Vienna’s newest restaurant serves slow-roasted lamb, tandoor-fresh bread, and four decades of family tradition
Step inside 111 Church Street NW in Vienna and the room greets you with a glow. An illuminated Sheeba sign anchors a dining room of cream, teal, and gold, where patterned arches, marble-topped tables, and warm pendant lights set an unhurried, welcoming tone. It is the newest chapter for a space long known for French cooking, and it brings the Church Street corridor its first taste of Yemeni cuisine.
A Family Recipe Book Crosses State Lines
Sheeba began in the early 2000s in Dearborn, Michigan, home to one of the country’s largest Arab-American communities. Built on the Aljahmi family’s recipes and more than forty years of kitchen experience, it grew from a single neighborhood kitchen into a small group of restaurants across Michigan. Now that family recipe book has crossed state lines. Vienna is the first Sheeba outside Michigan and the first in the Washington region, as well as the first location opened by a family other than the founders.
The welcome was immediate. Sheeba served its first Vienna guests at a friends-and-family dinner on August 21 and opened to the public the following day, drawing more curious neighbors than even the owners had planned for. Dinner service came first, giving the team time to train and settle in before the restaurant expanded toward all-day service.
Local Roots, Family Hands
Behind the Vienna restaurant is a hometown story. Owner Nadir Naimi, 26, grew up in Vienna, and Sheeba is his first business. He is joined by his uncle, Mohamad “Izzy” Alkibsi, whose family has deep roots in Northern Virginia hospitality, having previously owned Alf Laylah in Chantilly and Babalu in Tysons.
The pair had been developing an original concept when they met Sheeba founder Ismael Aljahmi and discovered a shared passion and vision. Naimi describes the result as a family restaurant handed from one family to another. Authenticity and the guest experience are the two ideas he returns to most, and his invitation is simple: “if you want an authentic experience, come to Sheeba.”
Naimi calls the concept “casual fine dining,” a phrase he prefers because the formality of traditional fine dining can sit awkwardly beside the warmth of Eastern hospitality. The result is a polished room where guests are treated like family, bread arrives hot from the oven, and plates are made for sharing.
Where Lamb Is King
Ask Naimi where to begin and the answer is lamb. In Yemeni kitchens, he explains, the everyday word for meat means lamb, so it is no surprise that the animal takes center stage here. Newcomers are steered toward two signatures. Lamb haneeth is the showpiece, roasted low and slow until it falls from the bone and served over fragrant rice. Fahsah is Yemeni comfort in a bowl: shredded lamb and mashed potatoes arriving bubbling hot in a stone bowl, with bread baked fresh in the restaurant’s tandoor oven.
The menu goes deeper from there. Mandi rice platters, lamb and chicken agdah stews, and galabah, tender meat sautéed with onions, tomatoes, and spices, sit alongside saltah, a fenugreek-topped vegetable stew served in a clay bowl. Seafood lovers can try salmon or shrimp, and vegetarians will find plenty to enjoy, including mushakal, a savory stew of okra, zucchini, celery, and root vegetables. Guests craving the classics of Mediterranean dining are covered too, with shawarma, kabobs, falafel, hummus, baba ghanouj, fattoush, and tabouli. Shareable platters for two, four, and eight make Sheeba a natural choice for family dinners and celebrations.
That communal spirit is central to Yemeni dining. Meals are traditionally meant to be shared, with generous platters set at the center of the table and bread torn by hand, so the best way to experience Sheeba may be to gather a group, order a few signatures for the table, and let the conversation stretch well past the last bite.
Breakfast All Day, Dessert to Linger Over
Breakfast dishes are served all day, a welcome treat for anyone whose cravings do not follow the clock. Shak-shookah, Yemeni-spiced scrambled eggs with onions, tomatoes, and parsley, is a favorite, while hummus topped with sautéed lamb or chicken makes a hearty meal at any hour. Adventurous eaters can try kibda, the traditional lamb liver dish.
Then comes dessert. Yemeni fattah pairs warm tandoor bread with butter, cream, and honey, in variations that include banana, dates, and cookies, while the classic areeka arrives honeyed and cream-topped. Finish with a cup of Adeni tea, Yemen’s beloved spiced milk tea, and you have the full experience. True to Yemeni tradition, the restaurant is alcohol-free, and the menu is halal.
What Guests Are Saying
Early word around Vienna has been warm. Naimi told FFXnow that no one complained about the food during the first four days of service, and the restaurant’s first Google reviews have been glowing. One five-star Google reviewer, a longtime fan of the Michigan locations, highly recommends Sheeba to anyone in Virginia, and the Vienna restaurant currently holds a perfect 5.0 on the halal dining guide Zabihah. Local halal food account @dmv_halaloholic featured the restaurant in late August, applauding Naimi and his uncle for creating such an inviting experience and promising more food photos next time, having been too hungry to take them on the first visit.
Diners at the original Michigan locations have long praised the same signatures. Reviewers on the chain’s website single out the lamb haneeth and chicken mandi as highlights and describe a cozy, authentic room with beautiful woodwork and design.
Sheeba is now open at 111 Church Street NW. Come hungry, and bring the family.
Sources
This article was written with the assistance of AI
