Image: ‘Chokes and Truffles.
Last Updated: June 2026
Overview:
We think Poplar qualifies as a hidden gem. It shares attributes with another hidden gem, Izakaya Seki (or it was under the radar until the Washington Post’s new critic gave it 4 stars). With Seki it is a commitment to a specific approach to Japanese cuisine. Poplar’s commitment is to using foraged and farm-direct foods. Like Seki, it is a bit out of the way. It also seems to be a natural part of the neighborhood while deserving broader attention. In that way, it is also like nearby ramen spot Menya Hosaki. We offer these comparisons to help you triangulate to get a sense of something that is both familiar and unique. In short, Poplar deserves more attention.
The menu changes each week, though the format has remained mostly stable with a prix fixe option of four courses plus a starter bread course from Manifest. Supplements are also available. The offered menu is often vegetarian, especially once ramps and asparagus start appearing in the market. Fish or meat can show up on the supplemental list. Currently, prix fixe is the only option, but they have offered a la carte on occasion. As a forage-based menu, mushrooms are going to be a key ingredient. The plating avoids fussiness, focusing on the ingredients, and the use of a pizza oven as the primary heat source narrows cooking options. What it opens is a palate of flavors that mixes and matches in the best tradition of New American cuisine. This is not just farm-to-table, this is field to table. Think things like simple gigante beans with pesto and dressing under greens, soup with asparagus and fiddleheads, or broccoli rabe over celery root puree blending crunchy greens, creamy bed, with a few dashes of hot sauce. For one visit, the main course was artichokes with four different kinds of mushrooms, goat cheese, plus truffles from Oregon selected by Nicholas Cage. Portions are generous and cost is reasonable for a multi-course meal (for two including a round of drinks and service charge it came to a $100 per head).
The restaurant is basically an offshoot of the ANXO cider spot down the street (it should be noted that ANXO ran a pretty serious Spanish-cuisine restaurant when it was in Shaw). This space came available with a pizza oven already installed from a lease that fell through. Owner Sam Fitz decided to work with forager Iulian Fortu, who also happened to be a professional chef who had done a stage at Noma. Cerrissa Fitz, an interior designer, developed the space into something warm, open, light-filled, with just a hint of fancy. It feels like it was designed to be a refuge, but with giant windows does not close itself off from the neighborhood (some outdoor seating available when weather cooperates). The ANXO connection drives the drink menu, that is not long, but is thoughtful on pairings.
We confess that we are a sucker for these kinds of sui generis spots ranging from the fancier like Oyster Oyster or Obelisk, to the fun like La Boheme at Apéro (and Apéro), to more casual places like Daru, Baan Mae, or My Little Chamomile. If you lean that way too, we suggest you make a reservation for one of the three nights a week they are open.
Other Guidance: Located at street level with a ramp or steps up to the door. Chef can alter the menu for Vegans, Vegetarians, and Gluten-Free diners. It is a neighborhood nice spot. We were kidding about Nicholas Cage, but the truffles were from Oregon.
Summary:
Cuisine: New or Old American
Neighborhood: Columbia Heights/Petworth (Brightwood)
Address: 701 Kennedy St NW, Washington, DC 20011
Website: https://poplarkennedy.com/
Reservations: Resy
Other Critics/Voices:
Washington Post: No coverage yet.
Washingtonian: Restaurants using foraging. Initial Preview from 2025.
WCP: Fellow forager fan Nevin Martell does a preview.