Lapop: AdMo’s Late Night Living Room 

Adams Morgan’s Lapop was a pop-up playroom of sorts.  Now, it’s a full-scale late night living room complete with classed up cocktails.

Lapop (1847 Columbia Road NW), a pop-up coffee locale, was the kind of subterranean bohemian cavern where you’d expect for all kinds of oddities to make sense together.  Vintage books paired with strong coffee; yoga was practiced alongside controversial art; and social drinks were de rigeur. And now this basement den has been officially relaunched, with permanence and late night purpose.

“With [both] Lapis and Lapop, we lucked out with a structure that is quite large and has lots of room to play around with different ideas and concepts,” said owner Omar Popal. “Adding a cocktail bar to the space seemed like the perfect way to give our loyal guests a completely new way to experience our outstanding food and drink.”

Lapop — “Popal” spelled backwards — is meant to evoke the spirit of the European cultural salon, paying homage to those famous cafés in Paris and Vienna where philosophers and artists gathered to discuss topics of the day.

Just a flight of stairs away from Popal’s elegant Afghan bistro, Lapis, Lapop is less of a “be seen” destination and more a hangout haven, outfitted with leather couches, Afghan rugs, warm lighting, and cozy nooks beckoning with stacks of inviting books, board games and art to mull over.

A menu of (creative cocktails) pairs thoughtfully with Lapop’s intellectual visuals.  All ten cocktails named after books found on the shelves — including the “Green Darkness” (rum, pistachio cream, demerara and iced coffee, served in a Tiki mug) — are worth tasting, though a constant rotation of off-the-beaten-path wine offerings may actually hold the venue’s most intriguing pours.

Lapop will be open for drinks Wednesday through Sunday, 6pm to close and will serve lunch — bento boxes, smoothies, acai bowls, salads and soups — each weekday from 11am to 3pm, with Lapis brunch available on the weekends. The space will also continue to host weekly events such as live music, talks, dancing, and yoga classes.

*Images credit: Joy Asico/Asico Photo