Kramerbooks is a DC institution — an independent bookshop and cafe that has occupied the same space on Connecticut Avenue in Dupont Circle since 1976. It stays open until 1am on weekends, which is unusual for a bookshop, and serves food and drinks in the attached Afterwords cafe. The result is a place that functions as a bookshop, a bar, and a late-night gathering spot simultaneously.
The book selection covers fiction, politics, history, and local DC interest, with a good staff-recommendation section. Afterwords serves a full menu through the evening and is a reliable option for a decent meal in a neighbourhood saturated with bars. During the Clinton years, the bookshop received a federal subpoena demanding Monica Lewinsky's purchase records — it refused to comply and became briefly famous for it.