Leopold's - A Quaint European Cafe in Georgetown

This rainy afternoon, after watching a movie at the Georgetown Lowes Cineplex, we wanted to hang out a a cafe and sip some coffee and hot chocolate. We had just been to the Dean and Deluca cafe last week and wanted to try some place new. Having hear good things about Leopold's Kafe and Konditeroi (http://www.kafeleopolds.com/) we decided to check it out.

Tucked away in Cady's Alley noted for the fancy furniture and home decoration stores, and named for the architect who designed the space, Leopold Boeckl, the cafe seemed to be doing pretty well. We accessed Leopold's from M street, walking through a dimly lit passage that led to stairs that led to the cafe to the left of a square of exposed brick. There were outdoor tables set up around the fountain in the middle of the square. The place seemed to have a charming quality and a slight European feel.

We chose to sit inside as it was a bit grey but noted we would sit outside the next time. The inside had a modern feel to it. It had blonde coloured hard wood floors and a wooden trellis on the ceiling. The tables were dull glass with clear plastic chairs. There were a few unique chairs paired with some tables to add a touch of colour. There was also desserts on display at one end of the bar and and bar stools at the other end.

The menu has a wide variety of Austrian foods including an extensive selection of desserts. We got the Rigo Ranci for starters--a 3 layered chocolate moose with dark, milk and white chocolate, pretty darn good but a bit on the pricey side at $8. I have to admit I had a tough time picking just one dessert. The baked chocolate mousse, the 2 bean creme brulee, the apricot tart and the linzertorte were all strong contenders!

Shrek was pleased with his cappucino with a shot of chocolate but I was not thrilled with my hot coccoa as I like a really rich hot chocolate drink , both a reasonable $3.50. We ended up doing our snack backwards and followed up the dessert with a salad of shaved apple and walnuts, a light and tangy salad, priced around $7.50.

We definitely want to go back for brunch/ breakfast that is served from 8pm till 4pm. I will probably want to check out the Scrambled souffle with plum compote and currants and the belgian waffle dipped in chocolate. They also have a good wine selection that ranges from $7-9 per glass or about $28 and up a bottle.

The other customers at the Kafe seemed to be equally international with a strong European dominance. There were a number of tables with parents and young toddlers, all very well behaved and entertaining to watch. We made a mental note that this was a kid friendly place, a relatively rare thing at DC restaurants. The spacious cafe and the secluded outdoor courtyard makes it fun for the kids to roam around.

In short, Kafe Leopold's is a lovely place to dine at while taking a break from a hectic shopping expedition, or a great place to just chill out on a lazy day. Just don't go there looking for a quick meal, or if that is your intention do explain that to your waitress.