It is said that America is the land where dreams can be transformed into reality. The Abi-Najm family found this to be true. In 1976, Tanios and Marie Abi-Najm along with sons Dory, Dany and David and daughters Gladys and Grace left Lebanon on a cargo ship to escape the civil war taking only what they could carry. They settled in Arlington Virginia to begin their new life.

In 1979, the family purchased a small pizza and sub shop named Athenian Taverna in the Westover neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia. With so little money, they only changed half of the original sign, thus Lebanese Taverna was born. Customers began returning on a regular basis, not just for something to eat but to sit and talk with the family.

Over time, the popularity of the Lebanese cuisine overtook the previous menu. In 1990, they gathered the courage to open another restaurant location in Washington, DC. The Woodley Park restaurant quickly, but quietly, won the hearts of Washingtonians. The Lebanese Taverna Market was next (1992) and offered the community a chance to experience Lebanese cooking in a different manner. The Market began to carry specialty groceries and to offer numerous Lebanese dishes through a deli service. It also allowed the family to expand with a full service catering division (1997) and to offer cooking classes (1997) to the adventurous.

The Lebanese Taverna Group (LTG) was also formed in 1997 to centralize the decision-making for the operations. LTG's mission is to function as a cohesive management team and to ensure consistent customer satisfaction at all the Lebanese Taverna locations.

In 1999, a new concept was formed with the opening of the Lebanese Taverna Café in Congressional Plaza in Rockville, Maryland. The 44 seat, quick service and take-out counter model was constantly busy from the very start. The large kitchen also produces food for the significant catering demand in the area

With the growing success of Lebanese Taverna restaurants and cafes, LTG secured a prime location in the Pentagon Row development in Arlington, Virginia. The restaurant, anchoring the Central Plaza, opened in 2001 with a large outdoor seating area.

Looking to expand the Café concept, LTG opened two more locations, the Annapolis, Maryland café in 2002, and the café in the revitalized downtown area of Silver Spring, Maryland, in 2004.

The largest restaurant in the Lebanese Taverna Group launched in 2004 in Tysons Galleria in McLean, Virginia. With its superior location convenient to corporate offices and residential communities, it quickly became the popular place for happy hours and group dining.

Charmed by the Harbor East development in Baltimore, Maryland, Lebanese Taverna will open its 5th full service restaurant in the spring of 2007. The location is central to the Inner Harbor, Fells Point and the downtown Baltimore business distirct. This beautiful new restaurant has a view of the marina.

In the late spring of 2007, another café is slated to open in the Rockville Town Center and future growth with a full service restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland, is expected in 2008.