lot of it in each bowl. You really need to love hummus to enjoy every drop. The table had no hooks for my bags, which was a bummer and the backless stools didn't inspire me to linger after I finished eating. This is a cute place with good food at reasonable prices. The plain hummus allows the colors from the other items in the dish to really pop; however, I would have liked to see more flavors of hummus on the menu. read more