Washington DC

Progressives Unite. If you like your free-trade coffee served with a little bit of politics, your films less Hollywood and more independent, and think debate is discussion, then head on over to Busboys and Poets. This roomy café serves up free Wi-Fi, a varied menu, and events like open mic poetry, films on contemporary issues, and political discussions. It’s also a popular gathering place for meet-up-like groups. The food is good and reasonable, the menu caters to everyone—vegans included, and the bar has a good selection of beers on tap. Events are listed on the website and include movies, discussions, and private receptions. There’s also a book store run by Teaching for Change that carries a wide range of progressive titles with a percentage of the sales supporting Teaching for Change.

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The spanking new Bus Boys & Poets restaurant/bookstore/bar/event venue has collected enough hype in the past few weeks to ensure dense crowds for the next decade. Indeed, Sunday brunch is quite stifling, but the venue’s profound display of multitasking guarantees that your wait will not be typical. The leftist reading selection and largely vegetarian menu (but they do have cheeseburgers!) draws the inevitable hip and liberal demographic. To exacerbate the stereotype, the lights dim in the evenings to make way for poetry readings, film screenings, and open discussions with guest authors. But no matter your political orientation, Busboys’ comfy sofa seating arrangements and reasonably-priced food are refreshing additions to DC’s burgeoning alternative scene. Wireless Internet is available.

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One of the newest additions to the U Street area, Busboys and Poets (named for famed poet Langston Hughes) is at once relaxing, warm, and inviting—and exactly what I need after a long day at work. Having heard that it was a combination bookstore/coffee house/restaurant/lounge/performance space, and wondering how such a thing could possibly exist without being a mad house, I decided to check it out with some friends. We were pleasantly surprised. Filled with comfortable couches and chairs, it felt more like an extension of my living room (albeit much bigger, more tastefully decorated, and filled with one of the most eclectic crowds I’ve ever seen) than a downtown DC hotspot. After telling the hostess we were there for dinner, she escorted us to the dining area, where a friendly waiter took our order. It was at this point that we heard the faint noise of clapping—the guest speaker for the night had just been introduced to a full house of eager listeners in another room. Food for the stomach, mind, and soul. What more could you want?

Photo:  Amanda Hobbs