"Eating at Lapis, like a 3am jumbo slice, is an Adams Morgan rite of passage. The Afghan restaurant knows how to draw a crowd. Occasionally that crowd is made up of comparative literature doctoral candidates 12 years into their dissertation, but don’t be fooled by the grad school funk. Dining at Lapis is, for lack of a better phrase, a vibe. Pairs on first dates sit at tables atop red Persian rugs as a mix of '70s R&B, jazz, and classical music hum in the background. Grab a seat downstairs in the early evening to avoid the crowds, or do brunch on the weekend with friends where the Lapis pancakes made with rosewater and cardamom live up to the buzz. You can also skip eating altogether and head downstairs to the tabletop bar where a nonchalant post-work crowd sips cocktails made with thyme, masala bitters, and cocchi vermouth. If you are getting food, order family style to sample as much of the menu as possible. Because why choose between the leek dumplings on a bed of saffron and garlic cream sauce and the tender lamb shank drenched in smoky tomato stew if you don’t have to? There’s just no way to go wrong at Lapis, unlike a night at Heaven and Hell, and we’re thankful for that. The restaurant brings together everything we love about dining in Adams Morgan: good food, good company, good style, and a killer playlist to match. " - Omnia Saed
