Green Almond Pantry chef to open Turkish restaurant in Georgetown

Foodie favorite Green Almond Pantry just reopened in Georgetown and it's expanding soon to include a full-service Turkish restaurant.

Why it matters: The Mediterranean market and café has earned big awards and a loyal following — despite its small, humble digs — and we've been hoping for a full-service sibling for years.

Catch up quick: Turkish chef Cagla Onal-Urel cooked at Obelisk and Etto before launching her own farmers market business. Her first brick-and-mortar opened in Shaw in 2018 and later suffered a fire , after which she relocated to the tucked-away Grace Street Collective in Georgetown.

Zoom in: Despite setbacks and tight spaces, Onal always turns out gorgeous focaccias, seasonal vegetable mezze and dips, and homey dishes like lamb meatballs or whole salt-baked fish.

• Recent spinal surgery forced Onal-Urel on bed rest — hence the temporary closure — but the market is back with the same menu and new daytime hours.

What's next: My Little Chamomile, a 42-seat restaurant in an adjoining space, which is slated to open this summer. It'll be dinner-only and home in on Turkish specialties served on custom pottery from Brentwood's Material Things studio. A semi-hidden entrance is located off the same alley as Reverie .

• "I like simple cooking, slow food," Onal-Urel tells Axios. "My dream is more like a grandmother's house with things that I miss from Turkey."

Between the lines: "My Little Chamomile" is a nickname Onal-Urel's mother calls her blond-haired granddaughter.

• "[My mom's] an amazing cook, it makes me connected with her — and everything I do is for my daughter's future, so it's connected with them both."

If you go: Green Almond is soft reopening with hours until 3pm.