• Rich Turkish coffee is on the menu.white turkish coffee cup with spoon inside. image by millann from Fotolia.com
  
  Northern Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C., has a number of tourist attractions, from Arlington National Cemetery to hiking and biking trails. Because Arlington is so close to the cosmopolitan D.C., the city has many international restaurants. Turkish cuisine is popular, with its healthy emphasis on fresh vegetables and grilled meats. Family-friendly Turkish meals tend to start with a variety of appetizers that often involve dipping (humus) or finger food (grape leaves).
  
  

Atilla's Restaurant

• The family-friendly Atilla's Restaurant is a 25-year-old northern Virginia institution. The vegetarian-friendly restaurant has grape leaves and humus, along with more unusual appetizers like boregi, pan-fried dough stuffed with feta cheese; and patlican soslu, eggplant, potatoes and green pepper in tomato sauce. Lamb is served 10 different ways; there is also beef, chicken, seafood, and veggie kebabs.
  
  Atilla's Restaurant
  2705 Columbia Pike
  Arlington, VA 22204
  703-920-4900
  atillasrestaurant.com
  
  

Chez Manelle

• Chez Manelle has typical appetizers like cacik, yogurt with cucumber and mint; humus; and baba ghannuosh. All the meat is Kosher, and is used in lamb or beef kebobs, couscous and tajines. The family-friendly restaurant has a children's menu, with both smaller portions of Turkish food and plain spaghetti for less adventurous eaters. Try the thick, strong Turkish coffee.
  
  Chez Manelle
  2313 Wilson Blvd.
  Arlington, VA 22201
  703-522-2141
  chezmanelle.com
  
  

Astor Mediterranean

• Astor Mediterranean, which also has a location in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, D.C., serves Turkish appetizers like humus, baba ghannuosh and grape leaves. There are lamb, beef and chicken kebobs, and interesting salads like beet, lentil or chick pea. The vegetarian-friendly restaurant has many choices, from falafel platters to pizzas with Mediterranean vegetables. The family-friendly Astor also has an extensive children's menu, with kid-size sides as well as main dishes.
  
  Astor Mediterranean
  2300 N. Pershing Drive
  Arlington, VA 22201
  703-465-2306
  astorfoods.com/arlington.html