Did you know that there is a place in downtown Charles Town where you can get authentic Mediterranean food, including Moroccan, Lebanese, Spanish, Italian, French, and Persian cuisine? At Alfredo’s Mediterranean Grill, they are serving up all the classics of the region. They are located in the building that used to be The Turf, so there is plenty of nostalgia and charm for those of us who grew up in Charles Town. Alfredo has done a tremendous job of turning this spot into a destination for great food, great vibes, and tons of culture.
Price 💲💲 out of 5
For the quality and portion size of the food, all of the pricing is more than reasonable. Nothing breaks the bank here, but the quality is outstanding and every dish is packed full of flavor. Hardly any entree is over $20, making this one of the best value options in the area.
Ambience 🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳 out of 5
The ambience at Alfredo’s is intense. They have a ton of decor from various Mediterranean cultures, so it can definitely be a stimulation overload for your first time in the restaurant. The staff and owner are hilarious and so personable, and they make sure you have a great time while you are there. You can see their personality and sense of humor with various, uh, decor choices throughout the restaurant. It is a bit dark in there, which can either be taken as intimate or give off the vibe that they are still very ingrained with Hollywood Casino (the Turf is still a hotel and was used as the main place to stay for out-of-towners before the new Hollywood Casino Hotel was built).
Drinks 🍷🍷🍷🍷 out of 5
We got to try a couple of cocktails at Alfredo’s:
Water Moccasin – this cocktail was nice and light, with a mixture of various Vodkas, mixers, and Sprite. Not overly powerful.
Peach Daiquiri – this was my favorite cocktail of the night. I love the taste of peaches, and again these drinks aren’t overly strong and don’t just taste like rubbing alcohol. They actually have the flavor the name suggests.
Old Fashioned – I am not a huge fan of Old Fashioneds in general, but I was a bit disappointed to see that they did not use a block of clarified ice.
Food 🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩 out of 5
Let’s get down to the food!
Hummus – this is some of the best hummus I have ever had. Yes, most hummuses are thicker than this. But I loved the flavor and texture of this better than the thicker hummuses.
Greek Salad – this was so fresh with the perfect pop of acidic vegetables. The tomato, red onion, and cucumber added the perfect refreshing crunch. I did pick out the olives because I do not like them, but this is such a healthy way to start a meal.
Mediterranean Pasta – I was so pleasantly surprised with this dish. The noodles had a little char to them, which was so much better than having wet noodles. All of the veggies were so fresh and flavorful.
Polla a la Castellana – this Spanish dish was just phenomenal, with sauteed chicken drenched in a decadent lemon butter sauce, served over pasta with robust veggies including artichoke and peppers.
Cafe Special Kabob – for this dish, we got to choose three of their numerous kabob options. We went with chicken, barg (steak), and koobideh (lean ground beef), and they were served with Basmati rice, cucumber and tomato salsa, and a white sauce for dipping. All the meats were tender and flavored so well, and the mixture of meat, rice, and salad was perfection. My favorite dish of the night!
12 oz New York – the star of the show for many people is the steak, and Alfredo’s does an amazing steak. Be warned – they are in the business of cooking their meat, so unless you specifically ask, it will come out medium well. This is how I prefer my steak (roast me, I don’t care) so it was very tasty for me. It was seasoned well, and the baked potato and broccoli were classic sides.
Limoncello Cake – this dessert was pretty solid. I love the taste of lemon, but this didn’t have a very strong lemon flavor. Nice, moist cake as well.
Mediterranean Cheesecake – this is one of the better desserts I have ever had. The cheesecake was so creamy, and it had a creme-brulee like top to it with carmelized sugar. So good!
Experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐out of 5
Overall, I loved my experience at Alfredo’s. This wasn’t my first time there, but it was my first time in quite some time. Everything was really tasty and it was just so nostalgic for me as a Charles Town native. I can’t wait to go back!