Expect Authentic Mexican Cuisine at Anafre, Now Open in DC

Chef Alfredo Solis’s mother spent her childhood in the Mexican countryside, mastering the art of her native cuisine using the anafre, a portable clay oven. She often cooked for the entire family. When Alfredo came along, he learned how to recreate authentic Mexican fare at the side of his mother. As an adult, he’s honoring his mother and her heritage with his new eatery, Anafre DC.

The recently opened restaurant enlists time-tested techniques to create gourmet Mexican cuisine. For instance, guests can devour queso fundido cooked in a plant leaf atop the kitchen’s grill or Acapulco seafood nachos loaded with plump shrimp, tender crab meat, and pickled jalapenos—and those are just the appetizers. For the main course, enjoy the Puerto Nuevo-style lobster smothered with jalapeno butter and served with rice and beans or the tacos stuffed with crispy fried oysters and chipotle aioli.