Restaurant in Washington DC, United States
Michelin-recognized Afghan value in Adams Morgan.
A Michelin Bib Gourmand Afghan restaurant in Adams Morgan, Lapis delivers fragrant, carefully prepared Afghan cooking at a $$ price point that's rare for a Michelin-recognized venue in Washington, D.C. Husband-and-wife owners Zubair and Shamim Popal run a warm, genuinely personal room. Easy to book, strong on value, and best visited on a weeknight in autumn or winter.
Getting a table at Lapis is easy — and that accessibility is part of what makes it one of Washington, D.C.'s better-value decisions. This Adams Morgan Afghan restaurant holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024), meaning Michelin's inspectors have formally flagged it as delivering serious quality at a price that doesn't require a special occasion to justify. At a $$ price point, that credential is genuinely rare. Book it for a weeknight dinner when you want something more considered than a neighborhood staple but don't want to spend like you're at Jônt or minibar.
Lapis is run by husband-and-wife owners Zubair and Shamim Popal, who brought Afghan home cooking to Columbia Road with a focus on the fragrant, lighter end of the regional spectrum. Afghan cuisine doesn't carry the heavy-handed spicing often associated with neighboring culinary traditions — it tends toward cardamom, dried fruit, and slow-cooked lamb, and Lapis is a good example of why that restraint reads as sophistication rather than simplicity.
The room earns its description honestly: whitewashed walls, Afghan rugs on the floor, and sepia-toned heirloom photos that feel less like decorating and more like a family keeping its history close. The atmosphere is warm without being precious, and it reads as genuinely personal rather than themed. If you've already been once and found the dining room comfortable, that first impression holds on return visits.
For returning guests, the chopawn is the dish to anchor your order around , a trio of grilled lamb chops served with cardamom-scented rice. It's the kind of dish that makes the Bib Gourmand designation make sense: technically careful, clearly sourced with intention, and priced in a way that doesn't make you do mental math between courses. The split pea soup, which sounds ordinary on paper, reportedly carries a layered depth that justifies the order. These details come from Michelin's own documentation of the venue, which gives them a higher confidence threshold than typical reviewer impressions.
The drinks program at Lapis sits at a level appropriate to the price tier and setting: capable and complementary, without trying to compete with a dedicated cocktail bar. Afghan cuisine pairs naturally with wine selections that can handle aromatic spicing , look toward medium-bodied whites or light reds rather than heavy tannic options. If cocktails are your priority for the evening, Lapis will serve you well enough as part of the meal, but if the bar program is the main draw, D.C.'s dedicated cocktail scene offers stronger options elsewhere. Lapis is correctly understood as a kitchen-forward restaurant with a serviceable drinks program, not a cocktail destination with food. Plan accordingly, and the evening makes clear sense. If you find yourself wanting a serious pre-dinner cocktail, the Adams Morgan neighborhood gives you options within walking distance before you sit down.
The leading time to visit is a weeknight, ideally Tuesday through Thursday, when the room has space to breathe and conversation is easier. Weekend evenings in Adams Morgan trend toward volume and energy, which isn't a problem if that's what you're after, but the food rewards a pace that's easier to hold on quieter nights. From a seasonal standpoint, the warming, aromatic quality of Afghan cooking makes Lapis a particularly strong choice in autumn and winter, when slow-cooked lamb and spiced rice register as exactly what the weather calls for. Summer visits are fine , the room handles the season , but the menu's appeal peaks when the temperature drops.
For returning guests specifically: if your first visit was built around the chopawn and rice, the second visit is the right time to move into the soup course and explore the supporting dishes. The Popals' cooking rewards curiosity about the full menu rather than repeating the same anchors each time. If you're bringing someone new to Afghan food, that first-timer framing still works well , the menu doesn't demand prior knowledge, and the room doesn't intimidate.
Lapis is listed in our full Washington, D.C. restaurants guide. For context on other neighborhoods and categories, see our Washington, D.C. hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide. For comparable Afghan cooking at a different price point internationally, Afghan Anar in Zurich offers a useful reference point. If you're building a broader D.C. itinerary across price tiers, Albi, Causa, and Oyster Oyster are worth cross-referencing depending on your budget and cuisine priorities.
Reservations: Easy to book , no weeks-in-advance scramble required for most evenings. Weeknights are the most accessible. Address: 1847 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009 (Adams Morgan). Price: $$ , expect to spend modestly by D.C. restaurant standards; the Bib Gourmand designation specifically recognizes value at this level. Cuisine: Afghan, with a focus on fragrant, lighter preparations. Chef: Ben Tiatasin. Dress: No formal dress code implied by the venue; smart casual is appropriate and consistent with the neighborhood. Leading timing: Tuesday through Thursday evenings; autumn and winter for the menu's fullest appeal.
Yes, and the price tier makes it a practical group choice. At $$, Lapis is easier to align across a group than most Michelin-recognized restaurants in D.C. For larger parties, contact the restaurant directly to confirm table configuration , the Adams Morgan location and informal warmth of the room suggest it handles groups well, but specific capacity details aren't confirmed in available data. If your group is 6+, call ahead rather than assuming walk-in availability.
Yes. The warm, informal room and accessible price point make solo dining comfortable here. Afghan cuisine at this level is well-suited to solo exploration , you can work through the menu at your own pace without the social obligation of sharing. In D.C.'s Afghan dining options, Lapis is among the more approachable solo choices given its Bib Gourmand value and relaxed atmosphere.
Afghan cuisine is generally more accommodating than many regional traditions , lamb and rice dishes, vegetable-forward preparations, and legume-based soups give a reasonable range. That said, specific allergen or dietary accommodation details aren't confirmed in the venue record. If you have strict dietary needs, contact the restaurant before booking rather than assuming flexibility at the table.
A formal tasting menu is not confirmed in the venue data for Lapis. The restaurant operates at a $$ price point with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, which recognizes value-for-money in a more casual format rather than tasting-menu formality. If a structured multi-course progression is your priority, Jônt or minibar are better fits. Lapis earns its credential through a la carte quality at accessible prices.
Booking difficulty is low. A few days' notice is typically sufficient for weeknight tables; weekends in Adams Morgan fill faster given neighborhood foot traffic. The Bib Gourmand recognition may draw slightly more demand on weekends, but this is not a venue where you need to plan weeks out. Same-week booking is realistic for most evenings.
Smart casual is the right call. The room , whitewashed walls, Afghan rugs, heirloom photos , is warm and stylish without being formal. A $$ Bib Gourmand restaurant in Adams Morgan does not require a dress code beyond looking intentional. Overdressing would feel out of step with the neighborhood and the venue's character.
Bar seating details are not confirmed in the venue record. Given the restaurant's informal and welcoming character, some bar or counter availability is plausible, but verify directly before planning your visit around it. If bar dining is a priority , particularly for solo visits , calling ahead avoids the risk of the room not having a dedicated bar-dining format.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lapis | Afghan | $$ | Easy |
| Albi | United States, Middle Eastern | $$$$ | Unknown |
| Causa | Peruvian | $$$$ | Unknown |
| Oyster Oyster | New American, Vegetarian, Vegetarian (Sustainable) | $$$ | Unknown |
| Bresca | Modern French, Contemporary | $$$$ | Unknown |
| Gravitas | New American, Contemporary | $$$$ | Unknown |
A quick look at how Lapis measures up.
Lapis works for small groups looking for a relaxed, mid-priced dinner in Adams Morgan. The warm, rug-lined dining room suits parties of 4-6 comfortably. Reservations are easy to secure, so booking ahead for a group of 5+ is a good idea even if lead times are short. For larger private events, check the venue's official channels.
Yes. At $$, Lapis is one of the lower-friction solo dinner options in D.C. — no tasting menu commitment, no stiff price point, and a relaxed atmosphere. The food, Afghan home cooking from owners Zubair and Shamim Popal, is built around shareable dishes, but most items work as a solo order too.
Afghan cuisine at Lapis centers on grilled meats, rice, and vegetable dishes, which gives reasonable flexibility for some dietary needs. The menu includes options that work for gluten-aware diners and those avoiding pork. For specific allergies or requirements, call ahead — the phone number isn't listed publicly, so reaching out via reservation platform or email is the practical route.
Lapis doesn't operate on a tasting menu format — it's an à la carte Afghan restaurant priced at $$. That's part of the appeal: you get Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized cooking without a fixed multi-course commitment. Order the chopawn (grilled lamb chops) and explore the menu at your own pace.
A day or two ahead is usually sufficient for weeknight tables. Weekends in Adams Morgan fill faster, so 3-5 days out is a reasonable buffer. Lapis doesn't require the weeks-in-advance planning that Michelin-starred DC spots do — that's one of its practical advantages at this price point.
Casual to neat casual fits the room. Lapis has whitewashed walls, Afghan rugs, and heirloom photos — it's a warm, stylish space but not a formal one. A $$ price point and Adams Morgan neighbourhood context confirm there's no dress pressure here.
Bar seating availability isn't confirmed in available data for Lapis. Given the intimate dining room format and home-cooking focus, the main dining area is the core experience. If bar seating is a priority, confirm directly when booking.
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