If I were to describe the perfect neighborhood restaurant, Cafe Lolo would completely fit my definition. The food is comforting and nourishing, emphasizing local ingredients, which playfully come together in a way that feels both fresh and familiar. The space is draped in natural light that’s assisted by over a dozen lamps. The inviting dining room is covered in quirky Renaissance-inspired murals that don’t feel disruptive. There are to-go meal kits available for purchase, as well as local beers. It’s an atmosphere that invites you to unwind with a bottle of wine. Owners Leah Engel, Alex Halmi, and Brett Bankson are present, not only flitting about the room, but also cooking the dishes in the kitchen and laughing with customers. If I lived in the neighborhood, just off the main drag of Capitol Hill, it’s somewhere I’d want to return to over and over again.
Cafe Lolo has an extensive wine menu and many local beers, as well as bottles in the fridge you can pick up to-go. Although yes, the wine list — which includes just one glass from Washington, and more options from Oregon and Europe) — is worth perusing, the nonalcoholic tisanes are also made from seasonal ingredients. The strawberry rhubarb soda I had on my visit was effervescent and floral without an overpowering sweetness.
Like the rest of the menu, dessert will change pending seasons — but don’t skip it. My visit included a celebration of ripe, macerated strawberries over a semolina olive oil cake, which had a buttery crust and a tender interior crumb. There was also a scoop of rhubarb sorbet; light, sweet, and sharp.
